Explaining Sex To Children

Sex education for a primary school child mostly occurs in the way we talk about body parts and body functions, how we teach children to care for, respect and protect their bodies, and when we prepare our children for puberty. Choosing the right age to answer questions such as ‘Where do I come from?’ and ‘What is sex?’ is more about how comfortable your family feels talking about such topics, rather than there being a perfect time.

• Many children will have asked the question by the time they reach school. By Grade 3 they will have a keen interest and will have formulated some kind of theory. Many children will also have made the link between reproduction and sexual pleasure, and will be entering into schoolyard speculation and curiosity.
• Talking about these issues shows children that they can talk with trusted adults. Families lay the groundwork for children to feel OK about their bodies and body functions, and to feel confident to ask questions and seek help.
• School programs are vital to support this process. Developing good sexuality education programs shows that the community takes responsibility for this aspect of children’s growth and development. If families and schools won’t take the subject on, children will turn to other sources of information that may not be reliable such as friends, the Internet or the media.

General Suggestions To Talk About Sex

Suggestions on talking to your preteen about sexual issues include:

• Don’t wait for your child to ask questions. If they haven’t said anything to you by the time they are 10, it is likely that shyness or embarrassment will stop them from this point on.
• Some children may feel more modest by age six and might want privacy in the bathroom. This is a good chance to make sure they know that they can say ‘no’ to touching that they do not want.
• Masturbation is normal and healthy for children and may start long before puberty begins. Children just need to know that it is something to do in private.
• Many parents begin to talk about conception when their children are still pre-schoolers. Certainly it is important to start the conversation by the time they are eight or nine. If your child hasn’t asked, you could try starting with a question such as: ‘Have you ever wondered how you were born?’ Look for opportunities to introduce the conversation – for example, you may choose to use a book or to comment on a pregnant relative.
• Some girls will begin breast development and periods at age eight. By age nine, start a conversation with boys and girls about ‘growing up’ and changing bodies.
• Don’t assume that the lengthy talks you have already had have stuck. You will need to go back to topics (in fact, this is the best way to create open communication).
• Make sure your child knows who they can talk to about embarrassing personal ‘stuff’. Talk with them about who they would talk to if they needed an adult’s ear but were reluctant to come to you.
• Find out what sexuality education your child’s primary school provides and support them in the provision of age-appropriate information.

Basic Biology Of Sex

• Be honest and truthful. If your child asks ‘Why do men and women have sex?’, don’t just answer ‘To make babies’. Explain that people also have sex because they enjoy it and it feels good.
• If they ask about same-sex relationships, tell them that some people have sex with people of the same sex.
• Use age-appropriate materials, such as books, to help explain the issues.
• The Hormone Factory is a website aimed at 10 to 12 year olds that explains puberty, sexual intercourse and sexual issues in a clear, light-hearted way. You could browse through the website together, clarifying any questions your child may have.

Feeling Uncomfortable Talking About Sex?

You may have found that discussing sex with your child was OK in their preschool years, but the extra detail required as your child gets older feels too embarrassing to talk about. Perhaps you’ve been waiting so long for the ‘right time’ that you haven’t talked to your child about sex at all.

• Use materials to help you get started – find some age-appropriate materials, such as books or videos, and look through them with your child.
• Be honest if you feel embarrassed – if you can’t face talking about sex, provide the materials and let your child look through them alone. If your child has questions for you, try your best to answer them. If you are too shy, explain this to your child.
• Use the Internet – log on to a good website like The Hormone Factory. You could browse through the website together, clarifying any questions your child may have.
• Ask someone else – you could ask a trusted relative or friend to talk to your child in your place.
• Explain your own attitudes – keep in mind that your child won’t know about your morals, values and beliefs unless you tell them.

Best Boarding Schools

• Choate Rosemary Hall

Choate Rosemary Hall is a large coed school located in Wallingford, Connecticut just north of New Haven. The school offers superb academics, an I.M. Pei-designed arts center, 32 sports and alumni including such notables as Edward Albee, President John F. Kennedy and Adlai Stevenson.

• Deerfield Academy

Deerfield Academy is a small coed school located in central Massachusetts. It is a very selective school offering small classes, 19 AP courses and a strong community environment. Deerfield is also generous with its financial aid. 22 sports and 71 clubs/extracurricular activities will keep you as busy as you want to be.

• Georgetown Prep

Georgetown Prep is a Roman Catholic boys school located in just over the DC line in suburban Bethesda, Maryland. Strong academics featuring 24 AP courses together with just about every extracurricular activity you could want make for an appealing program. Georgetown has a high ratio of day students to boarders probably because it is located in the nation’s capitol.

• Groton

Groton had its beginnings as an Episcopal school for boys. It has always been a small school with a big impact. Most recently Curtis Sittenfeld set her novel Prep at Groton. It admitted its first African American student in 1951 long before integration became fashionable.

If your child has what it takes to get into this very selective boarding school, he or she will be presented with a veritable feast of academic, athletic and extracurricular offerings. The location of the school a mere 2 hours north of New York City makes it easily accessible from all parts of the globe.

• The Lawrenceville School

The Lawrenceville School is a remarkable institution in so many ways. It was late admitting girls, doing so only in 1987. Now the school has a female Head Master. If you have the right stuff to get into this grand old school, do it. The location midway between Philadelphia and Newark affords several travel options as well. Princeton University is only a few miles up the road too.

• Middlesex School

Relatively young as New England schools go, Middlesex nonetheless has filled the past almost 110 years with some remarkable achievements. Frederick Winsor conceived of the school as being different from the usual religious schools of its day. The school was non-denominational and still is.

• Milton Academy

Milton was founded in 1798 as a coeducational day school. That worked fine for 100 years, at which point boys and girls were separated according to the fashions of the times. Things have come circle now as Milton is once again a coeducational institution. Diversity is a vital part of Milton in the 21st century. And a vital part of Milton’s success as a diverse institution is its ability to fulfill the challenge of its motto “Dare to be true”.

• Peddie School

Religious affiliation: Nonsectarian
Grades: 9-PG
School Type: Coeducational, day school
Comments: Be aware that this is a selective school. You will need what the school is looking for in order to be accepted. Once there you will enjoy a state of the art campus, exciting academic courses, a rich arts program together with some of the best sports programs anywhere.

• Phillips Andover Academy

“Phillips Academy”Daderot/Wikimedia Commons
The greatness of Andover in the 21st century springs from the simplicity of its ancient Latin motto Non Sibi which means “Not for self”. Teaching young people to be aware of their obligation to help those near and far speaks volumes to Andover’s awareness of globalism and community service. Andover is one of America’s best prep schools. Admissions standards are incredibly high. But if you have everything they are looking for, apply, visit and impress them.

• Phillips Exeter Academy

Phillips Exeter Academy is all about superlatives. The education which your child will get is the best. The philosophy of the school which seeks to link goodness with learning, though it is over two hundred years old, speaks to twenty-first century young people’s hearts and minds with a freshness and relevancy which is simply remarkable. That philosophy permeates the teaching and the famed Harkness table with its interactive teaching style. The faculty are the best. Your child will be exposed to some amazing, creative, enthusiastic and highly qualified teachers.

• St. Paul’s School

St. Paul’s was established as a school in a country setting by design. It has benefited from that decision over the years as 2000 acres of land has allowed the school to expand at the same time as it has stayed in harmony with its bucolic surroundings. St. Paul’s began playing ice hockey back in the 1870’s, one of the first schools to do so.

• Stay in areas with other people around. Don’t take short cuts through alleys, deserted parking lots, or vacant lots.
• It’s better to be with a friend or a group of friends than to travel alone.
• Stay alert to your surroundings. Notice who is walking near you, particularly at your side or behind you. Be aware of places you could go to get help from an adult if need be.
• Avoid going into a public restroom alone. If you must, take the stall nearest the door and exit promptly when you’re finished.
• Never talk to strangers. Adults don’t need to ask for help or directions from children. Don’t take things from them, either. Keep a distance of two arm lengths between you and strangers so you are out of grabbing reach.
• Don’t walk or ride your bike near parked cars.
• Possessions can be replaced, but you can’t be. If a bully threatens you on the way home from school, for example, be ready to drop your backpack or books if you have to run away.
• Listen to your gut. If your instincts tell you something feels wrong, don’t wait to find out if your fears are justified. Leave fast and go to a safe area that has adults around who can help.

Child Safety At The Mall

When you determine that your child is mature enough to go to the mall without you, require her to be in the company of friends rather than going there alone. Drop kids off and pick them up in a well-lighted and populated area; a spot near the mall doors is much safer than in the parking lot. Give your child small bills and remind her not to flash her money around. Make sure she has coins for a phone call if she wants you to pick her up early.

Remind her that if her instincts tell her someone might pose a threat, she should speak to a security guard or store clerk. Better to be safe than sorry!

Children’s Safety On Public Transport

Kids in urban areas often use public buses or even subways to go to and from school. If your child feels he’s ready to start riding public transportation, go with him the first time or two to make sure he’s familiar with the stops and has safe places to wait.

Tell him to sit as close to the driver as possible and to pay attention so he doesn’t miss his stop and end up someplace unfamiliar. Make sure he has coins to phone you if he misses the bus or train and will be late.

Talk to him about how to protect himself if someone bothers him, such as telling the person to stop in a voice loud enough to alert other passengers.

Road Safety For Children

• Teach your kids that it’s safer to walk on the side of the street where cars are coming toward them. It’s easier for an assailant to stop his car and grab a child from behind since the child can’t see what’s going on in back of him unless he turns around.
• A child is more vulnerable if she’s listening to a personal tape player through headphones or reading something while she walks. These distractions make it unlikely that she’ll notice someone coming from behind.
• Kids want to be helpful; they don’t want to appear impolite. They’ve probably seen their parents answer a question from a stranger or give directions. Children might encounter a homeless person asking for coins or a street vendor looking to make a sale.
• Teach your child to say “no” (and sound as if she means it) while looking directly at the person and then moving on. She shouldn’t apologize or worry about hurting someone’s feelings. If she doesn’t want to do this, she can walk briskly on without responding at all.The same advice applies to encounters with strangers in places other than the street. If your youngster is taking an elevator, for example, when the door opens she should look at who’s inside before entering; if she feels uncomfortable, she can wait for the next one. If she’s worried about someone who gets on after her, she can push the button to get out at the next floor.

Anytime your child is in public and feels her safety is threatened, her best defense is to yell for help. Assailants understandably prefer not to attract attention.

• Polar Express

When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe. Based on the beloved children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg. Rated G. (Recommended for ages 3+)

• Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

This classic made-for-TV Christmas movie premiered in 1964 and it’s been delighting generations of kids ever since. It tells the story of Rudolph, a reindeer with a nose that lights up. He’s looking for a place where he belongs. Special guest appearances by the Abominable Snowman and the misfit toys make this movie extra-special.

• Frosty The Snowman

An animated cartoon about Frosty the snowman, who springs to life when the children place a magic hat upon his head. We all know the song, “Frosty the Snowman,” and the upbeat wintery feeling it brings. This wonderful favorite is available on the same DVD as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” (Ages 2+)

• Home Alone

Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister is accidentally left home alone by his family while they fly off to France for Christmas vacation. Kevin loves his freedom, delightedly gorging himself on sweets and staying up late — until he is forced to defend his home from a team of burglars. But Kevin learns that self-defense can be fun too, as he goes about flying to defeat the bumbling thieves. Rated PG. Recommended for kids 8+ (There are a couple of instances of bad language and several scenes involving slapstick violence.)

• Mickey’s Christmas Carol

The DVD Classic Cartoon Favorites, Vol. 9 – Classic Holiday Stories contains several classic animated Disney Christmas holiday shows, including “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.” Honestly, there will never be another adaptation of A Christmas Carol that will ever compare to this one. In this delightful version of the story, Scrooge McDuck learns about the meaning of Christmas from the three Christmas Spirits and makes Bob Cratchit (Mickey) his partner. The film is the perfect length for families, without leaving out any of the important elements of the story. I can’t let a Christmas go by that our family doesn’t watch this one several times. (recommended for all ages) Rated G.

• Miracle on 34th Street

Kris Kringle–unbeknownst to cynical, market-minded adults, the real Santa Claus–is hired to play himself at Macy’s Department Store, New York City. He finds himself in a situation where he must convince an unbelieving little girl, and others, that he is the real Santa. NR (Ages 5+)

Smoking Teenagers: Parenting Dos and Don’ts

These suggestions for parents come from Lyndon Haviland, executive vice president of the American Legacy Foundation (a public health foundation created as part of the 1998 settlement agreement by the states with the tobacco companies):

1. Do take nicotine addiction seriously. “When I talk to parents, I sometimes hear, ‘It’s only tobacco’ or ‘They’re just experimenting,’” Haviland says. “It’s critical to understand that teenagers do become addicted, and it’s critical to intervene. For one thing, research shows that cigarettes can be a gateway to use of other drugs and alcohol.”
2. Don’t assume teens know the dangers. While the latest teen smoking stats are promising, there are still warning signs hidden behind the headlines. The Monitoring the Future study showed that 43 percent of eighth-graders still do not believe that there is a great risk associated with a-pack-a-day smoking.
3. Do talk about (immediate) health consequences and the cost. Teens tend to believe they’ll never get pregnant or die in a car crash, so it may be a waste of time to talk about “someday” dying of lung cancer as a result of smoking. Instead, Haviland and other experts advise parents to focus on short-term health and economic effects: “You get a lot of sore throats because you smoke.” “If you want to run cross-country next semester, you’ll have an easier time if you quit.” “Your teeth are starting to get stained.” Or focus on the money they’re spending: “Gee, you could probably afford your own car if you weren’t spending so much on cigarettes!”
4. Don’t underestimate your own influence. “We’ve talked to teens who say, ‘If my mom and dad really cared, they’d push me on it,’” Haviland reports.
5. Do talk to your child’s healthcare provider, athletic coaches, and guidance counselors. The more caring adults who know your child smokes, the better, Haviland says. “You’re surrounding your teen with support for cessation behavior. There is nothing wrong with saying to a soccer coach, ‘My daughter will be playing on your team in the fall and I want you to know that she began smoking over the summer.’”
6. Don’t turn cigarettes into a “forbidden fruit.” No-smoking rules are fine, but only if they are premised on the dangers associated with cigarettes, not just “Those are my rules and you must obey.” Make sure you tell your teen how much you admire and respect his or her decision not to smoke, or to quit.
7. Do look for help. The American Lung Association has a comprehensive program for teens called “NOT.,” — “Not On Tobacco.” Check their website for details at www.lungusa.org. Or visit www.quitnet.com. This site has a calculator to help teens (and adults!) calculate the savings they reap when they kick the habit.

Each year, hospital emergency rooms treat about 8,100 people for injuries, such as falls, cuts, and shocks related to holiday lights, decorations, and Christmas trees. In addition, Christmas trees are involved in more than 400 fires annually, resulting in 30 deaths, 90 injuries, and an average of more than $17 million in property loss and damage.

Have a safe and happy holiday season by following these safety tips.

Child Care Christmas Safety Tips

Trees

• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “Fire Resistant.” Although this label does not mean the tree won’t catch fire, it does indicate the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green; needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
• When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Because heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly, be sure to keep the stand filled with water. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.

Lights

• Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory, which indicates conformance with safety standards.
• Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections, and throw out damaged sets.
• Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
• Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples, not nails or tacks, to hold strings in place. Or, run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware stores).
• Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.
• For added electric-shock protection, plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). Portable outdoor GFCIs can be purchased where electrical supplies are sold. GFCIs can be installed permanently to household circuits by a qualified electrician.

Decorations

• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.
• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
• In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces, and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.
• Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass “angel hair.” Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

Fireplaces

• Use care with “fire salts,” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten. Keep them away from children.
• Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

To feel secure in care, your child needs to develop an emotional attachment to the adults who care for him or her. For this reason it is important to try and maintain continuity of care and to avoid changing carers more than once a year. Younger children will benefit from even longer relationships, so try and keep this in mind when you choose your care provider.

The relationship between your child and his or her carer is an important one for ensuring the success of the child care arrangement. Rest assured, however, that quality care is no substitute for the value of your primary parent-child bond and you should not worry about being ‘replaced’.

Things to Consider When Choosing Child Care

• There should be a good match between your child’s temperament and needs and the carers ability to meet them
• Look for small numbers of children to carers. For pre-school children, it’s ideal to have no more than four children to one carer although this is not always achievable
• Look for a carer with the potential to develop a continuous, strong and positive relationship with your child
• Make sure staff have been trained in health, safety (CPR) and child development

These rules apply no matter whether you choose a nanny, an au pair, an in-home carer, family day care, long day care centre, a pre-school, or a nanny share arrangement. The priority is to ensure your child receives quality, professional child care which accommodates their needs and helps you meet your professional commitments.

All of the child care options available have pros and cons and you’ll need to weigh them up against your family’s requirements to ensure you put your child in the best type of care.

Author of The Working Mother’s Guide to Life: Strategies, Secrets, and Solutions, Ms Linda Mason has done a lot of research in to this subject and after conducting numerous interviews with working parents has shown that it is possible to have a rich and vibrant family culture even when both parents are working.

‘A strong family is one with a deeply felt connection, a sense of belonging and security, and unconditional love. The sense of family is defined by values and connections, not by any particular configuration of individual roles’, she writes.

In her book Ms Mason encourages parents to continuously share their professional world and working life with their children. She says that taking your children to your workplace to see where you work and meet your colleagues will make the whole thing seem more real to them.

‘When we take our children to our workplace, tell them stories about lunchtime and company outings, and explain what we actually do throughout the day, it helps our children shape views of what they want to be when they grow up. They will also be proud of our achievements when they have a better understanding of what we do for work’, she says.

Ms Mason suggests in her book that it’s possible to create a balance between working life and home life by helping children understand that work is a natural part of life and by cultivating a rich and strong family life for the times when everyone is home together.

She says that families can achieve this by intentionally creating a unique set of rituals and traditions which are easy and fun to do on a regular basis and which everyone can get involved with. Some ideas include playing a favourite song before everyone leaves the house in the morning, walking the dog after dinner, Sunday brunch, Saturday cuddles in bed and/or reading a favourite book before bed.

In addition to the family rituals, Ms Mason says it is very important for family members to make the most of the time they have together, even with the competing pressure of work.

‘In the eyes of children, it’s the little things that count the most: the hugs, the conversations, playing together, listening to your child play an instrument, singing a song together or reading a book’, she says.

Ms Mason says for families with working parents it is especially important to share feelings and to be intimate and honest with your children. She says this fosters an open environment which encourages constant communication and allows children to develop a broad range of emotional responses to the things they experience in the world.

‘Sharing life stories, personal interests, and relaxed time with our children can help us appear real and accessible to them. Through this, we create a bond with our child that is based on intimacy and honesty’, she says.

As a final suggestion for creating a strong family culture Ms Mason advises parents to create intimate family spaces which are cozy and inviting for children. This has the two fold benefit of providing your children with a snuggly nook where they can go and read a book or do some drawing as well as a place you can go to share these moments with your children.

‘However we choose to create a strong family culture – inventing unique family rituals, continuous verbal family bonding, or designing intimate family settings – the real values lie in the focused family time spent together. Such occasions will develop into cherished family moments for everyone’, says Ms Mason.

There are thousands of children across the USA who are placed in foster care because their birth parents are unable to care for them. Being part of the state foster care system means these children are not guaranteed any permanent home and often move from family to family, longing for a family to call their own. Adoptive parents can adopt older children from the state foster care system. The requirements for adoption vary from state to state but below we have outlined the basic steps for a state foster care child adoption.

Adopting A Child From Foster Care

If you are interested in adopting a child from the state foster care system, these are the basic steps you will need to follow.

• Get in touch with your local foster care office.  Acquire a child adoption application from this office. In some states, this will be a local office of the state’s Department of Social and Health Services.  In other states, adoptive services are administered through the county, under the Department of Social Services or Department of Human Services.  Phone numbers for these offices can be located in the government section of the phone book.
• Once you have completed your application, you have to register yourself as a licensed provider of foster care. This will involve a full assessment of your life, your partner’s life , your income and your living arrangements, to ensure you are capable of properly bringing up a child. Criminal background checks, credit checks etc will also be conducted. The licensure process varies from state to state so ask your local state foster care office about what will be assessed in your application.
• Once you have been assessed and your home and you qualify as an adoptive parent for foster care, you move on to the next stage where the child to be adopted is selected. This can occur in one of two ways. Either the social worker will contact you abotu a child they think is fitted for your needs, or you may contact the office about a child that you believe you would like to bring into your home and family.
• Once a child has been selected, meetings will be arranged to get you acquainted with the child. The meetings will increase over time, in frequency and in length so that the child can gradually get used to you and your home before they make the transition into your family.  A social worker will be assisting you through the entire process until the child adoption process is completely finalized.
• Finally, once the child has properly acclimatized to your home, the legal paperwork needs to be completed to finalize your child’s adoption. You will need expert help so be prepred to hire an attorney to help you file an adoption petition and complete the child adoption process for you.

Safety at Day Camps and Play Schemes

Day camps offer a wide range of activities for your child such as horse riding, snorkeling, scuba diving and rock climbing. All equipment will have been tested to meet regulations and regular inspections are made by independent bodies to ensure they meet safety standards.

No child is left unsupervised at anytime of the day when taking part in any of the activities and proper training is given at all times. Camps which include such activities as climbing horse riding and water sports are required by law to obtain a license from the Adventure activities licensing authority.

This means that an independent body will inspect the activities on a regular basis to make sure they meet with certain standards.

Camp Staff Qualifications and checks

Most centers which are based on activities involving sports will have official coaches for instructors and courses for young children and those under the age of 8 have to have staff that are registered as child minders.

All staff will have had to take a course in first aid and gained a certificate and all centers will have a qualified medical person on the premises. All staff working in a registered day camp or play scheme will have undergone a criminal records background check too.

Security At Camps For Summer

All camps will be set in secure surroundings completely fenced in and staff will all wear a uniform making them easily identifiable to children.

Visitors to the camps will have to pass security and must wear a badge at all times, children who are staying at the camp will have been sent a form when booking stating the name of the person who will be picking your child up from camp and requesting a signature and password, when collecting your child checks will be made with the password and signature ensuring total safety.

Food At Camps For Summer

All camps must offer three nutritious and varied meals per day as well as mid morning and mid afternoon healthy snacks with fruit juice. Your child will be able to choose from various options with staff on hand to make sure they receive nutrition with each meal, for example your child can’t just eat burgers and fries all week.

Camps: What To Tell The Center

Well before your child attends a camp they will send out a form requesting any medical information the camp should know about, for example if your child has epilepsy or asthma. They will want to know any medication they take, when they should take it and how much your child should take and also if they need assistance taking it.

This form must be handed in on arrival along with any medication which should be clearly labeled with your Child’s name, age, address and the name of their Doctor. Every site will have a sick bay with staff trained in first aid that is available 24 hours a day.

The booking form will have included space for contact numbers in the case of an emergency and this will be checked over with you upon arrival at the center.

Contacting Your Child At Camp

You will have access to calling your child whenever you wish but some centers advise against calling during the first couple of days which will allow any child who is homesick the chance to settle down.

Staff will be on hand for any child who is having problems settling into the care and will do their best to reassure your child, in the event that your child doesn’t settle down in a day or so a staff member will call you.

There are usually card telephones in the camps so it is wise to purchase a card for your child before leaving the camp this gives the child peace of mind knowing they can reach you if they need to.

Steve Biddulph, Australia’s leading family therapist and author of Raising Boys [Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 1998] says that understanding the gender differences created by male hormones should be handled in practical ways to help boys be more confident, capable and caring. He outlines some common problems and ways to manage them.

Tips For Raising A Boy

Slower Brain Development

As boys tend to have slower brain development, their motor skills are not as advanced as girls. That means in the early years, boys have difficulty using their fingers carefully, affecting the ability to hold a pencil or scissors. This in turn will have an impact on their learning abilities in school. Biddulph suggests delaying first grade for boys for up to a year so that they can pick up pen-and-paper skills during that time.
Hyperactivity

Boys have bursts of energy that have to be released. So they run about and shout quite a fair bit. These activities are also their way of masking their anxiety. That’s why it’s important to give them ample physical space to zoom around. Parents can also encourage their boys to take up sports to put that energy into good use. Plus, involvement in sports also helps boys to build character, leadership skills and team spirit. Additionally, sports are fun and come with lots of health benefits!

Separation Anxiety

Some parents mistakenly think that boys should be tougher, and therefore shouldn’t be given too much attention. The opposite is true. Small boys are actually more prone to separation anxiety than girls do. Biddulph suggests that parents delay leaving their sons in the care of others, for instance childcare centres, until they are at least three years old. Parents should also shower them with as much attention as they do with their daughters.
Inclination to Act without Thinking

Act first, think and face the consequences later. This seems to be the mantra of many boys. As a result, boys generally get into trouble more often than girls. It takes very little to trigger fights – often physical fights – between boys. The best approach is to talk to them in a calm and friendly tone about harmonious ways to solve conflicts.
More Physical Strength and Muscular Body

As boys grow older, their bodies become more muscular and they get stronger physically. Some of them don’t know their own strength and may unintentionally hurt others while playing. Spend some time to teach them not to hit others deliberately.

Sex and Aggression

This is an issue many parents dread but need to address, particularly when their sons reach puberty. Explain to them the differences between liking, loving and lusting. Teach them to be respectful of girls and women. Avoid berating them if they are caught reading or watching pornographic materials. Instead, try talking about erotica that depicts healthy and meaningful relationships between men and women.
What Mum and Dad can Do
Mothers are the ideal people to teach their sons about women and what qualities women look for in a man – kindness, sense of humour and loving attitude. A mother should also try to encourage a closer tie between her sons and their father.

Fathers too have an important role in their sons’ lives. Boys tend to imitate their fathers. So be a good role model. A father who has a loving relationship with the boy’s mother will invariably make the boy want to have that too when he grows up. Be firm and set rules and limits for the boy but avoid hitting or frightening him even if he’s done something wrong and deserves to be punished.

Parents who understand why their boys behave the way they do are likely to teach them to cope with their problems more optimistically. The results – self-assured, well-balanced and happy men – are certainly worth the effort.