10 Broadcaster Press July 29, 2014 www.broadcasteronline.com Parents Connecting With Social Media There is a power outage, and your child’s school is dismissing students early, requiring you to arrive quickly for pickup. Your kid will not be left waiting for you because you got this information immediately after a quick log-in to the social media site you use to connect with other parents. Some other parents may be delayed in receiving this important information because they rely on phone alerts. Social media has changed the way people communicate. Whether through tweets or status updates, information shared through social media avenues is often instantaneous and can reach a large number of peo- ple, which is why many parents have turned to social media to learn about events at school. According to a study by Nielsen McKinsey Company, parents are more likely than adults without children to play games, engage in creative pursuits, and look for entertainment on Facebook, blogs and other social sites. The data collected from 2,000 adults (both parents and nonparents) who frequently use social media found 88 percent of users rely on social networking sites for communicating with family and friends. The next most popular activity is connecting with new friends, followed by accessing product reviews and online entertainment. Reports show that adults devote a quarter of their time spent online to social media sites. Parents, in particular, are finding new ways to put these sites to use. Social media is helping parents in a variety of ways, even enabling them to keep an eye on their children when they go online. According to a survey from Laptop magazine, 55 percent of parents are using social media to watch their kids’ online activities. Of that 55 percent, one-fifth indicated they only use social media to monitor their child’s online activity. However, social media has other handy purposes. Many parents use it as they would a bulletin board — posting all types of information. Some parents use social media to stay abreast of school happenings, asking questions about when fundraiser money is due or if anyone got the spelling words for the week. Others find it is a good way to meet parents or speak with the parents of their child’s classmates. Some moms and dads use it to set up parents’ nights out, advertise things for sale or ask for recommendations on contractors. Parents also use social media to invite people to special events, including birthday parties. Others can see who was invited and decide if they’re going to come, too. More parents are turning to social media sites for advice and information, to stay in touch or simply to share a good laugh. Tips For Quick Banish Bad Bedtime Behavior Weeknight Meals pace for happy kids who are sleepy when they should be. Their bodies will adjust to the schedule, and over time they will involuntarily become tired when the time is right. Over-stimulation Children have many more toys and recreational activities at their disposal than their parents and grandparents did when they were children. The presSome parents believe sleep problems only occur during ence of these devices, infancy. But sleep problems may continue throughout including video game childhood if they are not addressed promptly. consoles and personAs much as parents may anticipate al tablet computers, may not make for an their childrens’ bedtime as a point in the ideal sleep environment. Sleep therapists day when they can finally enjoy some advise that television watching and activipeace and quiet, there are those moms ties that engage the mind a good deal and dads who dread bedtime, which can should be ceased prior to bed and be frustrating for even the most levelreplaced with more relaxing activities. headed parents. Parents may face a host This can include listening to soothing of issues at bedtime each night, but each music or reading a few pages of a favorite requires patience and perseverance so story. Avoid activities that will increase bad behaviors can be broken once and energy levels, such as exercise or roughfor all. housing, before bed. Wired Children What parent hasn’t experienced a child who is too excited to go to bed? Experts say that, depending on their age, children need 9 to 11 hours of sleep every night. Most children should be in bed by 8 p.m. to get the sleep their bodies need. If you miss the window of time to get them in bed, you may enter the overtired and wired period. A consistent bedtime and wake time can help set the The Bed Hog There are plenty of parents who embrace the concept of the “family bed,” where everyone sleeps comfortably together. However, those who want their beds to be their private domain may be put off and disturbed by small feet kicking them in the night. But when faced with a midnight temper tantrum, many parents relent and let their child climb into their bed. This can cause a pattern of behavior that is difficult to break. Sleep training involves getting toddlers or older children accustomed to sleeping in their own beds again. It may begin by a parent “camping out” in the child’s room to provide security. Over a period of days, the parent gradually moves closer to the door and then out of the room entirely once the child can comfortably sleep solo in his or her room. Initially, the process may be uncomfortable for kids and parents alike. But eventually it may solidify good sleeping habits. Inconsistency A routine lets children known when it is time to go to sleep. Lacking a consistent schedule may not provide the physical cues that it is time to go to bed. Adhere to a routine each and every night so children become trained to go to bed at a particular time. This routine may include brushing teeth, picking out pajamas and then snuggling together for a few minutes. Children are creatures of habit, and knowing what to expect will help set them up for sleeping success. Safety Issues Some parents cannot get a good night’s sleep because they worry about their children rising in the middle of the night and wandering the house unattended or even leaving the home. Childproofing the home can calm those concerns. Placing a secure gate at the doorway of the child’s room can limit roaming, while alarms placed on doors and windows can alert parents if a child is trying to open a window or exit the home. Parents can take many steps to fix problematic bedtime behaviors and ensure the entire household gets the sleep they need. Enjoying a meal together on a weeknight is a goal for many families. But adults often find themselves pressed for time on weeknights, and that time crunch can make it difficult to enjoy a homecooked meal. While it may not be feasible for parents and kids to scale back their busy schedules, there are steps parents can take to make weeknight meal preparation quicker. By shortening the time it takes to make meals on weeknights, families might be able to sit down to dinner together more often. * Plan ahead. The most effective way to make more time for family meals is to plan ahead. Planning meals on the fly encourages everyone to fend for themselves, making it difficult for families to enjoy nutritious meals they can eat together. Plan for the coming week’s meals on the weekend, when you can survey your pantry and make a trip to the grocery store if need be. Planning ahead also allows you to prepare certain parts of a meal in advance, which will save you time on busy weeknights. * Make cold meals. Dinner does not have be served hot, and cold meals often take less time to prepare. Consider serving salad or sandwiches on those nights when you are especial- ly pressed for time. When serving sandwiches, serve them on whole grain bread to add some nutritional value to the meal. * Lean on seafood more often. Seafood can be healthy and delicious, but that’s not the only reason it’s an ally to time-strapped families. Seafood should not take much time to cook, as even those dishes that take more time than simpler dishes like sauteed shrimp will still take less than 30 minutes to complete. That’s significantly less time than meals in which beef, pork or poultry is the main entree. * Leftovers aren’t just for lunch. Leftovers are often relegated to lunch, but extras from a meal cooked over the weekend can be used as a quick go-to meal on a hectic weeknight. If the family enjoyed the meal the first time around, there’s no reason they won’t enjoy it again. When eating leftovers for dinner, make sure the leftovers are fresh, but try to avoid serving leftovers the night after they were initially cooked. Enjoy meals as a family is a great way for families to eat healthy and stay engaged in one another’s lives. And even families with hectic schedules can employ a few tricks to make dining together more convenient. Weekly Specials Bright Smiles for Their Bright Future Tuesday KNUTSON FAMILY DENTISTRY All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti 4pm - Close Served with garlic bread $5.99 without meatballs $6.99 with meatballs Dr. Richard Knutson • Dr. Matthew Knutson Cosmetic • Implants • General Practice • Single Visit Crowns ts Children In isalign h l r n Invisalign nvis g nv Braces for Adults & Children • Invisa ign Wednesday Kids Eat Free HOURS: Monday - Friday, 8:30 - 5:30 1714 East Cherry Street, Vermillion (9 & under with the purchase of an adult meal) Thursday Kids Eat Free (9 & under with the purchase of an adult meal) Open Mic Night! 20% off all Taps 13 W Main, Vermillion 605-624-9696 Over 100 Varieties of Beer Available 605-624-6291