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The holiday season is a time for family fun and togetherness, for gathering to celebrate annual family traditions and seasonal festivities. But did you know that the holidays can also be a great time for parents to keep learning alive at home, whether on the weekend or during kids' winter break from school?

Whether your family's holiday traditions include decorating a tree, spinning a dreidel or shussing down the slopes – or all of the above – you can find "teachable moments" to infuse learning into your holiday activities at home. The key is to make it fun, so kids will be learning even when school's out!

Here are this holiday season's top 10 "teachable moments" for families, from the educators at Connections Academy (www.ConnectionsAcademy.com), the home-based virtual public school:

1. Baking Cookies: When cooking or baking, read an age-appropriate recipe together and write an ingredient shopping list. You can look up culinary words in the dictionary (reading, writing, vocabulary). Visit the supermarket and figure out how much the recipe will cost to make (math skill). Prepare the recipe – measuring, counting, pouring, sifting and sorting target math and fine motor skills. Various cooking techniques, like boiling, even offer an opportunity for a science lesson.

2. Gift Wrapping: When wrapping gifts, you can build math and measuring skills by asking kids to measure gifts with a tape measure or ruler to determine the correct amount of wrapping paper needed.

3. Holiday Greeting Cards: When sending holiday cards, you can promote writing skills by encouraging children to help. Winter break is a great time to write letters to friends, grandparents and others.

4. Shopping: Ask your children to help you count the number of recipients on your family's gift list. Brainstorm creative gift ideas – especially for your children's teachers. While at the store, ask your child to count the number of items in your basket, or other details like What color is this? Which is the biggest item? Which looks the heaviest? How many people are left on our shopping list? If you are comfortable discussing prices or budgets with your child, you can also encourage your child to keep running tallies of spending and budget remaining.

5. Decorating Your Home: Whether your family celebrates Christmas, Hannukah or Kwanzaa, you probably have seasonal decorations for your home. Make decorating your home a family affair by giving your children age-appropriate tasks that they'll enjoy – while they learn. If you have an advent calendar, menorah or seven candles in a Kwanzaa Kinara, ask kids how many days there are to start, and each day thereafter, ask them how many days are left until the holiday. If you decorate with evergreen garlands, test kids' math skills by asking them to help you calculate how many feet or yards you'll need. How many times does the dreidel spin before it stops? If you spin it 10 times, what is the average number of spins?

6. Teacher Gifts: If your family tradition includes giving holiday gifts or cards to teachers, enlist your child's help to make either a personal gift or card. He or she can make a drawing or craft project, and then help Mom or Dad wrap it.

7. Visiting Family and Friends: When traveling in the car, test geography knowledge by trying to name all 50 states and their capitals. Play the "license plate game" and take along trivia questions. Encourage kids to ask older relatives and friends about how they celebrated holidays when they were young, to learn about how traditions have changed over time. Kids can also use family visits as an opportunity to build family trees, working with older relatives.

8. "Stay-cation Field Trips: If your holiday break finds your family on a "stay-cation" at home, take a family field trip to a local museum or park, especially places that offer activities for kids to get involved, like "art detectives" or "geologist for a day." Develop a scavenger hunt for your outing. For example, at a museum you can "find three sculptures" or "find a painting of a child."

9. Snow Day: Whether your family is hitting the slopes or building a snowman, a snowy day provides lots of learning opportunities. Talk about snow – why does it snow? How does a snowflake look? After a snow-filled day, ask children to write a story or draw a picture about their day, or draw snowflakes. Encourage creative and descriptive language – see how many words they can use to describe snow.

10. And Every Day, Read! Winter break is a great time to enjoy your local library. Spend an afternoon selecting books about the season and enjoy reading with your children.

(12-09-08)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that small traces of melamine are not harmful in most foods, but does agree that strict limits need to be set and imposed by regulators before taking items off store shelves. The safety experts at the meeting in Ottawa, Canada, also decided that while melamine should not be in any food, a maximum amount of 0.2 milligrams per kilogram of body weight is tolerable daily.

Learn more in the article Investigating Melamine: Is This Chemical in Some Dinnerware and Sippy Cups Harming Our Children?

(12-09-08)

Teenageronboard.org (TOB) has announced that new subscriptions prior to Christmas to their teenager driving safety program will receive a bumper-type sticker sent in a holiday gift envelope. TOB's program is a service where other drivers who notice teenage driving issues can call an "800" number to report the incident. Parents are then notified.

Motor Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. There are more than 5,000 teenager deaths per year from traffic accidents. In fact, more than 25 percent of drivers ages 15 to 20 who were killed in crashes had blood alcohol concentration levels of .08 or higher at the time of the crash.

Teenagers are eager to become adults and assume their independence. Handing them the keys to a car is so frightening. Parents can't always be in the car with them. TOB permits others on the road to watch and report how a teenager is driving.

Teenageronboard.org is a Web site designed for parents to register their teenager's vehicle information. Once registered, TOB sends a special sticker with an "800" telephone number and unique identifying number. The sticker is posted in a conspicuous location on the teenager's car so other drivers can easily call and report driving infractions. If an incident occurs, and is reported to the 24/7 answering service, parents receive an e-mail notification of the incident.

For more information, visit www.teenageronboard.com.

(12-09-08)

Rare injuries accounted for 3.5 percent of high school athletes' injuries 2005 through 2007, according to the first study to examine rare injuries and conditions of U.S. high school athletes. Rare injuries include eye injuries, dental injuries, neck and cervical injuries and dehydration and heat illness, which may result in high morbidity, costly surgeries and treatments or life-altering consequences.

Football was associated with the highest rate of rare injuries, accounting for 21 injuries per 100,000 exposures, according to the study published in the Journal of Athletic Training and conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

"Neck and cervical injuries were higher in boys at six per 100,000 exposures while girls accounted for one per 100,000 exposures," says the study's author, Ellen Yard, CIRP research associate at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "This difference could easily be attributed to girls not playing football. Of those neck and cervical injuries in football, 93 percent were caused by contact with another player during tackling or blocking. Overall, though, boys had 12 per 100,000 exposures while girls had three per 100,000."

Football also was correlated with the majority of dehydration and heat illnesses. Sixty percent of these injuries occurred during pre-season practice after the athlete had already been participating for an hour.

"This finding is consistent with previous research, which stresses the need for athletes to be hydrated. Many times, the athletes just aren't used to the environmental conditions during pre-season practice," says study co-author Dr. Dawn Comstock, CIRP principal investigator at Nationwide Children's and a faculty member of The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

The sports studied include football, boys' and girls' soccer, volleyball, boys' and girls' basketball, wrestling, baseball and softball. Data for the study were collected from the 2005-2007 National High School Sports Injury Surveillance Study (High School RIO) and was funded in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

(12-09-08)

The Twilight film may not only entertain moviegoers. It also has the potential to encourage people to really believe in vampires, says a Purdue University mass media expert. "Research on paranormal beliefs shows that when a fictional story is successfully presented in a realistic way, it can move people to believe or at least move them away from disbelief and toward more uncertainty about the supernatural," says Glenn Sparks, a professor of communication.

Sparks has published several studies about the effects supernatural television shows have on the way people form and adjust their beliefs about the supernatural. "This reminds me of what happened with the 1973 film The Exorcist," Sparks says. "Many people said they had never considered demon possession before, but some of those who saw the movie began thinking it was a possible phenomenon."

In addition to realistic depictions increasing a person's belief in the supernatural, Sparks says the believability also is reinforced when the audience can relate to the characters. "Regarding any paranormal belief, when something is depicted as real but it really isn't, there is always some general concern about that because it blurs the line between reality and impossibility," Sparks says. "This is certainly more likely with this film's young teenage audience."

Twilight opened November 21 and is based on the popular book series by Stephenie Meyer. The story, which is a romance and thriller, is about a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire. Part of the storyline highlights vampires who are capable of living among humans. The film is rated PG-13.

Sparks, who also studies the scary effects of movies, recommends that parents research films in advance by viewing descriptions of their violent content at www.kids-in-mind.com. The Web site also ranks sex, nudity and profanity.

(11-25-08)

According to new research conducted at Nationwide Children's Hospital, the burden of illness in children suffering from constipation, and the costs associated with this condition, are roughly of the same magnitude as those for asthma and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

These findings are a result of a study involving gastroenterologists and researchers at Nationwide Children's to estimate the health care utilization and cost for children with constipation in the United States. The study, available online at PubMed.gov, is slated for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics in early 2009.

Using a nationally representative survey, clinicians and researchers analyzed data of children under 18 years of age who were diagnosed with constipation or prescribed a laxative over two consecutive years (2003 and 2004). Results showed that children with constipation used more health services than children without the condition, amounting to an additional cost of $3.9 billion each year for children with constipation. Despite this amplified cost impact and its prevalence during childhood, constipation has not received the amount of attention in public health campaigns that similarly occurring asthma and ADHD have.

"Despite being considered by many a relatively benign condition, childhood constipation has been shown to be associated with a significantly decreased quality of life," says the study's author, Dr. Carlo Di Lorenzo, chief of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Nationwide Children's and faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "The day-to-day struggle caused by constipation can often be emotionally devastating, and can also have an impact on the overall health and well-being of affected children and their families."

Researchers and clinicians hope that health care utilization and cost estimates revealed in this study can boost awareness of childhood constipation, awareness that could result in earlier treatment.

"In many cases, constipation in children can be prevented or corrected through dietary and behavioral changes," says Dr. Hayat Mousa, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital and a faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "Parents should talk to their children about their bathroom habits and make sure they are having a bowel movement at least every other day. For mild cases of constipation, prune or apple juice, high-fiber cereal or over-the-counter softeners or laxatives made for children may help. If the problem persists, parents should seek the advice of a medical professional."

(11-25-08)

Co-parenting after divorce is always stressful and awkward, and rarely more so than during the Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas holidays. That's when tension or conflict between you and your ex-spouse threatens to undo your children's expectations of fun and a loving environment. Divorce Magazine and DivorceMagazine.com, which have provided first-rate divorce information and resources for more than 13 years, understand this – and have suggestions on how to make things easier.

"No divorcing person needs to be told how important their children are," says Dan Couvrette, the publisher and CEO of Divorce Magazine and DivorceMagazine.com. "But every divorcing person needs to be reminded of how their words and actions can negatively or positively affect their children."

Here are some issues you and your children may be worried about this holiday season:

• Which parent will have access to the children, and when?
• Will the children miss the other parent when they are with you?
• Will you or your spouse allow your bitterness or competition to infect the holiday spirit?
• Are the children afraid you'll see them as "disloyal" if they have fun at your ex's home?

Of course the holidays will never be the same from now on, but Divorce Magazine and DivorceMagazine.com offer a few general tips to make the best of the new situation:

1. Plan ahead. Having a secure schedule in place for when the children will be with whom will ease their anxiety and help any transitions between parents move smoothly.

2. Be civil, even kind. Let your ex have quality time with the children, and don't argue about it or interfere. They have as much right for time with the children as you do.

3. Don't say nasty things about the other parent. Parental alienation is always bad, and you don't want your children to feel guilty or conflicted about spending holiday time at your ex's house.

4. Sympathize. Your children may be very sad that their parents can't both be there to celebrate. Let them know it's OK to feel that way. Don't pressure them to act happy if they don't honestly feel it.

5. Have the best holiday you possibly can under the circumstances. Invite family and friends over, play games, watch holiday-themed movies, eat, drink and be merry. Show your children that whatever has happened to the family, you still love them and want to share holiday cheer with them.

(11-25-08)

With the holiday season approaching, a Cornell environmental analyst has made an illuminating discovery: Many Christmas light sets contain such high levels of lead that they exceed limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for windowsills or floors.

"Whether exposure to lead in Christmas lights affects blood lead levels in humans is unknown, though research increasingly shows that any exposure to lead – especially by children – is hazardous to health in that it is implicated in a wide range of health concerns," says Joseph Laquatra, a professor of design and environmental analysis in Cornell's College of Human Ecology, who led the study. "No standards exist for lead content in this product, and no protocols exist for conducting tests on it."

The study, conducted with Lelia M. Coyne, a chemist and certified lead risk assessor in Lincoln, Neb., and Mark R. Pierce, a Cornell extension associate in Laquatra's department, is published in the December issue of Journal of Environmental Health.

Researchers tested the lead levels of 10 sets of indoor/outdoor Christmas lights, some recently purchased in Nebraska and New York, others from the 1970s. The researchers found detectable levels of lead in all of them; and all were above EPA/HUD regulatory limits for equivalent areas of windowsills and floors. They also found no significant differences in lead levels among manufacturers, year of purchase or how many years the lights had been used.

Lead is used in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) jacketing of the Christmas light cords to prevent them from cracking or crumbling and to make them resistant to heat, light and moisture damage, says Laquatra. Lead makes up 2 to 5 percent of PVC jacketing in different types of wires.

While some products are starting to have warning labels, there is no coordinated drive to encourage manufacturers to pursue alternatives, Laquatra says. "Consumers should be aware that lead is in all appliance cords," he says, noting that although American manufacturers have been moving away from using lead as a PVC stabilizer in the last five years, at present there is no way to know how much lead exists in jacketing or in various products without independent testing.

When it comes to Christmas lights, the researchers point out that lead could be ingested from hand-to-mouth contact after handling the lights; lead also can be released into the air during installation and removal. The researchers recommend that children not handle Christmas lights, and that anyone who does should wash their hands immediately after handling.

(11-25-08)

Many children have a new bicycle on their holiday wish lists. AAA reminds consumers that selecting the right size bike for children is critical to keeping them safe.

While holiday shoppers may be wooed by great bargains on bicycles during Black Friday sales, AAA warns that no matter how enticing the holiday sale, it's not worth putting a child in danger if the bicycle is not the proper size. Bicycles are associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product besides the automobile.

"The biggest mistake consumers make when selecting a child's bicycle is purchasing one too large and thinking the child will grow into it," says Jennifer Huebner, manager, AAA Traffic Safety Programs. "Parents would not put shoes five sizes too big on a child, because it would be difficult and dangerous to run and play. The same principle applies to bicycles. Oversized bikes are difficult for children to control and safely ride in addition to being uncomfortable."

Fit the Bike to the Child: To determine if a bicycle is the proper size, the child should be able to sit on the seat and balance the bicycle with the balls of both feet touching the ground without leaning to one side or the other. If the bicycle seat is in the lowest position, and a child cannot touch both feet to the ground, the bike is too large to be ridden safely.

Surprise Gift? Don't Guess the Size – Measure: It's best to have children sit on bikes prior to purchase to ensure they are the appropriate, safe size. But during the holiday season, children's bikes are frequently given as surprises. Consumers should not guess which bike size is correct. Instead, hit the holiday sales with the child's measurements and a tape measure in hand.

Before heading out to the stores, measure the child's inseam to the ground. When shopping, measure the distance from the top horizontal bar to the ground. This measurement should be an inch or two shorter than the child's inseam. When looking at girl's bikes, measure to where the top bar would be if it was designed like a boy's bicycle.

Be Sure to Brake for Safety: Size is not the only safety factor to consider. Children's bicycles typically have either hand brakes or coaster brakes (engaged when pedaling backwards). Avoid purchasing bikes with hand brakes for younger children. Wait until they develop greater strength in their hands and wrists and have large enough hands to easily engage the hand brake – which should occur around age 10.

Don't Forget a Helmet: Children should always wear a bicycle helmet when cycling, and it is required by law in many areas. Head injuries are a leading cause of death in bicycle crashes, but properly wearing a bicycle helmet has been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent, according to the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration.

Just as children's bikes must be sized correctly for safety, so should their helmets. It's best for a child to try on a helmet before purchasing it, but if that's not possible, measure around the child's head at the forehead to determine which size helmet to purchase. Also, make sure the helmet is approved by looking for an ANSI or Snell Foundation sticker on the inside.

Before children take off on their new bikes, helmets must be fit properly to their heads. Helmets should sit level and low on the forehead with two finger-widths' space between the eyebrows and helmet. If the helmet is slightly large, insert the extra padding provided with the helmet. Straps should be adjusted to center the left buckle under the chin, have the side straps form a "V" shape under and slightly in front of the ears and provide a snug fit with only one or two fingers able to fit under the chin strap.

Be Ready for Safety on the Big Day: When the big day arrives and children receive their new bikes, the first thing many will want to do is take it out for a ride. Make sure it is ready to go by double checking that it's put together securely and additional safety equipment, such as training wheels, horns or lights, have been installed correctly in a safe location. Provide instruction to beginner cyclists away from traffic in a safe area, and take time to remind experienced cyclists of safety rules. AAA has safe bicycling tips available on the AAA Exchange at AAA.com/PublicAffairs.

(11-25-08)

High-profile celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Madonna are often photographed traveling internationally, sometimes to underdeveloped countries, with their young children in tow. While they make traveling with children seem safe and easy, there are real dangers to consider when traveling to the underdeveloped and tropical regions of the world with young children.

"Depending on the final destination, there are certain vaccines that may be recommended to help keep children safe during travel," says Dr. Andrea Summer, member of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) and associate professor of pediatrics at Medical University of South Carolina. "The most common infectious health threats to children traveling to underdeveloped, tropical regions of the world may result from exposure to contaminated food and water, and disease carrying insects. With the help of available destination-specific vaccines such as hepatitis A, typhoid fever and yellow fever, parents can feel more comfortable traveling with young children."

Aside from preventive vaccines, there are other precautions parents should take to ensure a safe trip for their children. For this reason, Dr. Summer offers tips to keep children safe:

• Animals: Very often children are drawn to animals. However, animals in developing countries are usually not required to have vaccines like they are in the United States and can carry a variety of transmittable diseases including rabies. For this reason it can be dangerous for children to have contact with animals.
• Mosquitoes: Insects such as mosquitoes are cause for concern in tropical areas because of the many diseases they can spread to humans, including Dengue fever and malaria, which are potentially fatal. There are many physical barriers parents can use to protect children, which include long pants and long sleeve shirts, bed nets and DEET-based repellents.
• Toxins: Parents should research if there will be toxins in developing countries that may not be considered toxins in the United States. Such toxins may include plants or flowers that contain poisons, insecticides, lead-based paints or rodent bait.
• Vaccines: Children should be up-to-date on all routine vaccines, including an annual flu shot, before international travel. Destination-specific vaccines may also be recommended.
• Water Safety: Parents need to provide children with the proper safety devices for water activities, such as life preservers. Underdeveloped and rural areas may not have these devices available.
• Motor Vehicle Safety: Because motor vehicle accidents are the top cause of child mortality during travel, parents are advised to bring a car seat or booster seat with them, since these may not always be available in developing countries. Parents should also consider traveling during the day, as many roads may be dangerous to travel at night.

"Prevention doesn't end when travelers return home," says Dr. Summer. "There are various post-travel symptoms, such as fever, persistent or bloody diarrhea and respiratory infections that parents should watch for in children, as they can be indicators of a more serious problem and require immediate medical attention."

(11-18-08)