Family
Safe Summer Fun
Longer days and lighter schedules make summer perfect for relaxing, having fun outdoors and spending time with loved ones.


(Family Features) Longer days and lighter schedules make summer perfect for relaxing, having fun outdoors and spending time with loved ones. However, more physical activity and time spent in the sun can also translate to increased health and safety risks.
As you and your family enjoy the warmth and sunshine while swimming, biking, grilling, playing on the playground and more this summer, remember these precautions from the experts at the American Heart Association.
Watch for Signs of Heat Stress
On hot summer days, be alert for signs of heat illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Even when it doesn’t seem extreme, heat and humidity can take a toll. Some signs of heat-related illness include muscle pain, cramps or spasms; heavy sweating; paleness; dizziness; headache; nausea or vomiting; confusion; fainting or unconsciousness; high body temperature (greater than 100 F) with dry skin; and rapid pulse. If you experience any of these symptoms, take a break, drink some water and find shade or air conditioning to cool off. If symptoms worsen or vomiting occurs, seek medical attention.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is important for optimal body functioning, especially during the hot and humid months. If you plan to spend a lot of time outdoors, frequently consuming water and foods with high water content – melons, lettuce and cucumbers, for example – can help replace the fluids lost via sweat. In addition, be aware of the signs and symptoms of mild dehydration, including a dry or sticky mouth; dry, cool skin; headache; or muscle cramps. More severe cases may include dry, shriveled skin; irritability or confusion; dizziness; rapid heartbeat; rapid breathing; fatigue; and unconsciousness.
Learn CPR
As summertime activities expose people of all ages to risks, it’s important to be trained in CPR – or cardiopulmonary resuscitation – an emergency lifesaving procedure that is performed when the heart stops beating. If performed immediately, it can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival, according to the American Heart Association. However, only about 40% of people who experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive help before professionals arrive.
Because about 74% of adult and 87.5% of child out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes, you will likely be trying to save the life of someone you love – a child, spouse, parent or friend – if called upon to perform CPR. Hands-Only CPR is recommended for members of the general public who see someone suddenly collapse. Call 9-1-1, or send someone to do so, then push hard and fast in the center of the person’s chest until medical assistance arrives. Use an AED, if available, following the prompts. Conventional CPR is the next step and involves chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing but should only be used by health care professionals and those trained to perform it correctly.
Protect Skin from the Sun
While it’s easy to get caught up enjoying activities outdoors, remember to take steps to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays. Limit your time in the sun, especially during the midday hours when the rays are strongest, and wear sunscreen to help reduce your risk of sunburn, skin cancer and the early onset of wrinkles. Experts recommend sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Wearing sunglasses, a hat and cool, long-sleeved clothing can further limit exposure when outdoors for long periods of time.
Play Safe
Each year, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children under the age of 14 for playground-related injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Choose age-appropriate parks and playgrounds for your children and keep precautions like these in mind: teach children to take turns as pushing or roughhousing can result in accidents or injuries, check metal slides before use to prevent burns, remind kids to be careful walking near moving swings and encourage them to go one at a time on slides that are clear of other children. Also be sure to use proper protective gear for other outdoor activities like biking or watersports and have a first-aid kit on-hand, complete with bandages, gauze pads, medical tape, antibiotic ointment, antiseptic wipes or spray and aspirin.
Swim Safely
Whether enjoying the pool, beach, lake or river, bodies of water can be dangerous if appropriate precautions aren’t taken. In fact, drowning is among the top five causes of unintentional injury death in the United States, according to the CDC. Avoid swimming alone, especially in natural bodies of water that aren’t clear and may present strong currents or underwater obstacles, and don’t overestimate your swimming ability. Designating an undistracted “water watcher,” wearing life jackets, ensuring someone in your group knows CPR and avoiding alcohol consumption are also safe practices to keep in mind while swimming.
Be Smart with Fire
Firing up the grill and lighting fireworks are often synonymous with summertime, but open flames pose safety hazards. Never leave a grill unattended, always grill outdoors and keep children and pets away from the grilling area. When it comes to fireworks, keep a safe distance once lit, don’t point fireworks toward anyone’s face or body, never allow young children to play with them, avoid relighting fireworks that do not function properly and keep a bucket of water or fire extinguisher nearby when lighting.
For more tips on CPR and first aid, visit cpr.heart.org or download the Knowledge Booster app.
Staying Safe in the Water
Spending time in or around water is one of the joys of summer, but it comes with some risks. Stay safe on and near water with these tips from the American Heart Association:
Learn to Swim – For children ages 1-14, drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes, according to the CDC. Basic swimming skills like floating and safely entering and exiting the water can help reduce the risk.
Learn CPR – Accidents can happen in or around water.In the event of a drowning, the American Heart Association recommends rescue breaths along with chest compressions.
Remember Life Jackets – Water wings, floaties and kickboards aren’t substitutes for a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
Secure the Pool – Install fencing with self-closing gates at least 4 feet tall to separate the pool from the house and yard.
Clear Out Pool Toys – Make sure children aren’t tempted to play unsupervised by removing toys from the water and storing them in a secure location.
Photos courtesy of Getty Images
SOURCE:
American Heart Association
Family
Most unmarried, low-income couples show positive co-parenting
Study shows how parenting teamwork helps child development
Newswise — COLUMBUS, Ohio – Despite the many challenges they face, slightly more than half of unmarried low-income couples with children have positive co-parenting relationships, a new study found.
And those supportive relationships were linked to their children showing more empathy, less emotional insecurity and fewer behavior problems.
Parents who are good co-parents work together as a team, provide support to each other and back up each other’s parenting decisions, said Susan Yoon, lead author of the study and associate professor of social work at The Ohio State University.
Those types of relationships may be particularly hard for the parents in this study, who may be more likely than others to be stressed by finances, racism, and lack of support.
“Our study specifically focused on racially and ethnically diverse unmarried couples with low incomes who are more likely to face a lot of parenting challenges,” Yoon said.
“But we found that 56% of these families had good co-parenting relationships which was linked to positive outcomes for their children. Our findings really highlight the strengths these families exhibit.”
The study was published online recently in the Journal of Marriage and Family.
Participants in the study were 4,266 unmarried couples and their preschool-aged children from eight cities across the country who participated in the Building Strong Families study.
Parents in the study completed measures of how much they worked with their partner as a team to raise their child, and their perception of the other parent as a supportive co-parent.
Children’s socioemotional development was measured by asking mothers a variety of questions about their child’s empathy toward other children, their emotional insecurity and their internalizing problems (such as how fearful they were) and externalizing problems (such as being overly active).
The results of the study showed couples fell into four categories based on the quality of co-parenting and how each member of the couple thought the other did as a co-parent.
The largest category, Profile 4 – 56% of the sample – included couples with high-quality co-parenting in which both the mothers and fathers thought the other parent was supportive.
“This is the category where the children had the best outcomes, and it is encouraging that this was the largest group in our study,” Yoon said.
Parents in the other categories showed that it wasn’t just the quality of co-parenting that was related to how well the children fared – it also mattered quite a bit how much parents agreed that their partner was supportive, according to Yoon.
Children fared the worst in Profile 2 – (25% of the sample) – in which co-parenting was of moderate-high quality, but fathers had more negative views of how the mother co-parented.
“These findings suggest that fathers’ dissatisfaction might be an important warning sign for children’s poor functioning, even though co-parenting seemed relatively good,” Yoon said.
Children didn’t do much better in Profile 3 (12%), where co-parenting was rated moderate, but mothers were much less happy than fathers were with the co-parenting relationship.
Parents in Profile 1 (7%) had low-quality co-parenting and mothers had more negative perceptions of the co-parenting relationship. Here children also did not fare well.
“Overall, we found that it isn’t just the quality of co-parenting that matters for children, it is also important to look at whether both the mother and father are satisfied with how things are going,” Yoon said.
“It is not good if there is a discrepancy between how mothers and fathers feel about the co-parenting relationship.”
These results show how important it is to include fathers in studies like this, given how their agreement or disagreement with mothers on co-parenting played a key role in child development.
Results also showed that when both parents had higher income and education, they were more likely to demonstrate high levels of supportive co-parenting.
“In order to strengthen families, we need to ensure that these low-income, unmarried parents have access to financial and material resources,” Yoon said. “That can help support the development of mutually satisfying, high-quality co-parenting relationships.”
Other co-authors, all from Ohio State, were Joyce Y. Lee, Junyeong Yang, Jingyi Wang, Yiran Zhang, Minjung Kim and Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan.
The study was funded by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Books and Novels
George Magazine Introduces Children’s Magazine: George Junior
HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS, USA /EINPresswire.com/ — GeorgeMagazine has recently launched their latest creation, a new children’s magazine focused on leadership, patriotism, and faith. The magazine is geared toward children ages 6 to 12 and features a thought-provoking theme each month. Its latest edition set to release today focuses on setting goals and creative ways to stick with them.




In this issue, readers can also look forward to:
1. Comic Book Style Stories: Read along as George Jr., his friend John, and his
sister Betsy, learn a lesson in setting goals, practicing, and staying patient.
2. Bible Stories: Each issue brings to life Bible stories, offering a kid-friendly
perspective on the teachings and morals found within these tales.
3. Branches of the Military: Children will learn the branches of the United
States Military and what each branch is responsible for.
4. Activities: Readers will learn how to create their very own snow globe as
well as how to make Garlic Toast Pizza.
5. Vocabulary: George Junior believes learning new words is important, and
each issue features a set of five words in the beginning of the magazine the
children will seek to find throughout the rest of the magazine.
6. Notable People: This issue features information about Nikola Tesla and the
inventions he created.
Parents can rest assured that George Junior magazine provides a safe and enriching environment for their children. The magazine’s focus is on providing quality content that is both educational and entertaining, allowing kids to explore the world around them while maintaining the innocence of childhood.
George Junior is available at georgejuniormagazine.com. Subscriptions are also available for added convenience and savings. The magazine is a monthly
subscription, allowing children to have something fun to look for in the mail.
With its dedication to fostering intellectual growth and character development, George Junior is the perfect gift for parents and grandparents looking to inspire children while keeping them engaged. Each issue is thoughtfully crafted to stimulate young minds and encourage them to dream, investigate, and thrive.
Visit us on social media:
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
TikTok
Source: GEORGE Magazine
holidays
WILSON’S ‘GIFT OF GAME’ CELEBRATES SPORT THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON
Wilson’s holiday giveback focuses on enabling access to play at the YMCA; Special event for NYC kids to feature surprise athlete appearances
NEW YORK /PRNewswire/ — With the holiday season upon us, Wilson Sporting Goods Co., the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance sports equipment, apparel and accessories, will be celebrating the “Gift of Game” by partnering with YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), the national resource office for the 2,500+ YMCAs across the country, to enable access to play for kids of all skill levels and backgrounds.


“At Wilson®, we believe the spirit of the holiday season is about so much more than just the traditional exchange of presents. That’s why we’re encouraging our global sport community to give the ‘Gift of Game’ this year,” said Amanda Lamb, Global Vice President of Brand at Wilson. “Shared experiences in sport offer a unique opportunity to build bonds, foster camaraderie and enable access to play in a way that is truly representative of the holiday season.”
Wilson and its global sport community will give the “Gift of Game” to YMCA kids across the country through a donate and match program online and in-stores from mid-November through the end of the year. Consumers will have the opportunity to add $1, $3 or $5 to their order at checkout to be donated to the Y. Wilson, in year three of its national partnership with Y-USA, will match up to $25,000 in customer donations.
Money raised through Wilson’s “Gift of Game” donation will benefit local YMCAs in 20 key markets around the U.S. Funding will be used to provide more Y scholarships, enabling access to play by subsidizing more membership and youth sports fees for under-served kids in 2024.
As a celebration of the “Gift of Game” campaign, Wilson will host a day of play with New York City kids at the La Central YMCA in the Bronx on Saturday, Dec. 2. Each attendee will receive a Y membership, have the chance to experience different sports throughout the event and leave with special holiday gifts from Wilson. The participating kids will also get to interact with athletes and special guests expected to make surprise-and-delight appearances.
For holiday shoppers looking to give the “Gift of Game,” Wilson offers an assortment of best-in-class equipment across a variety of sport categories, including basketball, football, tennis, pickleball, golf, baseball and more, as well as Wilson’s iconic sportswear collection, featuring technical apparel for both men and women. Follow along @Wilson and visit Wilson.com for more information.
About Wilson
Chicago, USA-based Wilson Sporting Goods Co., part of Amer Sports Group, is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. The Company brings more than a century of innovation, history and heritage across many sports including Racquet Sports, Baseball, Softball, Football, Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer and Golf. The brand also offers Wilson Sportswear inclusive of lifestyle and performance apparel for all to live like an athlete. Leveraging player insights to create products that push equipment and apparel innovation into new territories, Wilson empowers athletes at every level to perform at their best. Visit www.wilson.com for more information.
About the Y
Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide. Learn more at ymca.org.
SOURCE Wilson Sporting Goods
-
Community9 months ago
Diana Gregory Talks to us about Diana Gregory’s Outreach Services
-
Senior Pickleball Report10 months ago
ACE PICKLEBALL CLUB TO DEBUT THEIR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED INDOOR PICKLEBALL FRANCHISES IN THE US, IN EARLY 2023
-
Entertainment12 months ago
The Absolute Most Comfortable Pickleball Shoe I’ve Ever Worn!
-
Blog10 months ago
Unique Experiences at the CitizenM
-
Automotive9 months ago
2023 Nissan Sentra pricing starts at $19,950
-
Senior Pickleball Report10 months ago
“THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS OF PICKLEBALL” – VOTING OPEN
-
influencers9 months ago
Keeping Pickleball WEIRD, INEXPENSIVE and FUN? These GUYS are!
-
Blog11 months ago
Assistory Showing Support on Senior Assist Day