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Birthday wishesHappy Birthday! Birthdays are special and important times. They are important times to pause and remember the amazing moment your child was born and the first few days of his life. You will remember steps and stages in his life so far. Birthdays are also important times to enjoy who each child has become and dream together of who he will be. Of course, birthdays should be special days that celebrate the unique and wonderful person your child is. Have fun and enjoy sharing the memories, dreams, and celebrations. We would also like to suggest that birthdays are times to think about protecting your child’s health by scheduling a well-check visit. Doing this allows you to and your child to maintain a close relationship with your pediatrician. At this visit we will check your child’s growth, development, and immunizations. Check the "My health manager" tab on kp.org for more detailed information about your child's health and medical care. To make the most of your well-check visit, please review this information and write down any questions you would like to discuss. Kaiser Permanente has a range of services and online information to support you and your family. Check out your doctor's home page for healthy living resources and online programs to help you both thrive in the next year together. We hope that this newsletter continues to help you along the journey as your child gets older. "Birthdays are occasions to find our meaning in life and to be thankful for our wonderful family. My brother and I were blessed with lots of cousins, which meant that there were lots of birthdays to celebrate! It seemed like my parents invited the whole community, as the house always teemed with people on birthdays. My mother did not bake much, but she took the time to make beautiful cakes for us. One special aspect of our birthdays was that we always ate our cake first! My father's philosophy was, 'Life is uncertain; eat dessert first.' Birthdays continue to be special now that I have two children of my own. These are wonderful times to talk to them about the value of their friends and family. I have tried to copy my mother's tradition of baking cakes on my children's birthdays at least every other year!”
Mealtimes and activitiesGet moving
Eat smart
Pull the plug
Drink well
Development milestonesSeven is heaven! Your child has passed through all of the challenges of the toddler years, is comfortable in school, and still loves to spend time with you. This should be a calm and fun period. Enjoy it by spending lots of time with your 7-year-old. She will be enthusiastic and curious. She will enjoy sharing the new skills she is mastering in school. You can encourage her school success in several ways:
Most children by age 7:
Your child may:
Many children this age are becoming:
You can find more information about your child’s development on kp.org. Keep in mind that children develop at different rates. So, if your child isn't doing all of these things just yet, you'll likely see them soon. If you are concerned about your child's development, talk to your pediatrician at your next well-check, or send a secure message with your question. Successful parentingMuch like homework, adding chores to a child’s life helps teach him how to balance play and work, while also promoting responsibility. Of course, most children prefer to play, and may not be exactly eager to empty the dishwasher or fold laundry. Getting kids to do chores may seem like more trouble than it is worth, but it pays off in the long run. The chore advantage Doing individual chores helps build confidence and independence. Chores done as a family promote both family bonding and the importance of contributing. According to sociologists, people who did chores as children are more likely to do community or volunteer work as adults, and they may be more successful partners in domestic relationships. How to get started Choose appropriate chores for your child for his maturity level, abilities, and character. Most parents have been in the habit of doing everything for their child for so long, that they underestimate how much he is capable of. Most 7–year-olds can set the table or fold the laundry. An active child who likes to be outdoors may do better raking leaves or washing the car. Allow for imperfection. Try to ignore your desire to have things done as you would do them. At least in the beginning, accept that getting the work done is for the benefit of your child, even if he does not do it perfectly. Involve your child in the choice of chores. Give him a list of the tasks that need to be done. Explain that some of the chores are mandatory (making his bed, picking up his clothes), while he can choose from the list of others. Set clear expectations. Agree on how often and when chores need to be completed. Create a chore chart to track when chores do or do not get done. Take time to demonstrate and teach your child what a chore involves. If he resists, do the chore with him at first. Supervise once or twice before having him do it on his own, and continue to provide positive feedback and reinforcement. Create the right balance. Too many chores can make your child feel overloaded and frustrated. Make sure he has some time each day to play and have fun. When you can, assign fun chores or look for ways to make the regular ones more enjoyable. Offer rewards when chores are completed well and on time. These could be treats or privileges. Consider these options for your chore list:
Staying safe around strangersNow that your child is a little older it is important to allow her a little more freedom. Perhaps she walks to school alone now. Or maybe she rides her bike down the street to the park. She could be home alone for a few minutes while you run to the neighbor’s to borrow something. This expanding freedom is normal and good for her. It lets her learn about how to function safely in the world, while still being protected and taught by you. More than before, she needs to understand how to stay safe. As a parent, you want to keep your child safe: you make sure she wears a helmet and buckles her seatbelt and you tell her not to talk to strangers. Rules for wearing helmets and seatbelts are always a good idea. The rule against talking to strangers isn’t always as obvious. It can even confuse your child.
It is important to talk with your child about dangerous situations and how to handle them. Help her understand that grown-ups ask other grown-ups for help, they don’t ask children. Teach her that if a grown-up she does not know:
Make sure your child she knows that it is OK to make a fuss and yell if she is scared. Teach her to yell, “This is not my father! Help me!” Bystanders watching a child struggle with an adult may assume that the adult is a parent with a misbehaving child if they are not told otherwise. Your child needs a plan for when she gets lost. Teach her to ask a grandmother or a mother for help. These people are far less likely to be dangerous. They usually want to help children and are easy for kids to recognize. When you go someplace where you might get separated, agree on a place to meet. For example, at a grocery store you could agree to meet by the checkout counter with the number 1 on it. Or at an amusement park meet by the big tree at the entrance with a sign or a statue she will remember. Tell her to not go there alone, but to get a mother or grandmother to help her get there. Do not avoid talking about stranger safety because you are afraid of scaring your child. She already knows that some things in life are scary. Talking about these things will make her feel more confident and keep her safer. Talking with your child will:
Talk about how to deal with getting lost and stranger safety the way you talk about wearing helmets, seatbelts, and sitting in booster seats. A child is much more likely to be hurt by a car than a stranger. |