WELCOME BACK!

SHILOH MOPS will be starting September 8th and continue to meet the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month from 9:30 am until 11:30 am at 1519 Avenida del Sol in Sierra Vista, Az. The moppets will be cared for by our dedicate workers so moms can enjoy fellowship, food and fun. We look forward to seeing you soon!

PLAY GROUP BY EASTER SEALS & THE BLAKE FOUNDATION

MEETINGS ARE TUESDAY AND THURSDAY 10 AM TIL 11:30 AM
1939 SOUTH FRONTIAGE ROAD IN SIERRA VISTA, AZ

YOU MUST CALL FOR A RESERVATION 452-9784 EXT 18

Music Class for Toddlers

KINDERMUSIC CLASSES!

Ages 1 to 5 years old

Tuesdays 9:00 am and 10 am
New Class available on Wednesday at 10 am

8 weeks

$40.00 ea. child

Call Francie (520) 458-5747 for availablity! Have fun!

Staying Healthy
It is always a great time to teach, model and practice good hand washing with your children. Try to make a game out of hand washing, helping your child notice all the parts of their hands and how they can lather up soap to cover all the amazing parts of their hands. The Center for Disease Control emphasizes that hand washing is the best way to stay healthy.

In addition to hand washing, the following are helpful for good general health:

1. Get plenty of sleep
2. Be physically active
3. Manage your stress
4. Drink plenty of fluids
5. Eat nutritious food
6. Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus
7. Avoid close contact with people who are sick

The everyday steps that protect your health and lessen the spread of disease are the same actions that are recommended during more serious outbreaks of illness:

1. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
2. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
4. Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
5. If you get sick with influenza, the CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

For more information on healthy living, contact your health care provider. There is also useful health information at www.cdc.gov.

Separation Anxiety is Contagious You Catch it from Your Children By Tracey Solomon

A tsunami of tears started when we reached the doors. His started at the idea of our separating, mine at the idea of not separating. It was the first day I had: brushed my teeth, put on make-up AND worn shoes, all at the same time, in almost two weeks. I knew if I could just make it past the next few minutes, I’d be past the painful detachment and rewarded with a cup of coffee without a teething ring dunker. I might even get to eat a real breakfast. I’d also be able to at least hear other people speak in multi-syllable words, even if I couldn’t return in kind until the coffee hit my system.

I was desperate for a break, and I felt like the world’s worst mother. Thoughts arrived with the tears: How could I leave a crying baby like that? He needs his mommy! I’m the one he wants. If I don’t get some big people time soon, I will lose my mind. A crazy mom is not what my baby needs. I used to be on the other side of the door, when I was a teacher I always got them to calm down, eventually. He has to do this, so do I. The thoughts battled. In the end, guilt lost, reason won.

I remember the caregiver lovingly prying my 2-year-old from my arms. “Go on into the meeting, he’ll be fine.” As I watched the tears and baby snot (aka: liquid mommy guilt) run down his face, I had my doubts about the “fine” part. But, I went anyways.

I could hear him crying as I made my way down the hall. I felt torn in half, I felt like running. The problem was, I wanted to run in both directions. I wanted to run to my crying baby and I wanted to run to the MOPS meeting, where I knew I needed to go.

I stood for a minute in the middle of the hallway. Then, I saw another mother met at the door of the toddler room by the same tsunami. The mom turned around, our eyes met. I smiled. She smiled. “Who do you think will last the longest today?” I asked her. She laughed: “My bet is on yours.” I laughed: “Funny, my bet, is on YOURS.”

We walked to the meeting room together. We went to our discussion tables. We drank full, hot cups of coffee without our children. In unison, our heads turned, every time we heard the door open. We both hoped it wasn’t a caregiver coming to tell us the crying hadn’t stopped. Every once in a while our eyes met, we smiled. We survived.

It’s been years since that day. I have no idea whose child lasted the longest. But, this morning, at 6:19 am that same child, who had to be pried from my arms, walked to the school bus to go take his high school finals. Without shedding a tear. I enjoyed two full, hot cups of coffee. I even got a chance to read a real book, without pictures.

Separation anxiety is a phase. Every child goes through it, every childcare book covers it. Every mother knows about it. What I didn’t know was that it’s contagious. Not just to other children … but to their mothers. I know, because I caught it. I was anxious for a separation from my child!

Looking back, I’m glad I separated. Even though it was hard and heart wrenching. I know I did the right thing. Besides, could I really get away with sitting next to him in his Psych class? Maybe. But, do I really want to be that mom? No. And he doesn’t want to be that kid, either.
Separation anxiety. It’s not terminal. You can make it. Keep walking down the hall, together.

Tracey Solomon lives in Canton, Michigan, with her husband, Kyle, and her three sons: Mike (19), Matt (16) and Noah (6). Tracey has been involved in MOPS International for nearly 18 years, she is currently serving as a Ministry Advancement Coordinator

The Scoop on Sunscreen By Dr. Carrie Carter, M.D.

Q: Now that it's almost summer, my kids and I spend lots of time outside. I always put sunscreen on everyone before we go out, but we still get sunburned. What else can I do to protect us from frying in the sun?

A: Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with more than 1 million cases diagnosed each year, and even one peeling sunburn before your child turns eighteen can double her lifetime risk of melanoma. So you are right to be concerned! Congratulations on using sunscreen on both you and your children. There are several more important steps you can take to minimize sun damage and still maximize fun in the sun.

Here comes the sun!

It’s not enough to avoid trying for a tan; you also need to be aware of other times you receive sun exposure. Walking around the block with your preschooler and weed pulling in the garden add up to a lot of sun damage over the years. That’s why it is best to work sunscreen into your family’s daily routine. Many facial moisturizers now incorporate sunscreen. Check the strength (it should be SPF 15 or higher – I recommend 40) and whether it protects against both UV-A (deeply penetrating aging rays) and UV-B (superficial sunburning rays).

The amount of sunscreen you use also matters. Gob it on – this is not a time to be frugal. Doctors recommend one palmful (about one ounce) of sunscreen per application for adults.
Remember to think ahead. After applying sunscreen, it takes twenty to thirty minutes for it to activate in your skin cells. So apply sunscreen half an hour before you go out, and reapply every few hours, especially after you have been in the water (even if you are using a waterproof product).

Run From the Sun

Beware a false sense of security when wearing sunscreen. Even with sunscreen, you will get sun damage over time. Some recent studies show an increase in skin cancer rates in sunscreen wearers. While others don’t show the same results, it makes you wonder if some folks with skin cancer spent more time in the sun than was sensible because they were wearing sunscreen. A better strategy is to block your skin from the sun with clothing or avoid exposure during peak hours of sun intensity, from 10am - 4pm.

Sun Attire

Dress like a movie star going incognito. Don a three-inch-wide brimmed hat (or one that has a flap over the back of your neck) and UV-blocking sunglasses with large lenses.

Put a shirt on your preschooler in addition to sunscreen when your child is out in the sun and water during peak hours. Wear darker color clothing that absorbs UV light. Ideally, clothing should cover you with long sleeves and pants, and there should be a collar to protect your neck. Now, I know it sounds ridiculous to wear long sleeves and long pants on a hot summer day, and impossible to get a preschooler to do so. But at least consider it if you are very sensitive to the sun or have a family history of skin cancer. Another option is to try one of the lines of skin protective clothing, like Solumbra, made from patented sun-protective fabrics.

Sun-Fighting Food Did you know that Bugs Bunny has a secret sunscreen, and you and your children can use it, too? Research suggests that carotenoids (as in carrots, “doc”) and other antioxidants may help protect you from sun damage. The best way to get those antioxidants is by eating lots of fruits and vegetables, but for adults research has also looked at nutritional supplements. These are not to be relied on in place of topical sunscreen, though. Consider them only as an added help.

*From MomSense magazine, July/August 2004

20 Things I’ve Learned from Raising Six Children By Cheryl Moeller

1. Salt, pepper and milk are not fish food.
2. It's a bad thing when your child calls from camp and asks if it's a bad thing if one foot is bigger than the other.
3. If you mow the lawn with the basement windows open — the carbon monoxide detector will go off.
4. The ceiling fan doesn’t hold more than a 40 pound child and is not a substitute for taking your child to Great America.
5. Two kids cannot sit on top of the refrigerator but one can.
6. A 10-year-old cannot run a mile without shoes but he can run a ½ mile.
7. A mother with three sons doesn’t have that many friends who are mothers of all girls when the sons are young. The mother has more friends who are mothers of all girls when they reach high school age.
8. You get invited over less to friends and family’s houses for Sunday dinner when you have six kids.
9. When the nurse says, "even though the white count is as high as Mononucleosis— it’s only E coli," you shouldn’t be happy.
10. Finger painting is a good hobby.
11. Finger painting the front door is not a good hobby.
12. Green marker and a new couch don’t mix.
13. Black marker and a new loveseat also don’t mix.
14. The backyard swimming pool is not a bubble bath.
15. Pool filters do not like bubbles.
16. A dog who has been fed two packages of hot dogs can throw up twice his body weight.
17. Being hit with a marble from the second floor hurts more than being hit by a marble from the first floor.
18. The Easy Bake oven does not bake cookies fast enough for a family of eight.
19. “I hope you didn't forget I put the cell phone on the roof of the car” is not a good thing to hear when you are going 60 mph on the toll way.
20. A good sense of humor will get you through most problems in life.