Sunday, July 10, 2016

Summer Cooling Options

Author: Christina, mother and Support Line volunteer

Wrapping up our series on how to survive the summer heat, here are a few more ideas to stay cool:

Reusable and inexpensive ice packs
You can purchase dish sponges from the Dollar Store if you don’t already have some on hand, place in a plastic bag, wet with water, and toss in the freezer. Not only are these “ice packs” reusable and cheaper than the hard plastic one’s from the store, but they make great boo-boo ice packs. Since they are soft they conform nicely to elbows, knees, and cheeks. Once it warms back up, return to the freezer for use later. These are also great in lunch boxes and you won’t be as upset if these get lost.

Frozen washcloths
These make great neck wraps and head cloths for a quick cool down. Give a frozen washcloth to a teething baby for a nice option to chew on. It will soothe baby’s gums and can be tossed in the washer.

Get out of town!
One great element of living in Colorado is there are mountains nearby. When it’s hot in the city, it is usually cooler at higher elevations. Take a day trip to a State or National Park. Not only are you getting to cooler lands, but this is a great opportunity to explore nature with the kids.


Check out Denver’s webpage. There is a whole section about FREE events going on!


For more great parenting tips, parenting resources, suggestions or support call the Families First Support Line at 1-877-695-7996 OR 1-866-527-3264 for Spanish-speaking parents. You can also e-mail SupportLine@FamiliesFirstColorado.org with questions or concerns. Comments provided by non-Families First individuals are not the opinion of Families First.

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Summer Heat Snack Ideas

From Christina, mother and Support Line volunteer

Continuing our series on keeping cool in the summer heat, here are a few ideas for snack-time when it's hot out!

• Instead of expensive popsicles, which seem to melt faster than they can be eaten, put grapes on a skewer and freeze. Even if you freeze the grapes without the skewer, they make an excellent kid friendly cold treat. Just be sure to not give grapes to babies as they pose a choking hazard.
• Freeze bananas! Peel the banana, push a popsicle stick in one end, and freeze them in a plastic bag. For added yumminess, melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips and dip the frozen banana in the chocolate. Return to the freezer until the chocolate is solid and enjoy some cold deliciousness.
• Jello! Kids love Jello! Why not make it extra special and make the jigglers. Follow the instructions in the box and then pour into fun molds, or pour into a baking dish and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter.
• Keep celery and carrots in the fridge for a cool snack. Add peanut butter and suddenly it is a filling and cooling snack for those 3PM munchies.


For more great parenting tips, parenting resources, suggestions or support call the Families First Support Line at 1-877-695-7996 OR 1-866-527-3264 for Spanish-speaking parents. You can also e-mail SupportLine@FamiliesFirstColorado.org with questions or concerns. Comments provided by non-Families First individuals are not the opinion of Families First.

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Keeping Kids Cool on These HOT Days!

Author: Christina, mother and Support Line volunteer

Kids are the best at letting us know they are miserable. Here are just a few ideas which might help you keep your cool when they complain about the heat.

Activities:

Did you know the Children’s Museum offers $1 admission for those who have SNAP? When you go to the desk to pay, present your Quest card and admission is a mere $1 per person.

• This is a perfect place to get the kids out of the house and into air-conditioning without breaking the bank.

• Pack a lunch, the restaurant is very expensive, and head over the museum.

• There is something to do at all age levels and the kids will be exhausted.

• Bring quarters for the lockers provided to store your lunch and change of clothes. The kids will get wet in the bubble room!

Get the kids outside!

• Head to the park and play! Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy some time together.

• Water balloons fights can be lots of fun! Have the kids separate into teams, let them chose a team color, and then add a drop the of food coloring to the balloon before filling with water. Put the kids in white shirts have them go crazy.

• Turn them loose in the yard with a sprinkler.

• Don’t have a sprinkler? No problem! You can make your own from a soda bottle. Use a screwdriver or other sharp device to punch holes in the bottle. Parents, you should do that part! Then tape the bottle to the garden hose with duct tape. Turn on the hose and instant sprinkler fun! Plus, you get the yard watered. I know mine is looking brown these days.

• Don’t have a yard the kids can play in? There are plenty of FREE splash pads and water fountains to play in around the city. Follow this link to find one near you.

Most importantly: REMEMBER THE SUNSCREEN! It only takes 15 minutes to get a sunburn. After a sunburn starts, sun poisoning is next, and you will soon have a very sick kiddo. Also, be sure to provide plenty of water. We don’t want our littles drying out while playing in the water!


For more great parenting tips, parenting resources, suggestions or support call the Families First Support Line at 1-877-695-7996 OR 1-866-527-3264 for Spanish-speaking parents. You can also e-mail SupportLine@FamiliesFirstColorado.org with questions or concerns. Comments provided by non-Families First individuals are not the opinion of Families First.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

How to Survive the Summer Heat at Home

Author: Christina, mother of a toddler & Support Line Volunteer

The first day of summer was on June 20th, however our hottest days are right around the corner. These tips are ways to help survive those hot days and ways to keep energy bills down.

1. Keep the shades closed during the day. Nothing makes a house hotter than having the summer sun coming in through the windows.

2. Raise the temperature on your thermostat. Running the AC all day might keep the house more comfortable, but the electricity bill will go through roof. Xcel Energy charges more per kilowatt hour after your usage goes above 500 kw. Set the AC to 85 during the day while away from home and 78 while home. This is still rather warm, but tank tops, shorts, and glasses of ice water help keep you cool.

3. Turn off all unnecessary appliances, lights, ceiling fans, anything which draws power. Ceiling fans help to cool you, not the air, so if you are not in the room, turn off the fan. Also, make sure you are unplugging chargers if not actively charging a device. Chargers continue to draw energy even if there is not a device attached.

4. Use the microwave instead of the oven. Nothing heats up a house faster than an oven and the microwave uses less power than the oven to cook the same type of food.

5. Freeze empty milk jugs to keep the fridge cool. Sometimes the power goes out because too many people are using energy and it overloads the grid. Instead of throwing away empty milk jugs, wash them out, fill them with water, and place in the freezer. Not only does this become a backup ice block for your cooler during camping trips and picnics (which can then be used as drinking water once thawed), but if the power goes out, those jugs of ice can help keep refrigerated items cool until the power comes back on.

6. If you or a family member has a medical condition which requires electricity, get a letter from your doctor and send it to the energy company and to the local fire department. If the power goes out due to a grid overload, the fire department will come and rescue those who need electricity for medical reasons. The power company will also send workers to areas where the power went out faster if there is a medical need in that area.

Now let’s say your energy bill has become more than you can afford. There are few things you can do if finances are tight.

1. Ask for help! Call the Families First Support Line at 303-695-7996 and the wonderful team members will help you find resources which may help you to make your payments.

2. Understand the law! The energy company has to send you a notice of shut off within a reasonable amount of time. They are not allowed to just turn off your electricity without notice. If there is someone in the home who has a medical need for electricity, such as using oxygen, keeping insulin cold, or an inability to handle extreme heat, or if there is a child in the home, the power company can grant you a one-time 90 day extension before turning off your power.


For more great parenting tips, parenting resources, suggestions or support call the Families First Support Line at 1-877-695-7996 OR 1-866-527-3264 for Spanish-speaking parents. You can also e-mail SupportLine@FamiliesFirstColorado.org with questions or concerns. Comments provided by non-Families First individuals are not the opinion of Families First.