Tikes 2 Teens: Tips for Kids of All AgesBy Michelle Carlton
0–12 Months: Flying with Your Baby
After 40 flights with his infant daughter, Madeline, Matt Logelin has perfected the art of air travel with a baby-and he does it alone. Last year, his wife, Liz, passed away from a pulmonary embolism. Since then, he’s been maintaining his blog, mattlogelin.com, and managing his charity, the Liz Logelin Foundation, which offers financial support to families who have recently lost a spouse, parent, or partner. Because he and Madeline have flown all over (to appear on Oprah, visit distant grandparents, and more), Logelin now has some hard-earned tips:
Going through security. Plan ahead, Logelin says: Other travelers are watching. “I figure I’m going to be flying with these people. If they see that I’m capable…it keeps the anxiety level down.” He puts metallic items in the diaper bag so they’re on hand but won’t slow him down at security.
 Changing a diaper midair. “This is one of the most difficult things that can be done on a plane,” Logelin says. He always brings a changing pad—and twice as many diapers as he thinks he’ll need. He’s changed diapers on the bathroom floor, the closed toilet seat, and the floor in the back where the flight attendants sit.
Dealing with meltdowns. “This is when I say, Don’t worry about what other people think,” Logelin says. “You do what you can to stop it, but you also realize that you’re powerless sometimes. Most people are sympathetic if they see you’re trying.”
Handling a diaper blowout. Bring a plastic bag for the messy clothes, an extra change of clothes for the baby—and an extra shirt for yourself. “I know a woman who was on a cross-country trip with her child, who had a diaper blowout,” Logelin recalls. “She had a change of clothes for the kid, but…she had to sit like that for eight hours.”
Ages 1–3: Bedtime Routines Aid Sleep
 In a world full of “But I don’t wanna go to bed!” and “Just one more story—please?” it may seem impossible to follow regular bedtime habits. But new research shows the results are worth the effort.
According to a study at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a consistent bedtime routine helps a child fall asleep faster, wake up fewer times during the night (and for shorter periods), and sleep longer. Even more impressive? It boosts Mom’s mood, too.
For the 405 infants and toddlers in the study, the bedtime routines lasted 30 minutes and involved a bath, a massage or the application of baby lotion, and a quiet, restful time (such as cuddling or singing). Not only did the routine improve the children’s sleep patterns, but it also led to improved morning moods for the toddlers and, overall, happier, more relaxed moods for the mothers.
Ages 4–5: Staying Safe in Crowded Places
 As your family hits amusement parks, zoos, and fairs this summer, tell your kids to remember these two things, which may surprise them:
“Don’t help an adult you don’t know.” This may sound contrary to a kid who’s been taught to share and be nice to people, but “an adult should never have to ask a child for help,” advises David Almeida, a private investigator and the author of Abducted Dreams: What to Do When Your Child Is Missing.
“If you’re lost, don’t try to find me.” Of course, it’s a kid’s natural reaction to hunt for you if he doesn’t know where you are, but be sure yours knows that you’ll be looking for him right away. “Teach your kids that they shouldn’t keep moving around looking—they should stay in one place and wait,” Almeida says. If a stranger offers help, your child should refuse and instead ask that person to get a police officer or a security official.
Ages 6–8: The Latest Identity-Theft Victims: Kids
You already know to check your credit report online (even if you don’t always get around to it). But what about your child’s credit report?
An estimated 500,000 cases of identity theft happen every year to children, and that number is growing, says identity-theft expert John Sileo (find him at sileo.com). “Oftentimes, it’s not discovered in our kids for ten or fifteen years [because] there’s no reason to check their credit,” he adds.
To protect your child, Sileo recommends checking her credit score once a year, with each of the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). Credit bureaus won’t give information online for anyone under age 13, so you’ll have to send a cover letter with your request, a copy of your child’s birth certificate, a copy of her Social Security number, and a copy of your ID.
 You should get the results within 30 days—most likely, nothing will show up. If you do find suspect activity, ask the bureau to cancel any accounts that have been opened, place a security freeze on the file, and report the fraud to both the Federal Trade Commission and your local police department.
Besides checking credit reports, Sileo urges parents to be wary of giving out their kid’s Social Security number. Organizations may ask for your child’s SSN, but most don’t actually need it, Sileo points out. When you do have to supply your child’s number, “ask questions about how it’s going to be used, how long it’s going to be stored, and how they’re going to get rid of it when they’re done with it,” he says.
According to Sileo, parents should also watch out for red flags, such as credit card offers and other junk mail being sent to their kids. Those are signs that someone may be using your child’s information. The sooner you start clearing up any problems, the better.
Ages 9–13: Wildlife Adventures in Your Backyard
Take advantage of the summer weather to explore nature and bond with your kids. For great ideas, we turned to Let’s Go Outside! Outdoor Activities and Projects to Get You and Your Kids Closer to Nature, by Jennifer Ward:
Bugly Scavenger Hunt. Create a challenge to see who can find the most bugs from the following categories:
The largest bug
The ugliest bug |
The cutest bug
The slowest bug |
The fastest bug
The busiest bug |
 Toad’s Castle. Help your kids make a “castle fit for a toad.”
Find a clay flowerpot eight inches or more in diameter and, with a hammer, break a section of the pot’s rim to make an entrance for the toad. Break another opening on the opposite side of the pot to create an escape route, should the toad ever need one.
Bury the rim of the flowerpot in a part of your garden that is sheltered by vegetation. Make sure the openings in the sides are aboveground. Select a spot for your toad house that’s not too sunny—otherwise, it will get too hot inside the clay pot during the day when your toad is napping. Finally, put a little dish of water near the toad house.
Adapted from Let’s Go Outside! by Jennifer Ward, copyright (c) 2009. Published by arrangement with Trumpeter, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boston. shambhala.com.
Ages 14–18: Easing Homesickness
Millions of kids will pack their bags this summer and leave for summer camp. But even the most eager teens can find themselves missing Mom and Dad.
“Knowing that homesickness is normal helps older kids especially, because they might think that this is just a little-kid thing,” says Christopher Thurber, PhD, a psychologist who’s studied homesickness in kids and has spent 29 years at YMCA Camp Belknap, in Mirror Lake, New Hampshire. “But everybody misses something about home when they’re away.” To help teens cope with homesickness:
 Give them a way to keep in touch. Most camps don’t allow cell phones, so pack a stationery kit for kids, with plenty of notepaper, pencils, stamps, and pre-addressed envelopes.
Send encouraging letters. “The more engaged kids are—socially, emotionally, and physically—in their new place, the less their thoughts will turn to home,” Thurber says. Ask your child about what he’s doing and whom he’s met. Your interest will go a long way in helping him try new things.
Make a calendar. To remind your teen that camp is a time-limited experience, Thurber suggests sending a calendar with him. He can mark off the days while also filling in camp activities: activities he’s looking forward to, things he’s already done, and memories he makes along the way.
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