Keeping The Spark In Your Relationship After Having Kids

Keeping the spark in your relationship is so important. I know your probably grumbling: "I barely have the time for myself, let alone my partner. They just need to understand". But it just isn't that easy. Trust me I know the feeling, I have felt those thoughts. As a mother to two boys 5 and under my time is crazy! It's always hectic, chores are constant, errands are endless, the list doesn't end. At the end of the day I'm practically asleep before my head hits the pillow.

But there's one other person that we must remember, and that is our partner.

They need our love and affection every bit as much as our children need it, and here's an eye opener: we need our partner's affection back! 

Being a parent doesn't mean all the romance is sucked out of you. It's still there, even if it is buried a little deeper than before. You still have a marriage to nurture, and you still have a partner you love that loves you back. In fact it's going to benefit your children as well because they will probably even pick up on great relationship skills when they see how loving mommy and daddy are to each other.

Here's a few tips to keep your relationship filled with fireworks:

• Small gestures throughout the day

You don't have to go out and buy gifts to surprise your partner with. Those things are all nice sure (hubby if your reading this, it would be awesome if you get me some m&m's and surprise me with them. Just kidding. lol)
All joking aside take some time out of some of your days to do something sweet and romantic. Write a little note and stick it where your partner is bound to see it. It can even be on a post-it and be as simple as: " I love you, I hope you have a great day! xoxo"  or even "Your a great husband and father" or for you dads out there reading this "You are a great mother and wife, I appreciate all you do" or "I love you"
You get the idea right? Or even just keeping in touch with a sweet phone call while your at work or on break. It's just simple things to let your partner know you are thinking about them and you love them.

• Have a date night

It doesn't have to be every week but at least twice a month is probably a good idea. The possibilites for this are endless. If you have the option for someone to watch your kids you two can always get out of the house. Go do something fun just the two of you.
If you can't get out of the house or are a budget you can rent a movie, plan a game, feed the kids something simple and quick, get them to bed early and eat a quiet candle lit dinner just the two of you after the kiddos are asleep.
Just as long as your staying connected and getting in some personal time with each other. Just because your parents doesn't mean you don't deserve a little time for the two of you to be alone.

• Be affectionate

Kiss each other, hug each other, hold hands, compliment each other. Nothing has changed just because you are parents. Be in love! It will strengthen your relationship, your parenting skills, and your mood!

• Do something spontaneous

Try doing something out of the ordinary every now and again. Bake your partner something special, surprise them with a meal at work, give them a back rub at the end of the day, plan a special day and let it be a surprise. Possibilities are endless and this keeps things in the relationship fun and fresh. Plus it is always so fun to see the look on someone's face when you surprise them with something out of the ordinary.

• Make sex a priority

I probably surprised you with this one right? I'm not trying to make anyone uncomfortable but this is one of the main issues in most relationships. Those kiddos didn't make themselves after all.
Even if your tired and have had a hard day that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a little one on one fun time with your partner. Even if you don't feel like it at first doesn't mean you won't enjoy it. Sex relieves stress, helps you sleep better, and brings your closer together. You and your partner both need this time. You aren't monks after all. Enjoy life!

• Do things you did before you had kids

If you had a fun activity you liked doing together before children, don't lose it! Cook together, hike together, boat together, keep those same common interests. Seduce each other, pamper each other now and again, compliment each other, etc.

• Reminisce

Remember why you fell in love with your spouse, re-count old memories of fun times you have shared together. This helps remind you why you fell in love with your partner and it helps you stay insanely in love. Plus it's fun to remember the good memories, there are always more to come but that doesn't mean you have to forget past ones.

• Contribute to one another

Being a parent is hard work, so it's important to work together. If one parent feels like they are doing all the work it can cause resentment in a marriage. You don't want that, it will drive you apart eventually and lead to unhappiness. Instead help each other. Each parent should have certain duties, and sometimes you can even swap those duties. It keeps each parent from feeling overwhelmed and refreshes them in the process.

• Communicate

Communication is key in parenting, relationships, friendships, etc. It's a given that you need to talk to each other constantly. Talk about your relationship, even if you've been married for fifty years you still aren't able to read each others minds (at least not fully anyway). Instead of nagging be assertive and tell one another what you want. Ask each other questions about their day to let them know you are interested and care. There are so many ways to keep the communication boat flowing. Just don't let the wind stop carrying it along.

• Count your blessings

You have a partner that loves you, you have children that adore you. You are very lucky. Don't lose sight of what you have in front of you. You are very blessed. 

Hopefully some of these tips will help you out. Trust me keeping the spark in your relationship after having kids is a necessity. It may not always be easy but it's going to be fun, and your going to be as in love as ever. You both need this time together. Kids are not meant to pull each other apart but rather bring one another closer together. Just as your kids need time with their parents you need time with your partner. Keeping a good relationship with one another will show your children they have two solid, stable, parents that love each other. They will learn good skills they will carry their whole lives, and when they bring their own spouse and kids to your seventieth anniversary they will have so many great stories to tell about how you two have been in love since before they can remember.

Sleep Schedules and Bedtime Routines~priddymomma

In a perfect world, our bedtime routine would work like this:

6:00 p.m. – Dinner

7:00 p.m. – Princess Cheerio gets a bath

                  Cheerio Champ reads quietly by himself

                  After bath routine for Princess Cheerio and story time with daddy

7:30 p.m. – Cuddle, rock, and read time for mommy and Princess Cheerio

                  Cheerio Champ gets a shower

                  Story time for Cheerio Champ

8:00 p.m. – Bed time

8:30 p.m. – Kids are asleep

Wake up time next morning:  8 a.m.

Princess Cheerio naps 1-2 hours during the day

The smoothness of our evening routine is extremely dependent upon the time we have dinner.  If dinner isn’t on until 6:30 or 7, obviously the kids aren’t going to be to bed on time.  That means that I need to be starting dinner at five o’clock sharp every day.  That realistically just doesn’t happen.  For instance, we hike at a local park three days a week.  We don’t usually leave the park until 5:30 or 6:00.  When they get to bed late, we let them sleep in the next morning.  I realize not everyone can do this, but we home school, so it works for us.

I have several pieces of advice for the moms and dads out there: 

• You MUST have a schedule.  I don’t mean just a bedtime schedule.  I mean a set time to have meals and play time and naps and the whole nine yards.  Kids feel more secure when they know exactly what comes next, and you feel more sane when your kids know what is expected of them at any given time of the day. 

• It’s okay to be off schedule sometimes.  Adjust as needed.  Life is more fun if you can be spontaneous sometimes.  (BABOON!  See?  Fun!)  Also, realize that as your child’s needs change, your schedule should change too.

• Kids need to relax before bed.  I’m betting you don’t run around your house screaming and making fart sounds, jump in a quick shower, and then settle right down to fall asleep.  That is what a lot of parents are asking of their kiddos!  I like to get ready for bed, cuddle, talk quietly, and read a bit before bed.  That’s what my kids like too.  You can try doing other quiet activities if you prefer, such as putting together a puzzle, singing, or looking at a photo album.  I suggest you steer clear of media devices.  TV stimulates, and the blue light from other gadgets has been shown to dissolve sleepy feelings in loads of studies.  Baths are great for relaxing, but some kids get more excited when playing in the water.  If your child seems to be one of them, move the bath to the morning routine.

• My son has to have a night light or have the bedroom door cracked open and the hall light on.  Kids like to wake up and see a familiar environment before settling back in for sleep. 

• My daughter MUST have her taggie blankie before going to sleep.  It has to be the one I made her, mind.  The store bought one isn’t a good substitute, as I found out to my chagrin one day when it needed a wash.  Try letting your little one take a lovey to bed, and it can make all the difference.

Yep.  Taggie blankie.

• For infants, some absolutely love being swaddled.  My son couldn’t sleep if he wasn’t swaddled or in the baby swing for quite some time.

• DO NOT COMPROMISE ABOUT SLEEPING IN YOUR BED!  I know so many parents that have landed themselves in this trap.  They always say to me, “How on Earth did you get them to sleep in their own beds?!”  And I always say, “Because I didn’t let them think sleeping in mine was ever an option.  Period.”  I know there are families that practice bed sharing and all that, and I respect that, but I also think it is important for your kids to know that you deserve your own space as well.

• Get in plenty of exercise during the day!  Remember up at the top where I mentioned we get the kids to bed late some nights because of hiking trips to the park?  That is a compromise we’re willing to make to ensure the health of our family unit.  Not only are we getting physical exercise, but we get a mental break each time we step into nature.  We communicate more effectively and stress a lot less.  The kids are better behaved the next day, and I have more patience to run off.  So what if it means getting the kids to bed a bit later?  The long term pros outweigh the cons.  And you can bet you never sleep as well as after a good sweat session.  Even Princess Cheerio sleeps better, though I’m not really sure why as she’s carried in a backpack carrier the entire time, but there you go!

  

  Exercise!

No matter how good your little one sleeps, keep in mind that there will be times over the years that he or she won’t sleep worth beans.  There are many different causes, ranging from teething or illness to physical/cognitive leaps and bedroom temperatures not being quite perfect.  (Maybe even karmic payback for the hell you put your own mother through!  Who knows?)  On those occasions, good luck!  You’ll need a different post!  :D

Children's Sleep ~ Tori

credit: WebMD.com

Children's sleep habits are so important. It affects a child's mental and physical health.
Lack of sleep can also lead to what I'm sure all us mom's have experienced: tantrums. I don't know about all of you, but if my children don't get the right amount of sleep they act out, fight, throw tantrums, and are just really grumpy kiddos.

You want to think that sleep is going to be easy. How hard can it be? You put your kids to bed, read them a story, and to sleep land they go. Wrong. Most of the time bedtime isn't easy. As kids get more and more independent they fight sleep, they don't want to miss anything. They don't realize how much they need sleep, so it's our job as parents to make sure they are getting what they need.
Don't beat yourself up if your children aren't in the exact guidelines needed. Above is a chart that compares recommended hours to reality hours of sleep.
One thing to remember is keeping your children on a sleep schedule. This is one aspect of parenthood you don't want to be as tolerant with. There are things that come up every now and again that can affect sleep schedules, but for the most part keep a routine.
Here are a few tips that can help with sleep:

• Encourage security objects if your child is afraid of bedtime such as a nightlight, stuffed animal, cozy blanket, etc.
• Make sure your child's bedroom is comfortable and safe.
• Have no TV on in your child's bedroom. 
• Ease into bed, read your child a bedtime story to help them relax.
• Keep schedules as consistent as possible.
• Avoid caffeine or sugary drinks at least four hours before bedtime.
• Talk with your children (given they are at an age of understanding) about important sleeping habits.

Routine and consistency is key. Once you find the right schedule for your family keep with it. Obviously as your baby/child gets older schedules will change, but as long as you keep a schedule you can ensure your doing your best at keeping your child's sleep habits consistent and healthy.

Leviathan book review~priddymomma

Hello readers!  Welcome to our first book review!  So glad you could make it.  This week, we’re discussing the first book in a trilogy, a book by the name of

LEVIATHAN

By Scott Westerfeld

I read The Uglies series by Westerfeld and adored them all.  Well, maybe not Specials as much, but you get the idea.  He captivated my imagination with his ideas for the dystopian series.  I thought I'd really enjoy another series he had written, so I picked up Leviathan.

I’ll start you off with a quote:

“So Leviathan is as much about possible futures as alternate pasts.  It looks ahead to when machines will look like living creatures, and living creatures can be fabricated like machines.  And yet the setting also recalls an earlier time in which the world was divided into aristocrats and commoners, and women in most countries couldn’t join the armed forces-or even vote.  That’s the nature of steampunk, blending future and past.” ~Scott Westerfeld

That pretty much spells it out for you!  Leviathan is a steampunk novel set at the onslaught of WWI.  There are transformer-esque Clanker machines fighting with Darwinist mutant-hybrid animal fabrications TO THE DEATH!!!  Or whatever.  It’s WWI!  The characters are imagined (for the most part, though some are based on real historical figures), but the basic political motivations are the same as is believed in reality. 

illustration from scottwesterfeld.com

Our story begins in two parts, following young Deryn Sharp as she disguises herself as a boy in order to become a member of the British Air Service, and Aleksandar Ferdinand, whom is on the run for political reasons and just happens to be a prince to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  Naturally, the two near-enemies cross paths and life gets interesting.

Oh.  And there's a thylacine.  Gotta love those thylacines!

 

I rate this book three out of five stars.  It was good, but not fantastic.  I love the historical fiction genre.  It is such a great way to get kids (and adults!) interested in history.  This is also the first steampunk I’ve read.  I spent the first one hundred pages or so trying to visualize the creations I was reading about.  There are illustrations, but I still couldn’t really wrap my head around the concepts of these things.  Transformer-like Clanker machines are one thing; a genetically constructed whale air ship is something completely different!  Once the storyline started moving, I really started to get into it.  I balked a bit at the political lines running throughout (boring!), which is ironic since that was the part with the historical, and therefore educational, context. 

I was exactly the opposite from Tori with regards to favorite characters.  I started out liking Deryn much more than snobbish, pampered Alek, but Alek redeemed himself, and Deryn continued along her show-boatish ways.  I think Alek had the greater moral fiber between the two of them.  I do agree that the characters balance each other out, and as is inevitable with this type of novel, Deryn begins to fall for Alek.  She moons over him a bit.  I actually appreciate the fawning-over-a-boy episode, because she screws up because of it.  Wake up, daydreamers!

I will say the storyline was amazingly creative!  I have no idea how Westerfeld dreamed this up, but it is astonishing.  The way everything works together on the Leviathan air ship, for instance, right down to the bumblebees, is a work of art.

The ending was awful though.  It annoyed me to no end.  I’ve waited to type up this review before picking up the sequel.  Go ahead and give this novel a read!  I enjoyed it, and it was fairly funny at times.  I particularly enjoy the usage of “bumrag” as an insult.  It’s just so eloquent, doncha think? 

I hear a lot of people adore the cover art.  Perhaps I have no eye for art, but I didn’t find it particularly engaging.  What about you guys?  Have you read the book?  What are your thoughts?  Any bumrags out there? 

Leviathan ~ Tori's Review

This week we are doing a book review on a common book that we've all read. This time we are reading:

::From the back of the book::
It is the cusp of World War I. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ genetically fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.
Aleksandar Ferdinand, a Clanker, and Deryn Sharp, a Darwinist, are on opposite sides of the war. But their paths cross in the most unexpected way, taking them both aboard the Leviathan on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure….One that will change both their lives forever.

::My thoughts::
I have been waiting to read this book for quite some time. While I did enjoy this book, I was a tad disappointed at the flow. It seemed to take awhile to get off the ground.
The fantasy aspect of this book is truly captivating. It's filled with interesting machines, crazy bizarre animals, etc. Plus it puts a whole new spin on World War I like you could never even imagine in your wildest dreams. Thus we discover Steampunk novels!
The mystery of DNA has been discovered and is being manipulated to create all sorts of crossbred animals that will have your mind reeling.
I enjoyed the two main characters Deryn and Alek, although I admit I liked Deryn better. I found Alek to be annoying, while Deryn was more likable and humble. Deryn hiding that she is a girl also kept me captivated, and you just can't put aside how these two lives intertwine with one another. The fact that they each come from different sides and face so many hardships, yet set aside their differences in the name of true friendship is just amazing. The two characters really balance each other out and I felt that was a wonderful touch for the novel.
By the middle of the book I was just so intrigued to see how it would all end up I could hardly stop reading.
There are illustrations within the book that really help fuel the imagination, and brings the story to life.
I can't wait to read the next book though. The ending left me hanging. Make sure your not in the library where it's quite when finishing this book. I wanted to scream at the ending because of how it left me hanging.

Now I can't give anymore away without spoiling the whole book for you so I will leave you with this last advice:
If you enjoy YA Steampunk fiction where history is twisted into imagination this book is definietely worth checking out.


Stay tuned for Priddymomma & Leslie's thoughts on this book. And as always email us at thecaseofthemissingcheerios (at) gmail (dot) com with any post requests, or comment below. :)

Keeping Children Safe from People Who Target Kids~priddymomma

This week, we’re covering the most important aspect of our lives:  Keeping Children Safe.  Specifically, I’d like to talk a bit about keeping children safe from people who aim to harm them. 

It’s every parent’s nightmare:  your precious child coming to harm.  There are so many things that can happen to kids that we start preparing for their safety before they are even born.  Before they are even conceived!  Every day, we hear on the news about another abduction, bullying episode that went to far, or sexual assault.  Like all animals, human predators tend to pick off the weakest and least capable of a population.  Unfortunately, that often means children.  But our kids don’t have to be unprepared for the realities of life.  We can prepare them to defend and protect themselves without terrifying them, and maybe we’ll even sleep better at night because of it.

Strangers

Parents are constantly telling their kids not to talk to strangers.  Maybe you’ve created that rule in your own household.  It’s very important to have some variation on the rule, but there are some vital pieces missing if all you tell your kids is ‘beware of strangers.’  Firstly, did you define strangers for your kids?  Predators can get around ‘someone you don’t know’.  All they have to do is tell your child their name and they are in.  They are no longer a stranger.  Instead, I like the definition of a stranger being anyone mommy and daddy haven’t met.  Teach your kids to not give personal information to strangers, instead of instructing them to be completely mute.  But make sure they know that secrets aren’t okay.  If an adult asks them to keep a secret from you, they should immediately spill the beans.  Maybe that means you find out what you’re getting for your birthday from your husband or your mother, but that’s a small price to pay for what could happen otherwise.

Secondly, teach them that not all strangers are bad.  What about the sweet old lady standing behind you at the check out counter?  Maybe she’s an axe murderer, sure, but chances are she just misses having babies around to love on.  There’s no reason for your child to scream, “I DON’T KNOW YOU!  GET AWAY FROM ME!”  If your child is with mommy and daddy, it is safe to talk to strangers, but still not okay to give out personal information. 

Thirdly, if your child is ever scared, in danger, or lost, a stranger can help.  Teach your kids that safe strangers can help them.  A safe stranger is somebody like a mommy, a police officer, waitress, mail carrier, store clerk, etc.  Teaching your kids which strangers are okay to talk to creates a less scary scenario for your child should they ever need assistance when you are not immediately at hand.

Possibly most important of all, if your child doesn’t feel right about a person, tell them that instinct is extremely important!  If they get a bad or scary vibe off of someone, they should get away as quickly as they can and find help.  Most times, people instinctively know when danger is at hand.  Most victims report having felt ill at ease prior to being attacked.

Phone Safety

• With young kids, my advice honestly is to not allow them to answer the telephone at all.  If you do allow your kids to answer the telly, teach kids to hang up if the caller makes them uncomfortable and to tell mom and dad about the call.  If he or she is home alone, teach them to call someone like grandma and let her know what just happened.  If asked for mom or dad and the parents aren’t present, the child should say they are busy and ask the caller to call back later.  Kids rarely take good messages anyway.  Same rules for texting.

• Teach kids how to call 911 and what it is used for, and consider getting your child a cell phone that at the very least dials 911 for emergency use.

Phones aren’t the only mediums for predators.  Consider internet chat rooms and social media sites, email, instant messengers, and pretty much any website they have access to.  Predators could be (and most likely are) lurking in all of these places.

Preventing Abduction…or Worse.

• Teach children a family password for after school or practice pick-up times, and change it weekly or monthly.  Practice it even when it’s just mom and dad.  Make sure grandparents and other trusted carpool parents know the password.  Kids love to ask “What’s the password?”  If someone shows up claiming dad sent them to pick Jimmy up, but he doesn’t know the password, Jimmy will know to run to his teacher or coach and let them know what’s going on.

• Kids should know to hold on to their bicycles if someone tries to remove them from it and to scream as loudly as they can.  Kids are easy enough to toss in the back of a vehicle without anyone noticing.  A screaming kid attached to a bike?  Not so much. 

• Kids (and adults, really) should avoid walking or biking anywhere at night.  Have your kid travel with other kids.  Numbers = safety.  KNOW WHERE YOUR CHILD IS AT ALL TIMES!  Also know what route your child takes to and from each location he visits.  Teach him to avoid isolated areas, such as alleys, parking lots, backyards, or wooded areas.  If someone does approach your kid, teach your kid to run around a parked car and yell for help.

• Consider teaching children some basic blocks, strikes, and escapes from grabs.  At the very least, your child should know that if someone is trying to force him to go somewhere with them or do something that doesn’t feel right, he has the right to say no forcefully.  If saying no doesn’t work, he should know that biting, scratching, eye gouging, and groin striking are acceptable ways to get away and find help.  Above all, he should know that making a lot of noise draws attention that could help him get away and be safe.

  
I hope this has given you the courage to prepare your child for the worst while praying for the best.  It's never too early to begin.


For further reading, this is a great website that talks about bullying prevention, abuse prevention, and stranger safety http://www.kidpower.org/library/article/safe-without-scared/

Keeping children safe with Car Seat Safety - Tori

There are many ways we need to factor safety into our children's lives. From teaching them about strangers, baby proofing the house, internet safety, etc., safety topics are unlimited. This week we are each going to be picking a topic to discuss on child safety. My topic will be:

Car Safety

 

Did you know?



Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death among children ages 1 to 19.

Children ages 2 to 5 who use safety belts prematurely are four times more likely to suffer a serious head injury in a crash than those in child safety seats or booster seats.

Of those children ages 8 and under who died in vehicle crashes in 2011, 29 percent were unrestrained.

Children should ride in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old.

 When my first son was born it was only recommended that he sit in a rear facing car seat until he reached a certain weight limit. Once that weight limit was reached forward facing was just fine and dandy. Recently though after a talk with our pediatrician we were informed that it is now recommended to keep your child rear facing for as long as possible, or at least until 2 years of age. Kids who ride in rear-facing seats have the maximum protection for the head, neck and spine.
Here's a video that will show you the difference involving rear facing vs. forward facing in a car accident.

Did you know?
There is an expiration date (usually around six years) on every car seat label?

 Make sure you know when the expiration date is so your child is riding around in a safe car seat that is still safe for today's standards. Pay close attention to the weight, age, and height label on the car seat so your getting the right kind of protection for your child.


Here's some other tips that will make your child safer in a car/car seat:

Never leave your child unattended in a vehicle whether in a booster seat, car seat, or other. This should be common sense but all too often I hear on the news about children suffering heatstroke. There's no sense for this. Don't even leave your child in a running car, take them with you. Could you bare to live with yourself if something happened? It's better to be safe than sorry.

Make sure your child is buckled in his/her seat correctly. Buckling up properly is the number one way you can help save your child's life should you ever be in a crash. Never expect that you won't be in a crash. Even if your the safest driver on the planet there are other drivers/cars who are not. Never take the risk.

Make sure your child's car seat is installed correctly. Don't be embarrassed if you are unsure whether it is or isn't. Again, it's better to be safe than sorry. Your child's life is more important than your pride. There are so many ways to have your child's car seat checked in this day and age. You can go to your local fire department, police department, and even hospital. Not to mention there are all sorts of programs that inspect car seats to make sure your child is safe.
73% of car seats are not used or installed correctly. That's well over half. Before you hit the road have your car seat checked.
Here's some things to check for::

Inch Test. Once your car seat is installed, give it a good tug at the base where the seat belt goes through it. Can you move it more than an inch side to side or front to back? A properly installed seat will not move more than an inch.

Pinch Test. Make sure the harness is tightly buckled and coming from the correct slots (check your car seat manual). With the chest clip placed at armpit level, pinch the strap at your child’s shoulder. If you are unable to pinch any excess webbing, you’re good to go.

For both rear- and forward-facing child safety seats, use either the car’s seat belt or the lower anchors and for forward-facing, the top tether to lock the car seat in place. Don’t use both the lower anchors and seat belt at the same time. They are equally safe- so pick the one that gives you the best fit.

If you are having even the slightest trouble, questions or concerns, certified child passenger safety technicians are able to help or even double check your work. Visit a certified technician to make sure your car seat is properly installed.

Now this one is a biggie:
Don't use a used car seat, and if you have no choice, know the car seat's history. Car seats are expensive yes, but if you don't have the funds for a new car seat check around. There are many programs that will give you a car seat for your child, and you can receive financial assistance in cases. Your hospital's maternity ward, your local fire station, or your local health/family department would be likely to have information to help you along. Make sure to check into them.
If a car seat has been in a car accident it's no longer safe to use. We don't always see the effects that an impact can have on the workings of a car seat. It's best to buy a used one so your child is receiving the maximum protection. Just like if you are in a wreck and your airbags deploy you can't just stuff them back in there. You have to have new ones installed. Be safe and again check around, there are many options available.

Hopefully you've taken something valuable away from this. Just remember when it comes to your kids pride is not an option. If your unsure of something ask someone. And even if you think your sure about something and you've had five kids so your experienced, ask anyway. It won't hurt. Things change all the time, we find new things out everyday. New light is shed constantly on keeping our children safe so you can do your part by keeping up to date with it. Be safe.