Month: July 2019

Manners, Secrets & Sex Ed — Keeping Kids Safer

We are thoughtful parents, friends and relatives, but sometimes we say things that inadvertently contribute to a child’s vulnerability. Here are some everyday examples – and suggestions for how to strengthen communication with children with regard to secrets, consent, manners, sex ed and more. Secrets – “Let’s not tell Mom about the ice cream.” Sometimes adults ask children to keep “innocent-like” secrets, but are these so-called innocent secrets actually hurting kids? What happens, for instance, when you say to a child, “Let’s not tell Mom that I let you stay up past your bedtime?” Well, it turns out that asking children to keep secrets like this is both burdensome and confusing. And without even realizing it, innocent secrets at home can make a child more vulnerable. For instance, a chil...

7 Tips for talking about drugs and alcohol with kids

It can be intimidating to talk with our kids about smoking, vaping, drinking or misusing prescription medications. Here are some ways to establish trust (and make it less awkward). It’s hard enough to get a response from our kids when we ask how their day went, so the prospect of starting a conversation with them about tobacco, alcohol and drugs probably seems about as exciting as folding laundry. On the other hand, we know it’s important, and we want our kids to know they can come to us with questions about drinking, smoking or other drugs, so they’ll make healthy choices when we aren’t around. Building that trust means starting early, and keeping those conversations going. The good news is you’re not alone, there are resources out there to help us get the ball rolling and stay on track. ...

Deals: Cirque du Soleil, Outlets at Castle Rock

I love going to the theater. Did you know that Denver Center has some of the best theater in the country and that many shows start their tours right here. This next season of shows for 2019/2020 goes on sale August 2. Awesome shows returng to town and some that delight every year. Many of the shows are very kid friendly including Disney’s Lion King! and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical.  Outlets at Castle Rock Back to School 20% Off Promotion. Through August 31st. ROCK Your Back to School Savings with an additional 20% off, exclusively at participating stores at Outlets at Castle Rock! More than 50 stores will offer 20% off a single item OR 20% off an entire purchase, or both! Visit Customer Service in the Food Court for details and to pick up a list of participating ...

What’s Going On In Your Child’s Brain When You Read Them A Story?

“I want The Three Bears!” These days parents, caregivers and teachers have lots of options when it comes to fulfilling that request. You can read a picture book, put on a cartoon, play an audiobook, or even ask Alexa. A newly published study gives some insight into what may be happening inside young children’s brains in each of those situations. And, says lead author Dr. John Hutton, there is an apparent “Goldilocks effect” — some kinds of storytelling may be “too cold” for children, while others are “too hot.” And, of course, some are “just right.” Hutton is a researcher and pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital with a special interest in “emergent literacy” — the process of learning to ...

Welcoming a new baby? Ways to help your older child adjust

If it takes a village to raise a child, raising a child and their sibling(s) may require a metropolis. Luckily, you can practice some simple strategies and techniques to help siblings get along as they each grow independently! Welcoming a new baby? Congratulations! Here are some ways to help your older child adjust. Some children are very excited about a new baby and are very gentle. For others, the arrival of a new baby is stressful and can feel like a loss of attention. Here are some tips to help with the transition. Involve the older sibling  in the baby’s care, with your supervision. Allow him to hold the baby with you sitting right next to him. Let your older child help with diapering. Ask your child to show visitors the baby’s room. Giving your older child the opportunity to hel...

Hop on the potty training train with these helpful tips

First of all, is your child ready for toilet training? Toilet training is most successful when your child shows signs of readiness- both developmentally and behaviorally. Every child is different, with some showing signs of readiness between the ages of 18 and 24 months and others showing signs of readiness at older ages. In the U.S., successful completion of toilet training frequently occurs at around age 3, with girls typically completing the process a few months before boys. Problems in toilet training often come up because parents don’t wait until their child is ready. Successful toilet training requires help from patient, understanding adults, and a child who is ready for the transition. Specific signs of toilet training readiness may include when your child: Can follow simple instruc...

26 things to do in Denver this week

Awesome events this week include Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, 5th Anniversary Grand Re-opening and Buffalo Bill Days. See our event calendar for full listings and don’t miss our Denver summer activity guide with 150+ ideas. Buffalo Bill Days at Parfet Park  Jul 26  – Jul 28  The old west comes alive as Golden will once again be hosting its annual Buffalo Bill Days celebration July 26-28. There’s something for everyone in the family including a traditional pancake breakfast, “Best of the West” parade, Cody’s Wild West extravaganza, kids vs. sheep Muttin’ Bustin’ contest and a classic car show. Indigenous Pop X at McNichols Civic Center Building, Denver Arts & Venues  July 26 – 28  In collaboration with the Denver American Indian C...

Packz 4 Kidz campaign to help low-income kids on August 1

Do you want to make a difference in a child’s life? FOX31 and Colorado’s Own Channel 2 are proud to again support this year’s Packz 4 Kidz campaign as part of the Kenzi’s Causes program. Tune in Thursday, August 1st for the FOX31 and  Channel 2 hosted phonebank all to benefit Packz 4 Kidz. As a former teacher for Denver Public Schools, Jessica Bachus, founder of Kenzi’s Causes and Packz 4 Kidz, saw first-hand children arriving on the first day of school without the necessary supplies to be successful and feel like everyone else. This would spark the idea and creation of the Packz 4 Kidz campaign. It is the goal this year to again provide over 1,500 low-income children with new backpacks full of school supplies to ensure they start the first day of school with the confidence...

How to Encourage Girls to Lift Each Other Up, Instead of Tearing Each Other Down

Too often, girls and women are taught to think of other girls and women as competition or even threats, not as allies. In fact, Caroline Adams Miller, a positive psychology expert and the author of Getting Grit, says that when she asks female professionals if they feel like one of the biggest challenges they face isn’t just how they are treated by men but also getting torn down by other women, “It’s not half the room raising their hands — it’s 100 percent of the women.” When girls are empowered and confident, however, they can learn how to team up in ways that encourage and support one another, making it more likely that all of them will find success! Phyllis Fagell, a professional school counselor, spoke with a variety of experts for a recent Washington Post&nb...

Deals: Buffalo Bill Days, Cheesecake Factory, Cirque du Soleil and more!

 My family had a little get away this weekend. We went to Crested Butte – which is perhaps the most wonderful place on this planet. But we had a discussion there that maybe you can help resolve. Is a trip to the mountains a “getaway” or a “vacation”? What is the difference? How many hours in a car is a “road trip”? It takes me an hour to get to work each day – is that a road trip? Is it only a road trip if you feel the need to get snacks or travel so far you need to “pit stop”?  Outlets at Castle Rock Back to School 20% Off Promotion. July 15th-August 31st. ROCK Your Back to School Savings with an additional 20% off, exclusively at participating stores at Outlets at Castle Rock! More than 50 stores will offer 20% off a single item OR 20% off an entire purchase, or both! Visit Cus...

Boulder’s Thorne Nature Experience opening outdoor preschool

On a warm day earlier this summer, six preschool students tramped across a field in Boulder’s Sombrero Marsh with their moms, navigated across a small stream running stronger than expected with the help of rocks and adult arms and finally settled in a shady spot surrounded by trees. Thorne Nature Experience instructor Jen Anderson led the parent-and-child nature play group in fashioning woodland creatures from pine cones, ribbons, pipe cleaners and fabric, then encouraged the children to explore and build their creatures homes from sticks and rocks. A couple stayed safe on mom’s lap, while the rest wandered. One boy led a group to scramble up a dirt incline, offering a girl a hand as she contemplated how to get past a tree branch. Another girl protested she couldn’t make the climb, but the...

The Thermostat Wars: Do you run hot or cold?

Ever argue or “fight” over the thermostat setting at home?! If so, you’ll relate to the NEW comical VIDEO from The Holderness Family! Are there temperature wars in your house? Do you like it cool at 71 or more like the temperature of the sun?