South Florida provides glorious beach weather year-round

Summer is fast approaching, and if you live near a beach or are planning to visit one, you’ll want to keep your family safe:

1. Don’t Get Burned – Apply sunscreen liberally to all exposed skin.  If you plan to go in and out of the water a lot, reapply your sunscreen regularly. But no matter how much you apply, it may not be enough to keep you from getting a sunburn. Wear protective clothing, such as a lightweight long sleeved shirt, a hat with a wide brim and sunglasses. Know your limits, and get out of the sun before it’s too late. Also, know that you can get a severe sunburn even on a cloudy day.
2. See the Signs – Don’t ignore rip current and jelly fish warnings. If signs are posted recommending you do not go in the water, take them seriously.
3. Don’t Get Caught in a Current – If you or your children are not strong swimmers, stay close to the shore, and make sure you are in sight of a lifeguard. If you do get caught in a rip current, don’t fight it; swim parallel to shore.  If a lifeguard is on duty, he or she may throw you a rescue buoy or rope and instruct you how to safely get to shore. The vast majority of drownings on beaches are due to rip currents, and many of the victims drown in shallow water.
4. Alcohol and Water Don’t Mix – Don’t swim if you’ve been drinking. Alcohol reduces the temperature in your body, is dehydrating and impairs your ability to stay in control and make sound judgements.
5. Never Swim Alone – This is true for ocean, lake and pool swimming – no matter your age or level of expertise. If an emergency arises, you are much more likely to survive a swimming disaster if someone else is there to help you.
6. Use Your Feet, Not Your Head – Don’t even think about diving into the ocean or a lake head first. You cannot always tell how deep the water is and you do not want to sustain a potentially crippling or deadly disaster.
7. Shark! – Shark attacks are not all that common, though when they do happen, they are well publicized. Attacks that do occur usually happen when a shark mistakes people for fish. Avoid swimming in areas near piers where people are fishing. Also, since sharks are attracted to shiny lures, remove your shiny jewelry before getting in the water.
8. Stay Hydrated – Outdoor activities such as sunning and swimming can be dehydrating. Sunburns can also lead to severe dehydration. So drink plenty of water while you’re at the beach and after you leave.
9. Keep Your Food Safe – Foods that need refrigeration should stay in a closed, well-iced cooler protected from the sun. To avoid food-borne illnesses, don’t keep perishable food out for a long period of time.
10. Know Your Stuff – If you bring valuables to the beach, such as a wallet, cash, camera, expensive shoes or even car keys, don’t leave them on or near your beach towel unattended. Thieves love to peruse beaches and wait for the opportune moment to rip off unassuming beachgoers. You won’t even know they’re there until you realize your possessions have been stolen.

#11. Laughed really hard

1. Interviewed a fascinating biologist/children’s book author and illustrator.
2. Read and reviewed a stack of children’s books.
3. Volunteered to be an usher at a Danny Aiello Jazz Ensemble concert. (Awesome!)
4. Blogged for a mountain climber’s website.
5. Ate dinner outside on the patio (January) in perfect weather. I love Miami!
6. Cooked some tomato sauce from my own organic tomatoes.
7. Had a great brunch with an aunt and uncle.
8. Baked some Vanilla Bean Shortbread.
9. Washed, dried and brushed my giant dog.
10. Took a 2.3 mile walk with my husband and dog in the cool, breezy evening.

What did you do this weekend?

• Go to bed at 10 pm.
• Wake up at 3 am. because you are afraid you will oversleep and not hear the 4:30 am alarm.
• Leave for the airport at 5:15.
• Look at the clock thinking it is 10 am but discover it is only 6 am.
• Hang out in a terminal at the airport for an hour and a half watching exhausted zombie-like people deplane.
• Get on a 7:15 am flight from Fort Lauderdale to New York City.
• Run around the city all morning with a 4 year old in the pouring rain.
• Go to a birthday party for 15 5-year-olds.
• Look at the clock thinking it is 11 pm, but it is only 7 pm.

Fairchild Tropical Gardens

1. Find money
2. Clear food away from ants
3. Find tax deductible receipts (parking, tolls, food)
4. Not have to look at/and or smell stains any more
5. See out much clearer windows to make way for safer driving
6. Take all things that rattle out of the doors
7. Make room for more passengers
8. No longer be embarrassed when passengers or valet parkers get in your car
9. Locate your favorite pen between the seats
10. Everything feels better when clean

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The extreme frustration I felt today with my wireless network not working well at home was actually a culmination of annoyance from weeks of difficulty getting and staying online. Unfortunately as a writer, you’ve got to be connected during all waking hours and have working email accounts. (I’ve also had problems with my remote control and the cordless phones in the house.)

So tonight I let myself imagine what my life would be like if there were no internet, social networking, cell phones, ebooks, readers, MP3 players etc. In many ways it would be inconvenient to not have these inventions, yet in others it would be pure heaven. Here’s the upside to not having them:

• More privacy
• No expectation of being able to be reached 24 hours per day
• Not marketed to during business hours
• No technological malfunctions
• Less radiation?
• Only real books you can hold in your hands
• Small mom and pop shops still in business (because lack of internet would mean less competition)
• Less time spent on getting elecronic stuff to work
• Libraries and book stores would not be extinct
• No email scams and spams
• No more stupid email joke or high memory photo forwards
• Less frustration
• Less sitting at a desk
• Less theft of electronic items because no one would have them
• Less time wasted reading useless stuff online
• Newspapers would still be in business
• Journalists would have their jobs

As I write this, it all sounds good – even though I know I’d flip if I could not go online for a few days. But for today – just today – I think I’d enjoy the peace and quiet and lack of technological malfunction!

I’m off to bed to read a real book I can hold in my hands.

I have become a major yoga lover over the past year. If you’ve never taken a yoga class, the only way to describe it would be to say that it is difficult, rewarding, relaxing and rejuvenating all at the same time. It’s about moving, stretching, breathing and being aware; it’s like a combination of pure fitness and meditation all in one. Holding tough poses for several breaths can be challenging at times, but the rewards are tremendous. It’s changed my outlook and helps me think clearer.

Children can benefit from yoga for the same reasons adults can, and they sure do love to practice yoga with their parents!

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Here are just some of the many benefits of yoga:

• Increases flexibility (less injuries)
• Increases strength
• Improves balance
• Relieves stress
• Builds self esteem
• Develops motivation
• Improves concentration
• Builds awareness
• Facilitates calmness
• Improves posture
• Improves attitude
• Promotes healthy living
• Develops listening skills
• Improves digestion
• Improves coordination
• Helps maintain an efficient metabolism

If these were not enough reasons to introduce your child to yoga, here are more:

• Yoga is not competitive
• It does not matter what level a child is at to reap the benefits
• A child does not have to be athletic to practice
• A child does not have to be flexible (flexibility improves with regular practice)
• Yoga is something parents can do with their children.
• Yoga is fun!

The Twilight Zone Marathon is just hours away on the ScyFy Channel! If you’ve never watched it, you’ll be hooked after one episode. Check out the schedule here. My family is addicted to this series, and we watch every July 4 and New Year’s day. The marathon is on for a 2 full days, and we try to watch as many episodes as possible. We know a lot of the dialogue by hear and have researched all the actors thoroughly! And I must admit I even made an episode index years ago that I refer to each time the marathon is on TV. Suffice it to say I’m obsessed!

Summer is here. Yeah! And after the brutal winter most of the US experienced this past year, now is the time to celebrate the sun! But with an increase in outdoor activities there often comes an increase in visits to doctors’ offices and emergency rooms. Here are tips to keep your kids safe and healthy outdoors:

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• Having a sunburn is no fun and can even be dangerous. Apply sunscreen on your children liberally when they are outdoors, and repeat the application every few hours. Wearing a hat is always a good idea when playing outside for long periods of time. Know that you don’t have to live in the tropics to get a sunburn, and yes, you can indeed get a bad burn even on a cloudy day.
• Dehydration often accompanies hot weather. Kids, like adults, need extra water when outdoors or exerting extra energy. Know the signs of dehydration.
• Avoid head Injuries by making sure your child is wearing a properly fitted helmet when riding a bike.
• Make sure your child knows how to swim. Drowning is the sixth leading cause of death among children, so never leave children of any age unattended for a minute while they are near a pool. Safety fences should be professionally installed around all pool where young children live or visit, and pool owners should consider getting certified in CPR.
• Insect bites are uncomfortable, and bee and wasp stings in particular are painful and can cause serious allergic reactions. Be armed with Benedryl spray for skin irritations and the liquid oral form for allergic reactions. If your child has been stung and shows any sign of hives or breathing difficulties, get him to the ER immediately. Click here for more info.
• Falls from playground equipment and trampolines are among the most common summer injuries. Playgrounds covered with mulch or recycled products, rather than concrete, often help protect children from injury. Overcrowded playgrounds are the least safe, and many injuries are sustained from kids who walk in front of moving swings.
• Food borne illnesses can occur at any time of the year, but leaving food outside for extended periods of time can cause serious problems. It’s especially tricky to keep foods safe while hiking, camping and boating.

1. Parent Magazine article: 10 Ways to Tame Your Kid’s Tantrums
2. CNN: How to Talk to Your Kids About Bin Laden’s Death
3. My Summer Camps: Summer Camp Guide 2011
4. NY Times: Screening: An Autism Questionnaire at Checkup Time
5. She Knows Parenting: Mother’s Day Crafts

No More Tantrums!

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