PC4DC Community Forum

Stuff

tyko — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:30:20 +0000

Unconditional Love, When Needed Most

tyko — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 07:17:55 +0000

“Even though your kids will consistently do the exact opposite of what you’re telling them to do, you have to keep loving them just as much.”
Bill Cosby

Humpty Dumpty Decline

tyko — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:38:22 +0000

RIP Soupy

tyko — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 04:22:40 +0000

When I was a kid, there was the terrific Soupy Sales… “Soupy Sez,” was our Voltaire.

The man revolutionized children’s programing, appealing to kids and adults, alike.

“Be True To Your Teeth…

tyko — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 07:11:26 +0000

… and they won’t be false to you,” once quipped the late Milton Supman… and it’s never too early to start.

BASIC CHILD DENTAL CARE INFORMATION
FACTSHEET FOR DAY CARE PROVIDERS AND PARENTS CARING FOR AN INFANT’S TEETH

Even though newborns and infants do not have teeth, it is important to take care of their mouth and gums. Follow these tips:

Use a damp washcloth to wipe your infant’s gums after each meal.

DO NOT put your infant or young child to bed with a bottle of milk, juice, or sugar water. Use only water for bedtime bottles.

Begin using a soft toothbrush instead of a washcloth to clean your child’s teeth as soon as his first tooth shows (usually between 5-8 months of age).

Ask your pediatrician if your infant needs fluoride added to his diet.

THE FIRST TRIP TO THE DENTIST

Your child’s first visit to the dentist should be between the time the first tooth appears (5-8 months) and the time when all the primary teeth are visible (before 2 1/2 years).

Many dentists recommend a “trial” visit to expose the child to the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of the office before the actual examination.

Children who are accustomed to having their gums wiped and teeth brushed every day will be more comfortable going to the dentist.

CARING FOR A CHILD’S TEETH

The child’s teeth and gums should be brushed at least twice each day and especially before bed.

Take your child to a dentist every 6 months. Let the dentist know if your child thumb sucks or breathes through the mouth.

Teach your child how to play safe and what to do if a tooth is broken or knocked out.

When your child gets permanent teeth, he or she should begin flossing each evening before bed.

When the child reaches the teens, braces or extractions may be needed to prevent long-term problems.

If your child loses an adult (permanent) tooth during a fall or other injury, if you act quickly, you can often save the tooth.

Teach children to brush twice a day.

_{Source: National Institutes of Health}

Shoestring Budget

tyko — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 17:07:18 +0000

Child Care Providers Licensing Game

tyko — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:14:34 +0000

1. Orientation
2. Start
3. Send in applicatio
4. Call licenser because of no response to application
5. Application lost, return to START.
6. While crawling arouend measuring floor space, your back gives out, lose 1 turn.
7. First home visit
8. Your kids act up in front of licenser, GO BACK 1
9. Licensor finds beer in your fridge-offer her one
10. Your fridge temp is 43. Licenser makes you buy new one
11. Extra paperwork, LOSE 1 TURN
12. Argue with licensor over where to put dieffenbachia
13. READ RULE. Remain here till you understand it
14. Find thermometer licensor left in fridge, GO FORWARD 1
15. Working on your policy, LOSE A WEEKEND (and sleep)
16. Counting your toys and equipment, LOSE 1 TURN
17. You try to fit a bright red fire extinguisher into your pastel blue kitchen
18. Your daughter refuses to give up her pet chicken. Apply for variance, WAIT 2 TURNS
19. You remove your double-key deadbolt lock, next day a burglar steals your computer.
20. A reference letter got lost, GO BACK 1
21. Visit 11 stores trying to find a 2 3/8″ diameter sphere to check your crib.
22. Your husband objects when you practice unlocking the bathroom door while he is showering.
23. Wait for fire inspection. LOSE 2 TURNS
24. Police confuse your name with that of public enemy #1 SPEND WEEKEND WITH FBI
25. Learn from police report your husband has a hidden past. File for divorce.
26. Licenser objects to your substituting maple syrup for Ipecac syrup.
27. Second home visit.
28. Fire Marshal come. YOU PASS! GO FORWARD 2 spaces
29. Spring thaw. Licensor finds ditch drain in back yard. Requires fence. LOSE 1 TURN
30. Licensor says it won’t be long now.
31. Computer rejects your name, GO BACK 2
32. First run-in with unreasonable parent, Cry all night
33. You don’t understand how may children you may have LOSE 1 TURN
34. You spot your licenser in Target during working hours. GO FORWARD 3 AND TAKE ANOTHER TURN
35. License comes, is incorrect, GO BACK 2
36. Take eight children to the park, come back with 7 PANIC
37. Parents pay bonus for potty training! FAINT
38. Receive letter from licensor saying you’re recommended for licensure. GO FORWARD 1
39. Receive 1st Food program check. CELEBRATE
40. Drop-in complaint. If you have too many children, GO BACK 1, if not GO FORWARD 2
41. Call licenser with problem. Not at desk, will call you back.
42. Ditto
43. Ditto
44. Licenser calls back, by now problem has solved itself
45. Tax laws change, You are paralyzed with shock. LOSE 2 TURNS
46. Drop in visit. If your hair is in curlers, GO BACK 1, if not GO FORWARD 1
47. Your child shoots licensor with water gun. Pretend not to notice.
48. Re-licensing due! No training, GO BACK 1
49. Boring training session, fall asleep. LOSE 1 TURN
50. Neighbor calls you a babysitter. Punch him in the nose.
51. Re-licensing. RETURN TO START!

Two Vehicle Family

tyko — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 07:32:43 +0000

PC4DC/Forum In The News

tyko — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 22:23:12 +0000

Seniors Sought To Read To kids At Day Care Centers

By Rin Kelly
Correspondent

Posted: 06/11/2010 12:00:00 AM PDT

Updated: 06/17/2010 01:27:33 PM PDT

For the first five years of his son’s life, Ralph Zig Tyko was a stay-at-home dad. It was a fulfilling experience he couldn’t help reflecting on once his child had grown.

“It was the best gig I ever had,” explained Tyko, the founder of People Care 4 Day Care, or PC4DC. A nonprofit seeking to offer support for a variety of child care initiatives as well as financial help for program development, the organization grew out of Tyko’s view that attention and support in a child’s early years are crucial to successful socialization and self-worth.

“And because I was experiencing empty-nest syndrome,” he said.

Emphasizing the importance of investing time over money, Tyko and PC4DC are working on a senior-citizen volunteer program that will encourage seniors to read to children at local day care centers. “Senior citizens have a lot of time,” said Tyko. “I’m a senior citizen; I know that.” In exchange for seniors volunteering five hours per week to read, PC4DC will pay for the necessary government background checks.

Books and reading are an important part of Tyko’s work. With a book drop set up at hair salon Shear Delight & More, PC4DC has been collecting reading material for use in the senior reading program. Proceeds from a fundraiser to be held at Mel’s Bowl after the Alameda Mayor’s Fourth of July Parade — $25 for two lanes of bowling, free food and free shoe rental — will go to ensuring that each licensed child care provider in California has a copy of The Little Engine That Could.

With the help of Rocky Laber, a website developer who volunteered his time to Tyko, PC4DC has launched a community forum. Co-hosted by psychologist Shendl Tuchman, the forum seeks to bring together parents, day care providers and experts such as Tuchman herself.

“It will be a resource for parents who are trying to figure out some of the things about parenting that are not so slam-dunk common sense,” said Tuchman of the forum. She has already written three articles for the forum: two on choosing a child-care center and one on spanking, an issue she says is a good example of the kind of subject that leaves parents looking for answers.

“The issue of spanking in particular was one I started with because there’s such a broad range of ideas of what’s appropriate and what isn’t appropriate, culturally as well as from individual to individual. And that there is psychological research on it that grows across and kind of debunks a lot of what we’ve grown up with. With things like that, parents aren’t sure what’s the right thing to do.”

The PC4DC website also features a section for child care news, book recommendations and even information about starting a child-care center — plus a page for donating cars through Tyko’s charitable vehicle donation program, Klassics 4 Kids.

[Heres a link]

Groucho Laments

tyko — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 05:01:39 +0000

“My mother loved children–she would have given anything if I had been one.”

Groucho Marks