It takes a village to raise a child.

There are many different kinds of family units.  One family unit is the community itself where that family lives. Regardless of parental rules and home life, a child is also shaped by the community in which they grow up.  This month we are thankful for the many people in Douglas County that improve the lives of our children.

Douglas County Non-Profit Community Database Resource

Douglas County Libraries has a great way for you to discover community organizations!

Go to the DCL library website at http://douglascountylibraries.org/. Click
on the Community tab located on the right side of the tab headings. A drop down box will appear and then you can click on Community Database.

Here you’ll find listings of Non-Profit organizations in Douglas County in the
following categories:

Arts and Culture Business and Economy
Charities and Volunteering Children and Parenting
Health and Support History and Genealogy
Hobbies and Pastimes Neighborhoods and Political Action
Private and Continuing Education Retirement and Seniors
Social and Service Groups Sports and Recreation
Teens and Young Adults

Books About Community Helpers for Parents and Kids

Flyaway: How A Wild Bird Rehabber Sought Adventure and Found Her Wings – Suzie Gilbert

A bird rehabilitation specialist describes her experiences with assisting injured animals and the impact of her work on her family life, in an account that remembers the special birds she helped, her relationships with fellow rehabilitators, and the life lessons she learned throughout the course of her career.

Volunteer Vacations: Short-Term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Others – Bill McMillon

For the increasing number of people looking for ways to make a difference while on vacation, this fully updated edition is filled with in-depth information to get them ready for their adventure, including contacts, locations, costs, dates, project details, and profiles of 150 select organizations.

Millie Waits for the Mail – Alexander Steffensmeier

Millie the cow loves to scare the mailman and chase him off the farm, until the mailman, who is developing a cow phobia, comes up with a foolproof plan that is not exactly cow-proof.

Did You Know that October is Fire Safety Month

October is Fire Safety Month
      A patron shared with us the concern that she had with her young son who loved matches.  She tried over and over to explain the danger of fire and matches to no avail.  A visit to the Denver Firefighters Museum finally did the trick.
   If you haven’t explored this great local site, check it out — you’ll  find that this is an interactive museum featuring a real fire truck, kid sized uniforms to try on, a real fire pole and much, much more.  It’s a wonderful way for kids to learn about fire safety in a fun and interactive way.

      The Denver Firefighters Museum
      1326 Tremont Place
      Denver, CO 80204
      303-892-1436

      Hours: Monday through Saturday
                10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

      Admission:   Adults –       $6.00
                         Seniors –      $5.00
                         Students –    $5.00
                         12 & Under — $4.00

For more information, check out their website at:
http://www.denverfirefightersmuseum.org/

Family Fun Without the Cost — 5 Frugal Things You Can Do With Your Family

1. Go to the library. Have a movie marathon with movies from the library. In addition, you can check out a variety of family & child oriented magazines,books, video games and enjoy a wide range of programs. Go online to www.douglascountylibraries.org and print out your own Family Fun Maze.
2. Enjoy playing games from the past: Hide and Seek, Tic Tac Toe, Pick Up Sticks, Jacks, Marbles, Charades, etc. These old time classics can be a blast from the past!
3. Have an Old Photo Night. Dig out old family pictures and relive those Kodak moments!
4. Know Your Family Better with Favorite Songs Night. Let each family member choose 2 or 3 of their favorite songs. Then take turns listening and singing along with your stereo system, MP3 player, IPod or computer.
5. Have a Family Appreciation Night. After dinner, have everyone write down 3 things they appreciate about each of the other family members.

Helping Your Child Feel Safe & Be Safe

Listening to fear : helping kids cope, from nightmares to the nightly news - Marans, Steven

A guide for parents offers counsel on how to interpret a child’s fear-based behavioral language, outlining specific management steps including overcoming one’s own fears, setting aside preconceptions, and applying age-specific tactics that will help a parent identify and address a child’s true feelings.

Seven steps to help your child worry less : a family guide for relieving worries and fears - Goldstein, Sam

This guide for parents offers practical strategies to help teach children relaxation techniques, correct ways of thinking to
combat worry and anxiety.   Also included are ways to create a plan to help a child, effective strategies to reduce worry, and how to build a child’s self-esteem and confidence so he or she can become more resilient.

From crib to kindergarten : the essential child safety guide - Drago, Dorothy

In childhood, the occasional bump or scrape comes with the territory. But serious injury is another matter, creating anxiety for even the most experienced parent. Fortunately, unintentional injury can be prevented. In this essential guide, an eminent child safety specialist explains how to reduce the risk of childhood injury at home and beyond.
Her tips help protect children from birth to age five — those who are most vulnerable to serious injury.

Useful Links

Safety

American Academy of Pediatrics—Parenting Corner

http://www.aap.org/parents.html

Children’s Safety Network: Injury Topics

http://www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/

Committee for Children

http://www.cfchildren.org/

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

http://bit.ly/3GGFUa

U.S. Fire Administration

http://usfa.dhs.gov/kids/flash.shtm

Fun Things to do in the Fall

About.com: 30 Fun Things to Do With Your Kids This Fall

http://singleparents.about.com/od/havingfu1/qt/30funthingsfall.htm

Kaboose

http://holidays.kaboose.com/fall/

Kids’ Turn Central

http://www.kidsturncentral.com/fall.htm

Backyard Nature

http://www.backyardnature.net/101/fall.htm

DLTK’s Growing Together

http://www.dltk-holidays.com/fall/index.html

Disney Family Fun

http://bit.ly/2wCNMa

Fears

KidsHealth

http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/anxiety.html

Keep Kids Healthy

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/parenting_tips/fears.html

About.com: Handling Children’s Fears

http://childparenting.about.com/cs/behaviorproblems/a/fearfulchild.htm

The Things Kids Say… at the Library!

Child, Age 5:  “Why don’t you have any new truck books? I’ve read all these and you’re supposed to be a library!”

Child: “I need information on how to grow a brick.”

Child: “How many books do you own at the library? Is it a google of books?” (Is that like a gaggle of geese?)

How to Avoid Homework Headaches!!!

Diane Milne (at education.com) has listed some suggestions that spell homework success:

H – Have a plan. Help your child choose which assignment to do first.

O - Overcome obstacles. Teach your child skills that will help him/her solve problems when he/she becomes stuck.

M – Motivate. Break assignments into different chunks of time. Other motivational ideas: special privilege or reward when finished.

E – Expectations. Kids need to know when they are expected to get their homework done. Right after school or does a break come first?

W – Watch for frustration. If you sense that your child is becoming overwhelmed, cover up all but one line or problem. If an assignment is huge, breqak it up into smaller segments and let your child have a break in between parts.

O – Offer support WITHOUT doing the work for your child.

R - Review. After completing homework, check it together. Help your child correct mistaks and review any confusing material.

K - Keep in touch with your child’s teacher. High school teacher Tara Barbieri suggests “Parents of younger students should always monitor their child’s homework folders, since many elementarytachers send home either daily or weekly homework. Parents of middle and high school students should let their children take more responsibility, but if they feel their students are not doing what they should be, they should not hesitate to check with the teachers about the work assigned.”

To read this complete article, check out the following link– http://www.education.com/print/strategies-homework-success

Back to School Recipes

Offers menus and recipes for nutritious and delicious lunches for children to take to school, including snack foods, sandwiches, salads, soups and desserts

———————————————————————————————–

The author of Favorite Family Meals and Complete Party Planner applies her expertise in children’s nutrition to a volume of 100 easy-to-make, healthy recipes for youngsters, in a collection that features such options as Tortilla Roll-Ups and turkey Pasta Salad.

———————————————————————————————–

A tempting array of meat-free, egg-free, and dairy-free meals and snacks featuring 150 easy-to-prepare, nutritious vegan recipes for lunches.   These recipes are organized into handy menus and accompanied by allergy-free indexes –identifying dishes that are allergen free.  Included are product recommendations and tips on creating meals for even the most finicky child.