Halloween fears: Is your toddler afraid of people wearing masks?

Here's what the ZERO TO THREE National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families suggests you can do to make Halloween a little less spooky for your child:http://www.zerotothree.org/child-development/

• Provide some (non-frightening) masks for your child to play with in the weeks before Halloween. Having your child peek through the eye-holes, and seeing you do the same, will help to de-sensitize him before the 31st rolls around.
• Trick-or-treat during the daytime—or skip it altogether. Many organizations—preschools, malls, churches or synagogues—have Halloween programs that don’t require going out at night.
• If you do go out, avoid those houses with the dry-ice fog! Some families really get into the Halloween holiday (which is great), but these are the houses to skip on your Halloween route. Your little goblin doesn’t need to have the armless hand give him candy or be startled by the stuffed witch that cackles on a motion detector. Stick to houses you know, so your child will be greeted by friendly faces at the door. Walk up and ring the bell with your little one, and crouch down next to her in case she feels unsure.
• How to handle trick-or-treaters at your door? One answer is to let someone else have the door-answering honors while you and your child play in another room. But if you want your child to participate in handing out candy, first take a peek outside to see whether your visitors are more Casper or Poltergeist. If they’re scary-ish, you may want to hand off your toddler to another adult, and do a solo Snickers distribution this time. If your trick-or-treaters appear to be friendly ghosts, get down at your child’s level and open the door slowly. As you do, tell your child what costumes he will see. If you know the kids, you can ask them to take their masks off so your toddler recognizes who they are “underneath.”

With you there to help and support him, your child will make it through Halloween night—especially once he realizes just what’s in those goody bags he keeps getting at every house.

Your home could be full of potential hazards!

Unhealthy housing is linked to unhealthy children. Learn about lead and other hazards, and learn the warning signs and steps to create a healthy, safe, energy efficient and sustainable home at http://www.greenandhealthyhomes.org/

Single Parent Conference

Survive and Thrive Conference

October 13, 2012
To register, contact pam@eSingleParent.org

Got childcare?

Caring About Childcare provides a free online search tool for quality childcare in Utah: http://careaboutchildcare.utah.gov/ The site also has valuable links for everyone who cares about Childcare, Child Development, Early Childhood Education, School Readiness, Nutrition and many more resources.

 

Tummy Time

Did you know that babies who skip "tummy time" will experience delays in crawling, walking, and possibly even eating and talking? Tummy time is essential to your baby's optimal physical development.
Pathways.org video: Five Essential Tummy Time Moves

Everyday ways to support your baby's early learning

Your baby is learning—about you, himself, and the world around him—from the moment he

enters the world. This chart gives you some ideas of the many ways you can support

your child’s early learning through your everyday activities: http://main.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/early_learning_handout.pdf?docID=3081&AddInterest=1153&JServSessionIda004=welitvh8r1.app213c

Low-cost dental cleaning and exam

Fortis College Dental Hygiene Clinic provides a dental exam, x-rays, and a cleaning for just $20. They see any age of patient and will treat special needs clients also. Call for an appointment:

Fortis College Dental Hygiene Clinic
3949 S. 700 E. Second Floor
801-713-4200

Need health insurance?

PCN Primary Care Network
Open Enrollment
for all adults March 19-30!
Finally, a Low Cost Health Plan for Uninsured Adults.
PCN covers services for uninsured adults
such as:
• Visits to a primary care provider
• Four prescriptions per month
• Dental exams, cleanings, fillings,
routine x-rays, tooth extractions
• Immunizations
• Routine lab services and x-rays
• Limited coverage of emergency room visits
• Emergency medical transportation
• Birth control methods
Depending on your income, you will pay an
enrollment fee of up to $50 a year.
Apply online or call for an application:
1-888-222-2542
www.health.utah.gov/pcn

No regrets! Single Parent Workshops

Sng-eParent.org
e-ucation. information. resources.
eSingleParent (education.information.resources) is a non-profit committed to improving
the lives of single parents in Utah by assisting them to develop long-term self-reliance
through networking, education or training, and personal and career development.
Free for Single Parents. Regret not completing higher education or learning a skilled trade?
Choose from several of our Workshop Series :
More info email Pam@eSingleParent.org
Visit us at www.eSingleParent.org Register online at eSingleParent.eventbrite.com
GED / High School Completion
Diploma (HSCD) Workshop
Tuesday, February 7
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Columbia College
5250 Commerce Drive
Suite 300
Murray
No Regrets! Workshop
Tuesday, February 21
5:30 - 8:30 pm
Columbia College
5250 Commerce Drive
Suite 300
Murray
Financial Aid Workshop
Tuesday, February 28
5:30 - 7:30 pm
Columbia College
5250 Commerce Drive
Suite 300
Murray
Scholarship Workshop
Tuesday, March 6
5:30 - 7:30 pm
Columbia College
5250 Commerce Drive
Suite 300
Murray

Health Hotline

Do you have food poisoning? Concerned about secondhand smoke in your apartment building? Let us know! We (the Salt Lake Valley Health Department) rely on YOU to tell us about the public health concerns in your community, from noise and meth lab complaints to restaurant and swimming pool violations. Fill us in about those issues and dozens more at our new Public Reporting Line, 385-468-8888, or file a report online at http://www.slvhealth.org/html/reportA.html

After all, we can't do anything about a problem we don't know about!

Community Car Seat Classes

Get Your Seat Checked Today!

7 our of 10 kids in child safety seats are not properly buckled in. Is your child restrained properly in your car? Have your child's safety seat inspected for free!
Salt Lake County Safe Kids Community Car Seat Classes are offered at 788 E. Woodoak Lane (5380 S) and several other locations on two Fridays per month from 1 - 3 pm. Call to register:385-468-3877, 385-468-3878 or 385-468-3879. Bike helmets are available for $7.

Find Your Unclaimed Property

Utah Unclaimed Property is a free search that helps citizens find personal assets that are lost, abandoned, or when an owner cannot be located.

What is Unclaimed Property?

Each year, millions of dollars in bank accounts, stock certificates, checks, insurance checks, bonds and dividends are turned over to the State of Utah because the owners cannot be located. Some of this money could belong to you!
It may take only a couple minutes of your time to see if you or a family member is listed. It's easy, it's free and it's yours.

Search for free at mine.utah.gov

Free GED workshop for single parents

Free for Single Parents. Regret not completing higher education or learning a skilled trade? Join us for our GED Workshop, which is part of : NO REGRETS! WORKSHOP SERIES
GED / HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION WORKSHOP
LEARN HOW TO:
• Complete a GED or HSCD
• Prepare for the test & learn the cost
• Locate your local Testing Center
• Arrange to take the GED
• How to successfully balance school, home, work
Thursday, January 12, 2012 ~ 6:00 - 8:00 pm
YMCA Community Family Center
4223 South Atherton Drive
Taylorsville
More info email Pam@eSingleParent.org
Visit us at www.eSingleParent.org Register online at eSingleParent.eventbrite.com