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Solo Mom Archives
Scroll down to read all, or click on ... (2007:) Asia Trips Over Holidays ... Summer Brain Drain ... Top Toys ... Hazardous Toys ... Winter Road Travel Tips ...(2006:) ... Halloween Planning Tips (To see CURRENT Solo Mom entries, please click here for Solo Mom Features) _____ Deluxe Family Trips to Asia at Holiday Break A family that takes a wildlife-spotting safari at night on aerial catwalks in the jungles of Borneo will create memories that last a lifetime. And no one knows how to create those moments better than Asia Transpacific Journeys, http://www.asiatranspacific.com. Info: http://www.asiatranspacific.com or call toll free, 800-642-2742. _____ Avoid Kid's Summer Brain Drain With long breaks, your children can slack off on mental proficiancy. Here are some fun ways to help them keep mentally fit: Academic Camps -- If your child is attending a camp, look for one that offers mental as well as phyical fitness. Writing -- Encourage your kids to keep a journal and read entries out loud. Math -- Help your child plan a grocery budget or budget for extras. Analysis -- Encourage solving puzzles, and games like checkers, Scrabble and chess. Kids can create their own games, and try to play along with them. Reading -- Read stories with your kids and use the library for suggestions and programs. Look at bookadventure.com to find personalized reading lists. Internet -- Seek enriching, motivating sites. Guide your kids as they surf. More info: www.educate.com/activities
Ask the following questions when you are choosing: What are my child's interests, abilities, frustration level?
from Parenting
The results are in from our kid and mom testers: Here are Parenting's top picks for children of all ages:  by Dave Ellis, CNNMoney
While shoppers will be eagerly snapping up toys for their children this holiday season, one consumer advocacy group is urging vigilance before parents spend a single dollar. Issuing their 21st annual "Trouble in Toyland" report , the Washington-based U.S. Public Interest Research Group warned that there are many toys out there that pose significant safety hazards to children. "While we can report substantial progress after more than two decades of advocacy on behalf of America's littlest consumers, U.S. PIRG's researchers still found trouble in toyland," U.S. PIRG Research Director Alison Cassady, the author of the report, said. Nearly 73,000 children under the age of five visited the emergency room for toy-related injuries in 2005, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and 20 children died from toy-related injuries last year. PIRG, which visited both toy stores and retailers to find toys carrying safety risks, focused on four specific toy dangers - choking, strangulation, dangerously loud toys and those that contain toxic chemicals. Choking on small parts, balls or balloons remains the biggest threat posed to children, according to PIRG, particularly from such toys as Wal-Mart's Kid Connection Mini Activity Cube.
Hasbro's Lincoln Logs Frontier Firehouse was another toy singled out by PIRG that could pose a choking hazard, while Little Tikes' Carry Along Musical Keyboard with Teaching Lights was considered a dangerously loud toy for children by PIRG. PIRG also warned of a number of toys that contain magnets, which could cause internal harm if swallowed by a child. "Swallowing a magnet is not like swallowing a penny," said Cassady. "Powerful magnets can wreak havoc inside the body." The consumer watchdog also said it discovered a number of toys, including cosmetics and jewelry, that contain harmful chemicals, including high concentrations of lead that can cause lead poisoning. While most toys were produced by private firms or imported into the U.S. from foreign countries, a number of the toys cited by PIRG were produced by large U.S. companies like Mattel. _____
 To prepare for winter trave, here are some helpful road trip safety tips to help get you solo moms to and from your family gatherings safely:
Check road conditions and weather report While the weather and roads look OK in your neighborhood that may not be the case 200 miles away at Grandma's house. So play it safe this year and check the Federal Highway Administration's Web site for up-to-the-minute traffic information, detours and road construction before you leave. You can also check the latest weather to find out conditions of the roads you will be traveling. Winter driving essentials
If you may encounter snow along the way, pack an emergency snow kit, which should include a snow scraper and brush, a flashlight, blankets, booster cables, a shovel, kitty litter, flares, emergency triangles and a first aid kit. Winter checkup The last thing you want to do as a solo parent is break down because you failed to have your car winterized. Have a certified mechanic check your oil level, tire pressure, windshield wipers, heater, defroster, antifreeze and brakes before you head out on icy and snowy roads. Don't forget your cell phone As a single mon, it's always a good idea to bring your cell phone and car charger with you. If you do not have a cell phone, consider purchasing a prepaid cell phone that you can add minutes to. In the event that you do need to use your cell phone, leave the calling to one of your passengers or pull off to the side of the road to make the call. Buckle up The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reminding all of us to play it safe this winter season and buckle up -- it's not only the law; it could help save your life. Proper restraints for children While everyone understands that infants and toddlers need to be in a child safety seat, many of us do not know that children under 4'9" must be in a booster seat.
Do you have the right insurance policies to protect your family's financial future? Compare rates and get advice on auto, health, life and home insurance. Review your auto insurance coverage When traveling, it is always a good idea to check your auto insurance policy to see what is and is not covered in your plan. _____ Halloween Planning Tips from evite.comGreat ideas for solo moms....
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