JKCP meets the needs of moms and teens alike with customized programs that inspire self-discovery, instill leadership, encourage creativity and provide an exciting environment for learning. Their variety of courses and activities allows students to follow their passions or try something new in the areas that interest them most all while having fun.

After a successful tennis career, competing professionally on the international tennis tour including Wimbledon and the Italian and French Opens, tennis mogul Julian Krinsky founded JKCP to help kids and teens refine tennis skills while enjoying an amazing summer experience.  35 years later, JKCP is a world leader in summer programs offering over 20 specialized experiences from sports and arts camps for middle school students to pre-college academic programs and summer internships for high school students.  Teens travel from all over the country (and world) to attend JKCP, with students from over 35 states and 40 countries in 2011.

“Teens love choice,” explains Krinsky.  “JKCP provides just that through rich educational experiences, world-class programs, inspiring teachers, networking opportunities and amazing summer experiences.”

Whether students are looking to fine tune their skills, try new things, or meet friends from around the world, JKCP has the program to meet their interests and needs.  Programs include, sports, fitness, art, architecture, science, technology, classical music, digital media, production, business, leadership, internships, pre-college and SAT prep, cooking, fashion design, dance, yoga, photography, Spanish, and much more.

“JKCP allows kids and parents to work together to design their perfect summer,” said Krinsky.  “We help students discover their capabilities and help them create their best self.  We focus on what students and parents need and create an environment of balance and happiness between the two.”

Because programs are held at prestigious private colleges in Philadelphia such as Villanova, UPenn, Haverford and the Curtis Institute of Music, students also get a sample of the college life experience – in the dorm, in the dining hall, on campus, and meeting new friends from around the world.  Tuition includes housing, meals, weekday trips, and activities.

JKCP is right in the heart of the east coast making seeing famous places and attractions an easy weekend trip.  Every Saturday JKCP offers a getaway to places like New York City, Washington, D.C., the New Jersey shore and more.   Fun activities around campus and around town are also a part of the experience in evenings and on weekends.

For more information visit www.jkcp.com .  For media inquiries please contact Jackie Copp, Pitch Public Relations, at Jackie@PitchPublicRelations.com or (480) 606-8180.

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Part One: Love yourself!

Rather than promising yourself that you will achieve all your (sometimes impossible) goals, instead resolve to forgive yourself for not always achieving them. This also includes teaching your child to forgive and love herself, because it will help her develop high self-esteem, a good body image and the ability to think optimistically. There are three steps to this process:

1.      Make a list of everything you appreciate and value about yourself (do this with your child too—helping him as necessary). Make the lists as long and detailed as possible.

2.      Make a list of everything you have achieved in the last year in every area of your life: parenting, other relationships, work, volunteering, feelings—and any other important arena in your life. Your child’s list should include achievements in areas such as school, social life, activities, family, emotions and any other you and she consider important.

3.      Resolve to continue focusing on these positive achievements and feel proud of yourself. You will find that the more you focus on the areas you like about yourself, the easier it will be to overcome obstacles and challenges. Help your child to do the same, now and for the rest of the year.

Part Two: Love others!

Teach yourself and your child to become forgiving of other people. This can sometimes be a challenge, but it is an important part of nurturing successful relationships for both adults and kids. There are three steps that will help you and your child begin to see other people in a positive light—despite their flaws.

1.      When you feel frustrated, angry or disappointed with someone, immediately look for a reason they may be behaving this way. In most cases, when people disappoint others it is because of a stress or disappointment in their own life. When you discover this, you will be able to turn your frustration into empathy. Teach your child to do the same. For example, if he feels let down by a friend, help him see that perhaps it is because the other child is sad about something else, or hasn’t yet learned how to be a good friend.

2.      Rather than harboring anger, talk to the person with whom you are upset. Use ‘I’ words, rather than the more accusatory, ‘You’. For example, rather than saying, “You disappointed me because you weren’t there for me”, you might say: ‘I feel upset because I feel you weren’t there for me during this stressful time—I’m wondering if you realize this?”. For the best result, practice what you will say beforehand. Help your child do this too by rehearsing the conversation with you before she approaches the other person.

3.      Let it go! Once you understand the other person’s behavior or voice your feelings about it, you need to move forward without anger and with forgiveness. Of course, there may be times when you (or your child) choose to let go of the relationship, but do so graciously, without malice or bitterness. Becoming a forgiving person will feel good and is also an important skill to help your child.

Dr. Susan Bartell is America’s #1 Family Psychologist. Her latest book is The Top 50 Questions That Kids Ask. You can learn more about her at www.drsusanbartell.com.

More SMW Parenting Advice from Dr. Susan Bartell

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Sometimes it is Okay to NOT Answer Your Child’s Question!

1.      Create a “Traveling Wine Bag.” If you’re giving a bottle of wine, package it in a plain reusable wine tote and include a Sharpie®. Write a message to the host, a wine review or a comment that then goes on to the next recipient of the bag.

2.      BYOB and we don’t mean beer. Every time you head off to the mall or to your favorite local stores, forego the great big shopping bags and bring your own reusable bags. Most retailers love this! You’ll be surprised how many people will support your eco-conscious endeavors. Just make sure to keep your receipts accessible.

3.      Convert just one. You likely have a holiday list a mile long and often times very specific.  Grandpa wants a new pair of slippers. Your bestie wants a new hat and scarf. But consider a “green” Christmas gift for those few people on your list where your options are open. It could be a BPA-free stainless steel water bottle, a set of reusable produce bags or an environmental book. Either way, take the opportunity to convert just one.

4.      Set a new eco-rule for the holidays. You’ll have the New Year to swear away all of your vices. As a family, create your own eco rule for the holiday season; the season that brings the most joy, but also the most waste. It could be as simple as not using plastic utensils at your holiday parties or using the paper from the shredder versus tissue paper in your gift bags and postal packages. Brainstorm with your family and see what ideas come up!

5.      Say thanks by educating and paying it forward. An ECOBAGS® customer purchased the reusable gift bags with the word “Celebrate” to thank her business colleagues for a banner year. She wrote a note telling them to use the bags to tote their work lunch or to pay it forward and use the bags to wrap a loved one’s gift.  You can show appreciation and send a message at the same time now that “re-gifting” is cool.

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Certain foods and additives have already been linked to ADHD, but it is equally important to be concerned about ADHD in relationship to pesticide residues on foods, as well as what is in foods.

A spring 2010 study at the University of Montreal showed that children with high levels of pesticides in their urine had nearly double the risk of being diagnosed with ADHD compared with children with no traceable levels of chemicals.

Malathion, a widely overused lawn, garden, and agricultural chemical was one of the main culprits. Our own National Academy of Sciences measured concentrations of malathion on fruit and vegetable samples in 2008, and found that 28% of frozen blueberry samples, 25% of fresh strawberry samples, and 19 % of celery samples here in the United States had detectable concentrations of malathion.

ADD/ADHD Prevention Tip #1

Keep away from chemicals! Buy organic as much as possible, and wash all produce (including organic) with a good fruit and vegetable wash. Just running a little water over it is not enough.

What about food additives and foods themselves? Another good study from Australia, done at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, classified dietary patterns of 1800 teenagers from an 18 year ongoing study into “healthy” and “Western” diets. The “healthy” pattern was high in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fish. The “Western” pattern was high in fast foods, processed meats, red meat, dairy, and sweets.

The 115 children from the study who were diagnosed with ADHD by age 14 were highly associated with the “Western” diet. This brings us to our second prevention tip:

ADD/ADHD Prevention Tip #2

Once again, Keep away from chemicals! Eat a diet high in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and organic meat, fish or chicken.

Avoid fast foods, processed meats (with their MSG, nitrites, nitrates and other chemical additives), red meat, non-organic dairy (with bovine growth hormone, antibiotic and pesticide content) and sweets (with chemically refined sugars, artificial flavorings and dyes.)

Bottom line is, make sure foods are free from chemicals!

• Pesticides,

• Additives (MSG, aspartame, “modified food starch”, “hydrolyzed vegetable proteins” “dough conditioners” “Mono and di-glycerides” etc.)

• Processing chemicals (nitrites, nitrates)

• Artificial flavors

• Food dyes (FD & C red, yellow, blue, etc.)

And, what you do eat is as important as what you don’t eat. You and your children need plenty of real food that contains the micronutrients that keep your brain on the right track: fresh fruits, vegetables, good fats, organic fish, chicken or meats, beans, and whole grains.

Dr. Howard combines Traditional Chinese Medicine–including traditional acupuncture, laser acupuncture and herbal medicine–family practice, environmental and preventive medicine, guided imagery, and sound-based therapies in her practice. She is a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, which she has been practicing since l982. An administrator, teacher and speaker as well as a clinician, she is Medical Director of Wellness Associates of Chicago.

Dr. Howard has a Master’s Degree from Harvard University in Chinese Language and Literature and an M.D. from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine. She was a board member for three years of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and was a board member for ten years of the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. Dr. Howard is the author of a Wellness CD series, Power of Suggestion, and is a teacher of Tibetan Yoga.

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Raising Children with Autism

“I know I’m not going to like my teacher—everyone says she’s the worst one…and none my friends are in my class!”

Most kids experience some anxiety as they begin a new school year — even high schoolers! Your child may express this anxiety as worry, pessimism, or even through negative behavior. For parents, it can sometimes be difficult to know how to manage this anxiety, but doing so effectively can make the transition to the new school year so much easier.

The good news is that, whether the anxiety is about school or anything else, when you teach your child to respond to it successfully, you can help her learn to manage her feelings, as well as inoculate her against future episodes of worry.

There are THREE simple steps you must teach your child in order to help her develop the emotional strength she requires to combat anxiety. In fact, if you are an anxious type, you might want to try these too, because they work as well for adults as they do for children (and then perhaps you will be less likely to role model an anxious response).

STEP #1: Anticipation doesn’t have to mean aggravation!

Teach your child that the worry one feels in advance about how scary or bad a situation will be, is almost always much, much greater than what it feels like once the experience actually begins. Explain that in fact in many cases the actual experience (like the first day of school) is usually a lot of fun, even though thinking about it in advance, might seem scary. Help your child to focus on the positive aspects of the upcoming event by making lists of what she is excited about, rather than thinking about her worries. The list may include new notebooks/lunch box/school clothes, more friends, being an older kid in school, or trying a new sport.

STEP #2: You can’t judge a book by someone else’s cover!

Tell your child that it is never possible to know what an experience will be like for one person, based on another person’s experience. For example, I have seen many children expect a teacher to be mean or boring simply because another student said she was, only to find out she is warm, caring and interesting. Teach your child to form his own opinion about people, rather than relying on other people’s judgments . This is a valuable life lesson that can be used in all situations.

STEP #3: Rehearse your worries away!

Children (and adults) worry about situations they believe they can’t control. You can help your child master his anxiety by imagining he is in the anxiety-producing situation and then encouraging him to role play how he would behave. For example, he can pretend it is the first day of school by getting dressed in school clothes, putting his backpack on and pretending to walk into the classroom with you as the teacher. Of course, you will greet him with a big smile and show him to his desk. You might also pretend you are a classmate he hasn’t met before and your child can practice greeting and getting to know you. Rehearsing like this will teach him that he has the ability to approach the first day of school with confidence, and you will both have a good laugh!

Dr. Susan Bartell is America’s #1 Family Psychologist. Her latest book is The Top 50 Questions That Kids Ask. You can learn more about her at www.drsusanbartell.com.

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To find the right preschool, plan ahead and make the time to do some research. The following suggestions will help you guide your preschool search and help you find a program that matches your child’s and your family’s needs.

When should I start?

If you can, give yourself a year to find the right preschool. Most children begin preschool at 3 or 4, though some preschools enroll kids as early as age 2 or 2 ½. Applications may be due as early as the December or January prior to the September your child will start. Check for tours or open houses. Ask about minimum age and cutoff dates, as well as potty training policies.

Figure out your priorities

Narrow down your search by understanding what you’re looking for in a program and focusing on your priorities. Preschools vary in many aspects, including their tuition, program lengths, philosophies, and student-teacher ratios. For instance, how close should the school be to your home? Do you need after-school care? How much are social skills emphasized compared to academics?

Cost

Preschool can be pricey, especially in larger cities. Focus on preschools in the range you can afford. Include all the costs, not just tuition, but registration fees, after-school care, meals, and so on.

Schedule

Some offer half-days or a few days as week, others are full-time, five days a week. If you work full-time, you may need a full-time program that goes year-round or offers a summer camp. If you’re looking for part-time, decide if you prefer mornings or afternoons—and keep in mind that if you don’t get your ideal schedule, it may be possible to switch the following year.

Distance and Transportation

If you’ll be driving, think about the length of the commute (especially during morning rush hour) and how easy it will be to find parking. Enrolling your child in a preschool close to your home can also make it easier for you to set up play-dates and get to know other families in the neighborhood, plus many of your child’s classmates may end up going to the same elementary school.

Educational Philosophy

What is the preschool’s philosophy? In the U.S., most preschools are play-based, where kids learn naturally through playing and get to choose their activities. Montessori schools foster independence and use special toys called manipulatives to teach specific concepts. Waldorf schools are known for their home-like environment and emphasis on creativity, while Reggio Emilia encourages exploration and discovery. Other preschools have an academic focus, teaching letters and numbers to kids as young as three or four. Some preschools focus on religious traditions or language immersion, and co-op preschools are run by the parents themselves.

Teachers

One of the most important aspects of choosing a preschool is the teacher. If possible, spend some time in the classroom. How does the teacher communicate with the kids? Is there an open line of communication with the parents, like chats during drop off and pick up, email or weekly newsletters? Ask the director how much turnover there is among teachers. If the teachers are happy, the parents and students most likely will be, too.

Teacher-student ratio

Each state determines the maximum number of children per teacher for different age groups. The National Association for the Education of Young Children guidelines call for 1:9 or lower for 2 ½ or 3 year olds (maximum class size = 18), and 1:10 or lower for 4 year olds (maximum class size = 20).

Research Preschools

A great way to find preschools in your area is to ask your friends, coworkers, and other parents you meet at the library or the playground. Ask where their children attend, what they like and don’t like about the program. Websites such as www.savvysource.com and www.greatschools.org also offer online directories of preschools, allow you to search preschools in your area, and read parent reviews.

It’s very important to visit every school you’re considering. Call to schedule a tour or a time to visit, ideally when class is in session. If it’s OK with the school, bring your child along to meet the teachers and see the classroom. Talk to the director, teachers, and other staff members. Ask about safety and security policies. Is the classroom well-lit, clean and cheerful? Can you picture your child enjoying this environment? Are the teachers kind and respectful? Do they seem to enjoy teaching?

Make your decision

Once you’ve done your research and made your visits, you can narrow down your choices. Consider how closely the preschool meets your criteria, and how hard it might be to get a spot. If your favorite preschool is in high demand, apply to several others so you’ll have options.

Preschool is a great way for your child to build the social and cognitive skills needed in kindergarten. To be sure your child has the best experience possible, take the time to do your research and choose the preschool that’s truly right for your child. If your child is comfortable and happy in preschool, that will lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning.

Jenifer Wana wrote How to Choose the Best Preschool for Your Child: The Ultimate Guide to Finding, Getting Into, and Preparing for Nursery School after going through the process of researching and applying to preschools for her son and doing a pro bono consulting project for GreatSchools, a nonprofit education organization that helps parents find and evaluate preschools and K–12 schools.

Purchase your copy online today at Amazon.com

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Wisconsin

Topping off the list is Kid Friendly Family Travel in Wisconsin. If you’re looking for a destination that has hiking, biking, camping, boating, sporting events, museums and amusement parks, look no further. Wisconsin has it all, including the largest indoor water park at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells, the Tall Ships Festival in Green Bay and some of the most beautiful campgrounds you will find anywhere.

New York City, NY

Do the big city lights call you? Then New York is your city this summer. You and your kids will never be bored in the city that never sleeps. Home to some of the world’s most famous museums; including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Children’s Museum, American Museum of Natural History and Hayden Planetarium, education, history and culture abound in NYC.

Take in a play, walk around Times Square, cruise Manhattan on the Circle Line, shop, or visit one of the many playgrounds in Central Park then top it off with an authentic family style dinner in Little Italy. This is our all-time favorite family destination.

Tip: See Manhattan in a whole new light. The Statue of Liberty is now open. Plan an afternoon and take the ferry to Liberty Island and climb to the top of the crown.

Montauk, NY

Moms, if you’re in Manhattan and have a yearning to be by the ocean, you can always hop on the Hampton Jitney or the Long Island Rail Road and head to the Hamptons. Summer home to the rich and famous, there are plenty of family friendly motels in Montauk that are walking distance to beautiful beaches. But don’t leave the island without visiting the lighthouse and having one of Montauk’s famous lobster rolls at Gosman’s Dock.

Alaska

If you and your kids are looking for adventure, consider an escape somewhere different and enjoy some of the most spectacular views in the world. Destination: Alaska. Mode of transportation: Boat. Cruising is the best way to see Alaska, which offers experiences on land and by sea. In addition to those breathtakingly beautiful icebergs, Alaska has wildlife, culture, sport fishing, Denali National Park, gold, that pipeline, and Mt. McKinley. There’s also plenty to keep the kids occupied. For example, when was the last time your kids were bored river rafting or sliding around on a glacier?

Head down the river on the Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler and visit Athabascan Indian village, where they train the Iditarod dogs. There is a petting area for caribou and new born Iditarod pups. After this adventure, you can end your day by taking a train to the El Dorado Gold Mine and pan for gold.

San Diego, CA

If you haven’t taken your kids to this popular Southern California destination, now’s the time. San Diego is designed for kids. Warm sunny days and cool ocean breezes at night make this one of the most popular family vacation spots in the country. The days will evaporate as you explore San Diego’s  historic missions, lounge on beautiful beaches, shop in downtown Coronado, walk on an aircraft carrier, learn to surf and eat some of the best seafood on the West Coast.

If amusement parks and zoos are on your agenda, no worries, San Diego is home to the famous San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld and LEGOLAND. Many of these attractions even have day camps where kids can go behind the scenes and participate in the care and feeding of the animals. Visit The San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau for information on hotels and family packages.

Grand Canyon, AZ

Here’s a great volunteer opportunity to make an already planned trip to the Grand Canyon even more meaningful.  Don’t just visit the Grand Canyon – be part of the drive that returns wolves to their natural habitat along the North and South rims of the canyon. The Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project is a grassroots, nonprofit group working to educate people and garner support to reintroduce the wolf into its natural habitat on both the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon, where it once thrived before being hunted to extinction. With this volunteer opportunity, you can visit the Grand Canyon and take an active part in preserving its future.

U.S. National Parks

If you want to break up the last days of summer with a quick trip, then consider one of these national parks. The U.S. National Park Service is hosting free park weekends at national parks nationwide, but many parks have free admission daily. Camping, fishing boating, biking, hiking and nature walks will give you and your family a taste of the great outdoors for next to nothing.

Staycation Ideas

Okay, so the budget doesn’t allow for an overnight trip this summer. But there are plenty of  things to do right in your own backyard. So, get your camera and act like a tourist and enjoy all your city has to offer. You’ll create memories that will last a lifetime for you and your family. Isn’t that what it’s all about?  Here are some ideas to get your started.

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Read this scenario provided by Ana Homayoun, Founder and Director of Green Ivy Educational Consulting. If you implement some of these techniques you just might see your child’s confidence increase as well as their grades.

Scenario: Last year, Jared began coming to our office because his mom was worried about how his disorganization was adversely affecting his grades. Jared was a likable seventh grader, but when we opened his backpack we found crumpled papers, dog-eared notebooks, binders with broken rings and half eaten pencils strewn about.

During our first session, we went through every single piece of paper and created organized binders (no easy feat!) and Jared seemed more confident about his ability to find everything. When we started to talk about his routine at home, however, things became a little more challenging and I started to see the full picture as to why he was struggling.

Jared’s parents were separated, and he was shuttling between two households. Just keeping track of textbooks, what computer each long-term paper was saved on, and where his soccer cleats were had become overwhelming, in addition to the emotions tied to the break-up of his parents. Each household had its own dynamic – and as a result Jared was unable to come up with his own routine to consistently complete his work and feel on top of things. When I consulted with both parents, we developed some strategies to help make the transition smoother:

- Discuss School Related Issues in the Parenting Plan. Most parenting plans don’t discuss the specifics of where, when and how kids will do their homework or what sorts of routines and management will be in each home. As a result, kids sometimes have to switch off between different routines, which can be jarring and overwhelming. If you have a parenting partner, discuss how you can each create similar structures within both households. For example, Sunday evenings can be the designated weekly re-group time, where kids can go through their backpack, clean out any old papers, hole-punch and file assignments as necessary, and update their planners. Even if their Sunday evenings are alternated between homes, kids can still have the routine if both parents cooperate – after all, it’s for the benefit of the kids.

- Allow Flexibility with Switch-offs Depending on the Needs of Your Child(ren). One of Jared’s biggest issues was that he never knew which night he was spending at which home because his parents were so in flux that they sometimes decided his evening plans the morning of – which wreaked havoc on his ability to have any semblance of control over his situation. I have had students who spend a week at each parent’s home, and then have others who alternate mid-week or on a nightly basis. For many kids, alternating on a nightly basis can add an element of overwhelming stress that few admit to their parents. When creating the switch-off routine, be mindful of your kids personal needs, and be flexible enough to understand when it may be helpful to them for changes to be made.

- Create a Routine Study Place and Schedule at Each Home. Each home should have a study space free of technological distractions, where kids can do their homework in a study hall scenario each evening. In Jared’s home, he was doing his homework at his mom’s dining room table, but his dad’s house didn’t have a set place and time for him to do his homework yet, so assignments were falling through the cracks. Once both parents had a set study space and time each evening he was at their homes, he was able to work within the support system that had been created, and always knew he had a time and place to do his work (note: many junior high and high school students need the support system put in place for them to develop the study habits). We also had Jared create a “school supplies” box for each home, where he put a hole-punch, reinforcements, binder paper and other necessities so he wasn’t wandering around or wasting time because he couldn’t find the right materials.

- Encourage your Children to E-mail Assignments to themselves so they have a back up. Flash drives get lost – and with kids sometime shuttling from place to place, having them email themselves the assignment can save the inevitable hassle of saving it on the wrong computer.

- Develop a Centralized Calendar. Between soccer games, trombone lessons, awards night and other kid-related challenges, scheduling can be near impossible. Using gmail calendar or another online calendar tool, both parents and children can maintain a centralized calendar – as long as it’s updated appropriately. For parents and kids who have put in the effort, the centralized calendar has helped kids feel more in control and less overwhelmed, especially if they know where they are spending the night and if there are any changes, where they can be found. A centralized calendar also helps parents stay on track when soccer games/times get switched and communication is tough between parents for a variety of reasons.

Once Jared was able to implement some simple changes in his life, he was able to feel more control of his schoolwork – and ultimately became more confident in his own abilities both inside and outside of the classroom.

Ana Homayoun is the Founder and Director of Green Ivy Educational Consulting, an educational consulting firm that encourages junior high and high school students to create their own framework for academic and personal success. Since 2001, Green Ivy has helped hundreds of students improve their GPAs, raise their standardized test scores, and set and attain remarkable goals. A graduate of Duke University, Homayoun also holds a Masters Degree in Counseling from the University of San Francisco. She lives in Northern California.

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So, now is the time to take stock of their medicine cabinet to make sure you are prepared for any little emergency. But before you run out and buy a new first aid kit or any items on this list, check and see if you have any of these items already. If you do, make sure the expiration dates are still valid.

1. Tylenol (acetaminophen), Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) – reduces fever and relieves minor aches and pains, including ear aches and muscle pains.

2. Antibiotic ointments  and hydrocortisone creams-  Neosporin should be a staple even in your medicine chest. It works wonders on scrapes and cuts and doesn’t sting. And an over the counter hydrocortisone cream will soothe and stop the itching from bug bites, rashes, sunburn and even poison ivy.

3. Benadryl (diphenhydramine) – with bee and allergy season just beginning, make sure you have a new bottle of Benadryl on hand. Also, if you are traveling to the ocean, bring a bottle with you. Spring and summer is also jelly fish season in many areas.

4. Pepto Bismol, chewable antacid and/or Emetrol - because stomach ailments can come in different forms, it’s best to have both an antacid and anti-nausea medicine in your medicine cabinet.

5. Tweezers – this tool has a myriad of uses for both you and your kids, including removing splinters and ticks.

6. Digital thermometer - doctors agree this is the most accurate way to monitor your child’s temperature. But if you are buying a new thermometer, make sure you also buy extra batteries. Any mom that has reached for her thermometer at 3 a.m. only to find the batteries were dead will forever keep a spare pack in the house.

7. Bandages - little ones, big ones, medium ones. Bandages come in all shapes and sizes and so do booboos. So keep a variety of bandages in your child’s medicine cabinet including water proof bandages, gauzy bandages and ace bandages. I also recommend cold and hot pack bandages for minor muscle aches.

8. Sunscreen – skin experts recommend a waterproof suncreen that is at least SPF50. If your child has sensitive skin, make sure to choose one that is PABA free and contains titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, since they can be less irritating than avobenzone, a common sunscreen ingredient.

9. Alcohol wipes - rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide to clean and disinfect cuts and scrapes is an essential item. It’s a good idea to keep a bag of cotton balls and Q-tips around too.

10. Saline solution - not only may you need to borrow some to store your contact lenses, but this versatile solution makes for a quick and convenient eyewash.

Other household items to have on hand:

• Honey and apple cider vinegar. All you need is a ½ teaspoon of each and your child’s cough will instantly disappear. Plus, it tastes a heck of a lot better than any over the counter cough medicine.
• Gatorade or Pedialyte. Just in case the stomach flu hits or your child becomes dehydrated from too much fun in the sun.

Okay moms, what did we leave out? Tell us what your top ten medicine cabinet must-haves are. Leave a comment below.

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So, here are my all-time favorite healthy snacks that are  under 100 calories:

1). Quaker Chewy 90 Calorie Peanut Butter Granola and Oatmeal Raisin Bars. At only 90 calories each, these chewy treats will satisfy any sweet craving, including yours.

2). One apple with ½ tablespoon of peanut butter. This just might be my all time favorite snack. If we’re on the go, I put a sliced apple and peanut butter in a seal plastic container and we’re off. Calories: only 95.

3). One Laughing Cow Original Creamy Swiss Wedge with 10 small pretzel sticks. This 90 calorie snack makes a perfect after school treat for your kids or a mid afternoon pick me up at work.

4). One Edy’s/Dreyer’s Strawberry Fruit Bar. Okay, so maybe this is not the best snack for the car, but this 80 calorie frozen treat will make your kids forget chocolate chip cookies ever existed. Well, almost.

5). Fruits and Veggies. Did you know that 1 cup of carrots and 1 cup of grapes has 52 and 62 calories? Go for broke, pack one cup of each and that’s two healthy servings of fruits and vegetables for the day.

Want to know how your favorite snacks stack up? Check out this free calorie counter we found.

More Great Single Moms Tips

Eat This Not That For Kids

Dr. Susan Bartell’s Fit and Fun Family Action Plan

Healthy and Yummy School Lunches