Finger Prints is a newsletter about little hands and those who care for them. To download a copy click here: Finger Prints. Feel free to share with others!
Child Care Provider Conference – March 26, 2011
Texas AgriLife Extension Service – Dallas County is offering a low-cost child care provider conference that provides an interactive, hands-on learning environment. Topics are “Enjoy Baby Signs: Talk to Your Kids Before They Can Talk” and “Dinner Time Dilemma: Encourage Healthy Eating in Children.”
This conference is on Saturday, March 26, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at 10056 Marsh Lane, Suite B-101, Dallas, TX 75229 (Dallas County Government Center).
Participants who attend the entire conference will earn three (3) clock hours of continuing education. Registration fee is $10 per person due by March 23.
Download registration form here: Child Care Provider Conference flyer
For questions regarding the Child Care Provider Conference contact Wenhsing Cheng at 214-904-3050 or wcheng@ag.tamu.edu.
Family Issues Summit – March 24, 2011
Texas AgriLife Extension Service is hosting a Family Issues Summit on Thursday, March 24, 2011, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., at the Southlake Sub-Courthouse.
Conference theme is “Focusing on Volunteerism” featuring keynote speakers, Dr. Anna Love, Founder of Love to Live Well, and Judy Ketchum, Director of Tarrant County Resource Connection. This conference also provides subject matter training on financial literacy and health and wellness.
All attendees will earn five (5) clock hours at the completion of the conference. Registration fee is $15 due by March 10.
Download registration form here: 2011 Family Issues Summit Brochure
MoneyTips on Twitter
The Texas AgriLife Extension Service Family Resource Management team is now on Twitter! Follow them at moneytips4texas to get the most current, up-to-date information on personal and family financial management.
Dinner Tonight!
If you need a quick and easy recipe to incorporate into this week’s menu, go to the Dinner Tonight! website at http://healthyliving.tamu.edu to seek a quick video demonstration of Red Pepper and Parmesan Tilapia.
Also, don’t forget to check out the Dinner Tonight! facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dinner-Tonight/166292650049036?v=wall
We hope you enjoy Dinner Tonight!
Avoid Decorating Dangers
In addition to food, family, and gifts, decorations are one of the highlights of the holiday season. While candles, Christmas trees, and other decorations are part of the holiday spirit, they can pose fire and poisoning hazards, especially to curious children.
The holidays are a time for spending with family and friends, not for rushing to the emergency room. Once all of your decorations are up, keep a close eye on both children and the decorations themselves.
Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season.
Follow some simple safety tips to protect your family and your home.
If you decorate a tree, avoid these top decorating mistakes:
- Decorate with children in mind. Do not put ornaments that have small parts or metal hooks, or look like food or candy, on the lower branches where small children can reach them.
- Trim protruding branches at or below a child’s eye level, and keep lights out of reach.
- Natural trees always involve some risk of fire. To minimize the risk, get a fresh tree and keep it watered at all times. Do not put the tree within three feet of a fireplace, space heater, radiator or heat vent.
- Never leave a lit tree or other decorative lighting display unattended.
- Inspect lights for exposed or frayed wires, loose connections and broken sockets.
- Do not overload extension cords or outlets and do not run an electrical cord under a rug.
- Do not burn tree branches, treated wood or wrapping paper in a home fireplace.
Top tips to prevent poisoning this holiday season:
- Keep alcohol, including baking extracts, out of reach and do not leave alcoholic drinks unattended.
- Color additives used in fireplace fires are a toxic product and should be stored out of reach.
- Artificial snow can be harmful if inhaled, so use it in a well-vented space.
- Mistletoe berries, Holly Berry and Jerusalem Cherry can be poisonous. If they are used in decorating, make sure children and pets cannot reach it.
- In a poison emergency, call the national Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222.
Source: Safe Kids USA, http://www.safekids.org/
Dinner Tonight!
Are you wondering what’s for dinner tonight? Check out the Dinner Tonight! website at http://healthyliving.tamu.edu/ for weekly updates of new entree recipes plus the side dishes, appetizers, and healthy dessert recipes. You can also subscribe to receive email updates of new videos and recipes.
Dinner Tonight! is your source for quick, healthy, economical recipes–meals you can make tonight!
With Dinner Tonight! recipes, you can easily prepare meals at home, saving money, improving nutritional value, and controlling food safety, compared to fast food or restaurant meals.
Dinner Tonight! recipes are developed, tested, and presented by Extension experts and educators specializing in food and nutrition.
Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dinner-Tonight/166292650049036
2011 Master Wellness Volunteer Training
The Master Wellness Volunteer initiative is a Texas AgriLife Extension Service program that will provide volunteers with 40 hours of training in health and nutrition education. In return, the volunteers agree to give back 40 hours of service.
The volunteer opportunities are diverse – giving presentations for local community groups, assisting with nutrition and health related programs, distributing information at health fairs, and much more. Previous health or wellness training is not required, but an interest in living healthfully and helping others do the same is.
Dallas County will conduct a 5-day training on February 3, 10, 17, 25 and March 3, 2011, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. each day.
For more information, review the brochure here:
2011 Master Wellness Volunteer Training
To register, download the application form here:
2011 Master Wellness Volunteer Application
For questions regarding the Dallas County Master Wellness Volunteer Program, contact Wenhsing Cheng at 214-904-3050 or wcheng@ag.tamu.edu.
Fire Prevention Week: Oct. 3 – Oct. 9
According to Safe Kids USA, on average 436 children die in home fires every year. Working smoke alarms are an essential piece of safety equipment which should be in every home. Here are some tips for proper use of smoke alarms and how to keep your family safe from fire.
- Put a smoke alarm on every level of your home, outside each sleeping area, and in every bedroom.
- Smoke alarms can be battery-operated or electrically hardwired in your home and are available at a variety of price points.
- If you have hearing problems, use alarms with flashing storbe lights and vibration.
- Test smoke alarms every month. Replace batteries once a year, even if alarms are hardwired.
- Test your smoke alarms at night to see if your child will wake up and respond to the alarm. Children sleep more deeply and may not wake up. If your child does not wake up to the alarm, try an alarm where you can program your voice to alert him or her.
- Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings since smoke rises. Ceiling-mounted alarms should be installed at least 4 inches away fro the nearest wall. Wall-mounted alarms should be installed 4 to 12 inches away from the ceiling.
- Replace all smoke alarms every 10 years.
- Consider installing both ionization alarms, which are better at sensing flaming fires, and photoelectric alarms, which are better at sensing slow, smoky fires, or dual sensor alarms.
Source: Safe Kids USA http://www.safekids.org/
Child Care Provider Conference, October 9, 2010
According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, new rules on environmental health practices for child care providers went into effect on September 1, 2010.
Texas AgriLife Extension Service – Dallas County is offering a low cost conference that will address the requirements for ensuring a healthy environment and managing pest and pesticides at child care facilities.
This conference will be on Saturday, October 9, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Conference location is at 10056 Marsh Lane, Suite B-101, Dallas, TX 75229 (Dallas County Government Center).
Participants who attend the entire conference will earn three (3) clock hours for professional development. Registration fee is $10 per person due by Wednesday, October 6, 2010. Registration form is available for download below.
For questions regarding the Child Care Provider Conference contact Wenhsing Cheng at 214-904-3050 or wcheng@ag.tamu.edu.
Download registration form here,
Child Care Provider Conference flyer