Family
How to Choose the Best Summer Camp for Your Kids
(Family Features) Selecting the perfect summer camp for your child can be a pivotal experience, shaping memories for years to come. Offering unique opportunities for kids to experience independence, build lasting friendships and develop new skills in a fun and safe environment, camps can encourage them to step out of their comfort zones, try new activities and overcome challenges away from the comforts of home.
Because campers are immersed in a variety of programs, such as outdoor adventures, arts and crafts, sports, team-building exercises and more, they often return home more resilient, confident and with a sense of achievement.
Consider these tips to choose the right summer excursion for your child.
Understand Your Child’s Interests and Needs
Before you start looking for a summer camp, consider what activities your child enjoys, whether it’s sports, arts and crafts, science or outdoor adventures. Knowing his or her preferences can help narrow down the options.
Additionally, think about your child’s personality and social needs to ensure the camp experience is tailored to his or her unique disposition. If your child is more introverted, a smaller, more intimate camp setting may be beneficial. A larger camp environment may better suit outgoing children who are eager to make new friends.
Research Camp Options and Reputations
Look for camps that offer the activities your child enjoys and have a good reputation. Read reviews from other parents and, if possible, visit the camps to get a feel for the environment. Each camp provides unique strengths, ensuring there is one for every child to enjoy and benefit from.
Check if the camps have been in operation for a significant amount of time and whether they have experienced and qualified staff. A camp with a long-standing reputation and a history of positive feedback can provide added assurance of a quality experience for your child.
Evaluate Camp Safety and Accreditation
Safety should be a top priority when choosing a summer camp. Ensure the camp is accredited by a reputable organization, such as the American Camp Association, which sets high standards for health, safety and program quality.
Inquire about safety protocols, including staff-to-camper ratios, emergency procedures and staff training in first aid and CPR. It’s also important to ask about the camp’s policies on bullying and how they handle behavioral issues that may arise.
Consider Camp Location and Duration
Decide whether you prefer a camp close to home or if you’re comfortable with your child traveling to a different region. Proximity can be beneficial in case of emergencies or if your child experiences homesickness.
Additionally, think about the length of the camp session. Some camps offer one-week sessions while others might last for several weeks or just overnight. Consider your child’s readiness for being away from home for extended periods and choose a duration that aligns with your family’s schedule and his or her comfort level.
To find more parenting advice, visit eLivingtoday.com.
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eLivingtoday.com
Food and Beverage
Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers Prove Fun Isn’t Just for Pumpkins
These Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers give you a Halloween-themed, kid-approved way to put vegetables on the dinner table.
Recipes:
Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers Prove Fun Isn’t Just for Pumpkins
(Feature Impact) Jack-o’-lantern carving is a cherished fall tradition – but pumpkins aren’t the only vegetables you can decorate with fun, spooky or scary faces. These Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers give you a Halloween-themed, kid-approved way to put vegetables on the dinner table.
Filled with savory ground turkey, brown rice, melty cheese and warm, savory spices, these peppers taste as autumnal as they look. It’s simple to customize the filling to your family’s tastes, and you can even make the meal interactive by inviting kids to choose their own pepper colors and carve their own expressions.
Find more Halloween and seasonal recipes at Culinary.net.
Jack-o’-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 4 large orange bell peppers
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- cayenne pepper, to taste
- cups seasoned tomato sauce, warmed
- Preheat oven to 400 F and coat 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
- In skillet, brown ground turkey with minced garlic, onion, garlic powder and cumin until meat is cooked, 4-5 minutes.
- With small knife, cut eyes, nose and mouth into flattest side of each pepper to resemble jack-o’-lantern. Cut around seed pods and remove pepper tops, trimming and discarding any seeds from under stems then setting tops aside. Trim white membranes from inside each pepper and shake out seeds. Place peppers in prepared baking dish.
- In bowl, combine turkey mixture with cooked rice, cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper, to taste.
- Divide and stuff mixture into peppers; cover with reserved pepper tops.
- Wrap baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake until peppers are tender, about 45 minutes.
- Spoon about 3 tablespoons warm tomato sauce onto each plate; place stuffed peppers on top. Serve remaining sauce on side.
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home improvement
5 Simple Steps to Prepare Before Disaster Strikes
Disaster preparedness doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. It’s all about the small, simple steps you can take to protect yourself, your family and your community.
(Feature Impact) Disaster preparedness doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. It’s all about the small, simple steps you can take to protect yourself, your family and your community.
Yet, as severe weather becomes more frequent, many people aren’t prepared for the impact.
New research from United Way Worldwide and Verizon revealed that although 60% of U.S. adults are concerned a natural disaster could affect their household in the next year, only 15% would feel very prepared for one.
While many people understand the risks, they face real barriers to preparation. Cost remains the primary obstacle to disaster preparedness with 45% of those surveyed naming it as the top barrier. In addition to cost, lack of time (25%) and not knowing where to start (28%) prevented people from taking action.
That’s why preparedness should be practical and affordable.
For example, the United Way’s United We Prepare initiative, supported by Verizon, offers free disaster preparedness workshops, emergency kit distribution, information on local emergency services and practical guidance to help people plan and be ready to weather a storm.
When individuals and families are better prepared, communities are more resilient. Get started with these simple, zero-cost steps:
Identify Key Emergency Contacts
Choose a relative or friend outside of your immediate community who can act as a central check-in point or offer shelter during an emergency. Also, take a few moments to create updated digital and physical emergency contact lists with names, phone numbers and addresses of loved ones as well as service and healthcare providers.
Enable Local Alerts
Identify trusted local emergency services and news that can provide weather and emergency information. Turn on wireless emergency alerts in your phone settings, bookmark local news weather pages and save other important website links to ensure you’re in-the-know when disasters strike.
Build a Support System
Before severe weather, touch base with at least two neighbors or family members to identify what help they may need (or what assistance they can provide) and create a plan for checking in with each other in the event of an emergency.
Plan for Special Needs
It’s easiest to make clear-headed decisions before you’re stressed and rushing in the heat of the moment, so sit down and sketch out basic plans for special needs related to transportation, prescriptions, caregiving and pets before severe weather arrives. Decide where you would meet if separated, how to get there if transportation is disrupted, who would pick up children or take care of pets, what health needs or medications need to be considered and more.
Save Key Information and Documents Digitally
During a crisis, you likely won’t have time to search filing cabinets, desks and glove compartments for important documentation. Take photos or make digital copies of identification documents, insurance information, medical cards, prescription details, important household records and other key documents to access if you need to leave home quickly. For insurance purposes, it may also be helpful to take a video of your property and valuable belongings in your home in case they’re damaged or ruined.
The goal isn’t to do everything at once; it’s to start. An hour spent making connections, gathering information and talking through a plan today can make it easier to act when time matters most.
For more simple preparedness tips and resources, visit UnitedWePrepare.org.
Test Your Disaster Preparedness Knowledge
Take the quiz at UnitedWePrepare.org to test your knowledge on 10 disaster preparedness questions customized to your area, such as:
- What should you include in a winter emergency supply kit for your car?
- What is the difference between a Tornado Watch and Tornado Warning?
- When should you evacuate during a wildfire?
- Why is it important to prepare for disasters?
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (preparation supplies)
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child education
Preparing the Next Generation for Economic Mobility in an AI-Driven World
AI-Driven World: Within only a few years, AI has already changed many things about the world and workforce. Entry-level jobs, particularly the ones relying on routine and predictable tasks, are increasingly disappearing to automation, leaving young people wondering how to launch their careers and futures. To learn what preparing students for the future may look like in practice, consider these tips.
Preparing the Next Generation for Economic Mobility in an AI-Driven World
(Feature Impact) Within only a few years, AI has already changed many things about the world and workforce. Entry-level jobs, particularly the ones relying on routine and predictable tasks, are increasingly disappearing to automation, leaving young people wondering how to launch their careers and futures.
Access to economic mobility – the ability to change your income or wealth – doesn’t just rely on technical knowledge and skills but on leaning into humanity. Being able to think outside the box, collaborate, solve problems and grow as a person can open doors in life and at work. AI may be changing the world, but in change lies opportunity. The students who can adapt quickly are more likely to prosper as the economy continues to reshape itself.
To learn what preparing students for the future may look like in practice, consider these tips from the economic and career experts at Junior Achievement.
Build the Kinds of Skills AI Can’t Replace
Young people facing AI as their competition can get a boost from cultivating the uniquely human skills technology can’t replicate. Educators, parents and other adults in kids’ lives can help them develop increasingly important soft skills like critical thinking, communication, teamwork and leadership, which can translate to many different careers. Hands-on skills can fit into this category as well, like the kinds required in entrepreneurship and the trades.
Provide Real-World Experiences
When young people have the chance to test themselves in a real-world setting, it lets them hone their interests, skills and confidence before the time comes to make major decisions about their futures. As early as elementary school, experiential learning activities like Junior Achievement’s Biztown allow students to operate businesses, work with others, manage finances and solve problems, combining in-class learning with hands-on simulations. As kids grow up, other options can include job shadowing, internships and entrepreneurship experiments – all ways to build durable social and professional skills that can help them succeed.
Teach Foundational Financial Literacy
Earning money is only part of the equation for a healthy financial future; equally important is understanding how to manage it. As kids prepare to earn their first sources of income, make sure they’re also equipped with practical financial skills like budgeting, saving, investing, using credit wisely and planning for future goals. Giving them these tools early helps them make informed decisions about their long-term economic advancement.
Connect Students with Employers and Opportunities
Sometimes, all a student needs to succeed is someone who’s willing to give them a chance. Young people in a position to meet business professionals in (and beyond) their communities may be able to turn those connections into future opportunities. This can happen naturally as they seek real-world experiences through apprenticeships, mentorship programs, career fairs and more.
Programs like Junior Achievement’s 3DE puts students in authentic business challenges, connecting them with educators, business partners and volunteers as they work in teams to complete case experiences. This not only gives young people the opportunity to meet potential employers or mentors, it also lets them demonstrate critical thinking, social skills and real-world competence.
Visit jausa.ja.org for more ideas to help young people gain the confidence and connections needed to achieve economic mobility in a changing world.
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