Our cat, the first “baby” my wife and I took care of together, reached a point of sickliness (over several years, she had dropped below three pounds and could no longer stand up) that we decided to help her die. I have mixed emotions because my connection to her had waned with the addition of each of our three children as well as two other animals (a cat and dog), but I still had all these good memories flow through my head about the 16 years of her time with us — how she slept on our pillows when she was really young, how she purred like a sawmill, how her black and white fluffiness served as our kids’ first developmental toy. As I pet her during the euthanizing procedure, I hated being part of the decision about whether an animal should live or die. Still, she had wasted away and I do believe, as did the incredibly compassionate vet, that it was time to let her go.
We did tell our kids that Bronte had died, doing so as gently and age-appropriately as possible with each child. They have been closer with our dog than with our elusive, aging cat. However, it was an opportunity for them to learn about death at a more subtle level so, when it happens to a human loved one, they might be a tad more prepared for it.
In the effort to take a slightly different take on the Halloween season, I offer an article about the power of mystery and the opportunities to use it to teach the kids a thing or two (http://www.parentschoice.org/article.cfm?art_id=310&the_page=consider_this). We can never indulge our children’s sense of curiosity enough, though it’s important to divulge information in age-appropriate ways (i.e., most three-year-olds don’t need to know the gruesome details of an autopsy). Take a look at the piece, which includes suggested games, videos, and a nifty Web site, and post other suggestions of your own here.
The manuafacturers of cold medications, such as decongestants and cough suppressants from brands that include Dimetapp, Robitussin, and Tylenol, have been taken out of circulation due to concerns for children under two should they be given an improper dosage (http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/10/11/infant.drugs/index.html). The problem arises from the fact that most medications do not give dose recommendations for children two and under, opting to direct care givers to get specific details from a physician. Unfortunately, some parents make guesses on the doses and risk complications that can include child fatality. Following decades of review by the FDA, the agency found 54 child deaths linked to “over-the-counter decongestant medications.” Other negative effects brought on by improper doses of these medications to infants and toddlers (under two) include irritability, drowsiness, and heart abnormalities. The medicine makers will take time to decide if and when they will return the medications to the shelves, though it likely will not happen without changes to the warning labels.
Dr. Kenneth Keer (my dad, who writes a regular feature for us) has long said that the bottom line with cough suppressants and decongestants is that they do not have worthwhile medicinal benefits for children. He believes that the best remedies for kids with congestion are plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration and humidifiers.
Almost a year ago, there was the story about the elementary school child suspended for hugging a teacher (http://www.familymanonline.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=41). Now comes the recent report that an Illinois middle school has banned hugging on its campus (http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_271193938.html). The school principal says the hugging in hallways was holding up the progress of kids going to class and that some of the embracing between boys and girls was often “too long, too close.” Oh, and another thing is that the school frowns on high fives.
What the heck is going on here? Is school, especially middle school, not alienating enough without being told that hugging is wrong? Are they going to ban close-dancing at dance fests, too? Please tell me that middle school adminstrators are busy enough with ensuring great, safe education rather than picking on adolescent friendliness and mile affection. I understand the need to get kids to class, but banning hugging is just going to distance kids from the adults even more. We need MORE hugs and should be teaching kids about appropriate affection if we are worried about crossing boundaries.
The music-loving parenting Web casters at http://www.vickyandjen.com/ have a contest that might interest the regular readers of Family Man Recommends.In honor of the new DVD/CD release, Have You Never Been Yellow, Vicky and Jen are offering a chance for reader to win Gustafer Yellowgold’s Wide Wild World (check out the FMR review at http://www.familymanonline.com/recommends.php?id=37), the highly successful debut byillustrator, singer, songwriter Morgan Taylor. Click http://www.vickyandjen.com/contest.php to sign up for small matters, their weekly newsletter, and be automatically entered to get yellow. Contest ends on the new release date, October 16!
Yesterday, President Bush vetoed a bill that would renew the Children’s Health Insurance Program (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21111931/ ). The legislation’s intent was to cover more of the lower-income kids who lack health insurance. Currently, 9 percent of our nation’s children do not have insurance coverage to help prevent them from getting sick or covering them when they do fall ill. Considering that the bill had significant bipartisan support (particularly in the Senate), the veto seems to show the president’s lack of connection to what many of the country’s citizens feel is important regarding health care.
Bush has only vetoed three other bills, two of which involved funding stem-cell research, and one that would have required troop withdrawals from Iraq. Politicians feel a compromise might still be made to fund health-care coverage for the poor at a lower level, but this might very well leave many underprivileged kids without insurance. Given all the money we pour into the war in Iraq, is it wise for us to shortchange our nation’s children? Your thoughts are encouraged, especially as this legislation continues to be in play.
