9.27.2009

Puppies Behind Bars

Has your child ever asked you for a puppy? They are so cute and cuddly that we all can understand why a child would want one. Having a dog can bring so much fun and joy into our lives but they also require a lot of time and patience amongst other things. Kids usually do not think about or may not understand just how much work it takes to own a dog, which can be just one of the many reasons why a parent says 'no' when a child asks to get a puppy. But what if you want to say 'yes', but circumstances are such that you are not able to? Well...being a volunteer with the program Puppies Behind Bars, may just be a solution to your problem.

Puppies Behind Bars is an amazing program in which inmates in correctional facilities in the New York Tri State Area raise and train puppies. These puppies live in the cell with their raisers who are responsible for caring for and training them. The puppies then go out 2-3 weekends a month with volunteers referred to as "puppy sitters" who as the website describes:
"take the dogs into their homes in order to expose them to things they won't experience in prison. These can be as simple as hearing doorbells or the sounds of a coffee grinder, and as complex as learning how to ride in a car and walk down a crowded sidewalk."

The dogs are golden retrievers and labs whose ages range about 5 or 6 months to about 10 months old. The goal is to have them graduate and move on to further training as bomb sniffing dogs or service dogs. Since these dogs are on such a strict regime, they are house trained and are much better behaved than most puppies. They are not allowed to sit on furniture, eat 'human' food, or bark.

Since my roommate was a volunteer for this program, I was able to see first hand how the program works and enjoy spending time with the wonderful dogs. As someone who has never had a dog before, it was a great way not only to learn what it would be like to own a dog, but to get out of the house and do something different. I will admit it was hard at times to say goodbye, but it was fun being with so many different dogs of all sizes and personalities.

Here is how it works if you are a volunteer: You must commit for one year to the program. After a few days of training, the volunteers then begin taking the puppies for either an overnight stay once a month or 2 weekend days a month. You only need to take the dog for a few hours during the day. The program allows you to request specific dogs but there are times you may not be given that dog. The volunteer is responsible for picking up and dropping off the dog and the correctional facilities.

Depending on if you think your child would be able to deal with saying good-bye to the dogs after a few hours or even an overnight stay with them, this program is a great way to have all the excitement that comes with having a dog without having to own one, and at the same time your child will be learning things like responsibility for caring for another living being. And you all be giving back to an important program.

Learn more about the program by clicking here. Even if you don't think the program is for you, check out the site anyway and pass on the info.



9.18.2009

Important Information to leave for Babysitter

The weekend is finally here and you've called your babysitter and are looking forwards to a night out without the kids. Sure you have your cellphone with you in case the sitter needs to get in touch with you and you've written down some other information, but did you leave enough info for the person you have entrusted to care for your babies? Some things may be obvious to you but depending on the age of your sitter, these things may not be so obvious to them. And since most likely the person watching your children is on the younger side, the more information you give and have written down the better. Also, if there is any sort of emergency, you want to make sure your babysitter is fully equipped to answer any questions that may come her way because no matter how old you are, it's easy to forget information during a crisis. As you prepare for your sitter to arrive, here are some things to keep in mind...

Things to have written down in a place that is easy to find:

* Your address. Don't assume they know it. Even though your babysitter knows how to get to your house, and may know the name of the street, she may not remember the number of your house. Also, if there was an emergency, it's very easy to forget information like that.

*All current phone numbers: fire, police, doctor,family or friend's to call if you can't be reached or are far away, your cell phone numbers and home phone number.

*The children's information. Make sure your children's birthdays and ages are written down, as well as any known allergies they have. If there was a medical emergency with your child, one of the questions asked would be the age of the child.

*The number of where you will be. Just because you have a cellphone doesn't mean that your babysitter will be able to contact you. There are still many places with poor or no cell service. Leave the name and number of where you'll be so that the babysitter will be able to get through no matter what.

Tell the babysitter you are not expecting anyone and ask them not to open the door for anyone, even if it's the ConEd or UPS guy. Let them know it's ok to call you if there is a question about someone who has shown up at the house.

Things you should leave out (for day and/or night):

-Full bottles and enough of them. Or make sure to leave formula, empty bottles with tops and clear instructions out on the counter if it needs to be mixed.
-Snacks for the kids and sippy cups (if they are of that age).
-Diapers out or in an easily accessible place.
-Pajamas for each child, out on their beds so the babysitter knows whose is whose. If you are leaving your kids during the day, leave out at least 1 extra change of clothes, so the sitter doesn't have to bother with finding them.
-Some food for the babysitter. And have some designated food in the fridge/freezer that she can have as well. Be sure to explain what is ok to eat.
-Movies that your children like to watch and that they have permission to watch that day/night
-A list of t.v. channels your kids watch along with programs names. If possible, put the times of those programs too. If you have shows on the DVR, leave that list then.

When your babysitter arrives, if it's their first time, show them around the house, how to use the remotes and where everything they need is. If it's not the first time, you should still remind the sitter of some things, like to lock up after you leave and to call if there is any problem, etc.
Don't be afraid to ask the sitter to clean up after herself... and your child. Remind her to change your babies diaper before s/he sleeps...even if it is only a little bit dirty. It's helpful for younger babysitters to understand that you change a diaper often.

Once you leave, make sure you have fun and enjoy being out. Don't call every second. There is nothing wrong with calling once to see how things are going, but it is unnecessary to call over and over to 'check in'. Your babysitter knows to call if there is a problem, and you wouldn't have left such a precious package in their hands if you didn't think they could handle it, so go and enjoy yourself.

9.04.2009

Get Ready for Kindergarten

It's that time of year again. All the stores are having their back to school sales and that excitement of returning back to school is in the air. Well, for most people except for maybe the parents of the kids starting kindergarten. When your child is starting Kindergarten, it can be exciting, scary and a little sad all in one for both parents and kids. It is a big day which marks the beginning of your child's school days and a lot of new experiences.

"Are you going to be there with me"? a friend's child asks me. Honestly, I wish I could. I love Kindergarten! Although it's not what it used to be. I remember the days of half day Kindergarten classes which included free play, learning to read and write, eating a snack and... yea... well that's all I can remember but I also remember how much I enjoyed it. These days it's way more work. Even so, it's a very wonderful time...but how can you explain this to your skeptical 4 or 5 year old?

Some things you can do to keep you both from getting upset is, to talk about those first days. Be honest. Let your child know that s/he may be sad and miss home and want mommy or daddy, and it is ok and natural to feel that way. Tell your child you will miss them too and plan an exciting activity for them when they get home that they know about. Also, let them know what to expect during the day such as lunchtime, recess, gym, big classes, new people, following rules, etc. Sign up to be a parent volunteer or class mother/father so that you can see what is going on and your child will know that mommy or daddy will be coming to school.

Kindergarten is a right of passage so to speak into the education world your child is entering. Enjoy this time and help your child enjoy it too. Think about and look forwards to all the fun things they will be doing, school trips you can go on together, and artwork to put on the fridge. And remember... some can say that everything they needed to know in life, they learned in Kindergarten!