SUMMERTIME SAFETY TIPS FOR NANNIES

Here are some quick tips for parents and nannies to care for kids during the summer.

Nannies, please TELL PARENTS as soon as possible if an accident or injury occurs, but CALL 911 FIRST if there is an emergency. Always ask permission before giving any medication.

SUNSCREEN

  • ASK a parent if this child has any allergy to sunscreen

  • APPLY sunscreen to all exposed skin areas (don’t forget face, neck, ears, hands and top of feet) 20-30 minutes before going outside

  • USE SPF 30 or higher (discuss with parent if SPF is less than 30 and reapply more frequnetly if less than 30)

  • RE-APPLY every 2 hours or sooner if the child is swimming or sweating

BUG BITES, BEE STINGS & SUNBURNS

  • For bug bites, ask the parent for permission before applying calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream to reduce itching, then wash the area with soap & water. {seek immediate medical attention if the child experiences severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or dizziness}

  • For bee stings, REMOVE the stinger, apply a cold compress, and monitor for allergic reactions. Tell parents immediately!

  • For sunburns, ask parents for permission to do the following: give child a cool bath, apply aloe vera gel. (if parent agrees, refrigerate the aloe vera gel for a soothing effect.

DEHYDRATION

  • DRESS kids in light, loose-fitting clothing (e.g. cotton, linen)and hats

  • ENCOURAGE kids to drink water frequently

  • TAKE frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas

  • AVOID strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day.

  • WATCH for signs like lethargy, dry mouth, headache, dizziness, or dark yellow urine

  • CHECK local weather advisories and air quality alerts

WATER SAFETY

  • NEVER leave kids unattended near water, even for a moment

  • ALWAYS use life jackets or flotation devices. Follow parents instructions!

  • MAKE clear rules with kids about staying within designated areas

Click HERE for Tibetan/English child safety tips for nannies.

THREE TIPS FOR READING TO BABIES

Reading to your baby is essential and, of course, not very hard, but here are few important "do's" to keep in mind. The only "don't" is "don't don't read"! 

1. PICK THE RIGHT BOOK

  • Board books are better than paper books for babies. They're fun to hold and won't damage too easily.

  • Pick books with large pictures, simple drawings, bright colors and familiar objects. Reading with your child is a great way to help your child get her or his 30 Million Words by Age 4. Book reading ignites conversation between caregiver and child, so the more visually attractive and clear the images are the better.

2. BE INTERACTIVE (i.e. don't just read the book)

  • Point to something in the book.

  • Ask what it is, and then answer it for them if the child is to young to answer herself. Then say something interesting about the image, and don't worry if the child is fully grasping every point you make!

  • Tune in to the baby's responses and repeat them back to her so she knows you heard her. This introduces the concept of back-and-forth conversation into the baby's world!

3. BE POSITIVE

  • If a child is wrong, correct them only in a positive way. EXAMPLE: If a child incorrectly names something as a dog, for instance, tell her "It's brown like a dog, but this is a kitty. The kitty has has two eyes like a dog, and fur like a dog. This kitty is so pretty!" 

Most importantly, enjoy your reading time together! Kids sense when adults are having fun, too.

 

No Carrot, No Stick

Very few parents or teachers believe any more that punishment (corporeal or otherwise) is an acceptable way of correcting bad behavior.

But many still do believe in a hybrid a "carrot and stick" approach, e.g. time out in the naughty corner for bad behavior combined with verbal praise and/or a colorful sticker when the child improves.

For other adults, taking a "carrot only" approach seems like an even better, gentler option. But as Katherine Reynolds Lewis points out in a recent Mother Jones article, experts believe that carrots and sticks in any combination are ineffective and short-sighted techniques.

According to Ross Greene, author of The Explosive Child and Lost at School, good behavior shouldn't be programmed into children as if they were lab mice or house pets. Why?

Because when we try to program behavior we are not really helping the child learn how to control her own behavior.

In psychological terms we are not helping our children develop autonomy. 

The best way to help the child develop autonomy (and thus control their own behavior) is not to program the child with reward/punishment schemes but to help them figure out why they're behaving in a particular manner.

The parent, teacher or nanny must help the child with this investigative process. Understanding her own behavior naturally promotes development of executive function in the child, i.e. the ability to control impulses and get yourself organized and on track. 

At Tibetan Care we encourage all of our nannies and parents to follow guidelines set by the New York Office of Family and Child Services (OCFS) on managing difficult behavior in children.  Similar to Ross Greene's Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) model, the OCFS approach encourages first getting to the WHY of a behavior, and never trying to punish the behavior away. 

Save the carrots for your salad and the stick for a nice long walk in the woods with the child where together you just might get to the why of the matter.

When in Doubt, Practice Compassion

A Lesson ON SIMPLICITY from H.H. the Dalai Lama 80th Birthday Celebration

Last week at the birthday celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama held at the Jacob Javits Center here in New York City I was shown this excerpt from The Compendium of Perfect Dharma sutra.

"O Buddha, a bodhisattva should not train in many practices. If a bodhisattava properly holds to one dharma and learns it perfectly, he has all the Buddha's qualities in the palm of his hand. And if you ask what that one dharma is, it is great compassion (mahakaruna)"

TRANSLATION: Keep it simple. When in doubt, whatever your religion, practice Compassion.

This is the mindset that Tibetan nannies are raised with from childhood. Most of our caregivers will say they have little knowledge of Buddhist philosophy, but on a practical day-to-day level, they are the world's best role models on practicing compassion.