May 2007
Family FYI
New Booster Seat Law Begins June 1
As of June 1, 2007, car seats or booster seats will be required for children until they reach either 4 feet, 9 inches in height or age 8. Although health experts routinely recommend that children be in booster seats until they are 8, the current law only requires it until age 6 or 60 pounds.
Motor vehicle crashes are the single largest killer for
children 4-8 years old. Children over 40 pounds and under 4 feet, 9 inches
tall are too small to fit properly into adult seat belts. Booster seats
work by raising a child up so that the lap and shoulder belt are positioned
safely, according to the Washington State Booster Seat Coalition.
In a car crash, a smaller child buckled only in a seatbelt is a risk of
flying forward toward the front seat or windshield or slipping out from
under the loose seat belt. For more information, call the Washington State
Booster Seat Coalition at 425-828-8975 or toll-free at a-800-BUCK-L-UP
(282-5587) or visit www.boosterseat.org.
Kids Can Sell Lemonade for Favorite Charities
Sunkist is helping kids raise money for their favorite charities by giving away 10,000 free lemonade stands through its 4th annual “Take a Stand” program.
Children ages 7 to 12 are encouraged to go to www.sunkist.com/takeastand and fill in their contact information, their chosen charity and an original take-a-stand pledge (100 words or less). Parental permission is required. While supplies last, Sunkist will pay for shipping the free lemonade stands. The Web site also contains recipes, posters and tips for running a successful lemonade stand this summer. No purchase is required.
Children’s Salon and Day Spa Opens in Covington
Monkey Dooz, a children’s hair salon, spa and party place, has opened at 27116 167th Place, No. 110 in Covington (next to the Covington City Hall).
Boys and girls can get haircuts, featuring root beer or raspberry shampoos, while sitting in jungle-green jeeps and watching Disney videos. The rainforest décor includes leopard and tiger print chairs and monkeys and parrots dangling from the ceiling.
In the spa department, the salon offers sparkle manicures/pedicures, chocolate manicures, strawberry facials and sparkle makeovers, complete with dress-up for princesses, hula dancers (or even scary ogres for boys). Parties can include spa treatments as well as “glamorous updooz, “zooloo curlz”, glitter/glam makeup and elaborate dress up and fashion shows. The salon carries the Girlactik makeup line.
For more information, call 253-639-4469 or visit www.monkeydooz.net.
Space Available for Science On Wheels
in 2007-2008
Pacific Science Center’s Science On Wheels van outreach program
has space available for the 2007-2008 school year. Teachers in Science
On Wheels vans travel to elementary and middle schools around the state
to enhance science and math education. A typical day consists of an all-school
assembly, an interactive exhibit area and a 45-minute lesson for each
classroom in the school. Vans available are “Blood and Guts,”
“Engineering,” “Physics on Wheels,” “Rock
and Roll” and “Space Odyssey.”
The program began in 1974 as a response to the energy crisis – if schools couldn’t coordinate field trips to the science center, the science center would bring science to the schools. The Washington State Legislature provides partial support for the Science On Wheels program through the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
To schedule a Science On Wheels visit, call 206-443-2925. For more information about Pacific Science Center visit www.pacificsciencecenter.org.
National Teacher Day is May 8
Seattle’s Child joins the National Education
Association (NEA) in encouraging students and parents to say "thank
you" on National Teacher Day (Tuesday, May 8).
Across the country, people will show their appreciation by organizing
teacher
appreciation breakfasts, surprising teachers with tokens of appreciation
and
hosting teacher recruitment activities and events.
Not sure whether your child’s teacher would prefer an apple, flowers, chocolate or a class present? The NEA is asking teachers what type of gifts they'd most like to receive. Results will be posted online at www.nea.org/teacherday in early May. The Web site will also include the Nation's Largest Teacher "Thank You" Card, which will visit key areas in 2008, as well as a variety of customizable artwork and activity ideas.
National Teacher Day began through the leadership and persistence
of Eleanor
Roosevelt. In 1953, she persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim May 7
as
National Teacher Day. With further lobbying by NEA in the 1980s, National
Teacher Day was officially proclaimed and is celebrated each year on the
Tuesday
of the first full week in May.
Ivar’s Teacher of the Year Nominations Sought
Ivar’s Seafood Restaurants are holding their annual Teacher of the Year contest in honor of Teacher Appreciation Month in May. Students 14 and younger can nominate their favorite teacher by filling out an entry form, including a short essay explaining their choice, by May 18, 2007. Forms are available at any Ivar’s Seafood Bar locations (except Safeco Field, Qwest Field and Husky Stadium) or can be downloaded at www.ivars.net/News_Home/news.html. No purchase is required.
The grand prize-winning teacher will receive a $250 gift certificate for school supplies, and the student who nominates him or her will win a chowder party and visit by an Ivar’s Dancing Clam. Two first prize winners will receive $150 gift certificates for school supplies, and 15 second prize winners will receive $25 Ivar’s gift certificates.
‘Safe Routes to School’ Web Site Launched
We all know our children should be getting more exercise,
and we’re reminded daily that we should be driving less to reduce
global warning. Nevertheless, only one in eight children now get to school
on their own two feet, while an estimated 25 percent of morning traffic
is composed of parents driving their children to school.
The Center for Safe Routes to School for Washington helps communities
improve walkability and bikeability in their neighborhoods. The center
– a partnership between the Bicycle Alliance of Washington and Feet
First – has launched a new online site: www.saferoutes-wa.org.
The site includes resources, stories and suggestions for parents, including these:
- Walk or bike with your child to school. Help your child build healthy habits for a lifetime.
- If distance is an issue, park a block or more away from your child's school and walk in. Avoid the congested drop-off area and reduce pollution around your school.
- If your child takes the school bus, take the long way around the block to get to and from the bus stop. Every step counts.
- Become more active in improving your community: attend city council meetings, petition the city for improvements, or organize a community clean-up day.
For more information, call Safe Routes to School at The Bicycle Alliance at 206-224-9252 or Safe Routes to School at Feet First, 206-652-2310.
Pajama Bowl for Foster Kids June 3
Sleep Country USA’s 2nd Annual Pajama Bowl will be held Sunday, June 3, with start times at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m., at Acme Bowl and Billiards, 100 Andover Park West in Tukwila. Each team will bowl two games. All entry fees will benefit 18 Pacific Northwest charities serving foster children.
Teams of five friends, co-workers or family members can
register at a local Sleep Country USA store or online at www.sleepcountryusa.com.
Each team will need to
raise or donate a minimum of $250 ($50 per person) to participate. The
team with the most points will take home the grand prize, a new Simmons
Beautyrest Mattress set (also known as the “Bowling Ball Mattress”).
Other prizes will also awarded.
2007 Voices for Children Award Winners Announced
At its annual luncheon, the Children’s Alliance, a statewide advocacy organization, will present five awards honoring child advocates whose work has improved the lives of Washington children. This diverse group of activists have dedicated hundreds of volunteer hours or gone above and beyond mere job descriptions to ensure that laws, policies and programs serve children.
The awards will be presented at the Voices for Children Awards Luncheon, June 7 at 11 a.m. at Qwest Field in downtown Seattle. The keynote speaker will be Gov. Chris Gregoire.
The following awardees will be honored:
- Michael Ramos, director of Social Justice Ministries for the Church Council of Greater Seattle, will be honored for his work to protect the civil and human rights of immigrants and refugees in Washington state.
- Laurie Lippold, public policy director at the Children’s Home Society of Washington, will be recognized for her dedication for the past 25 years as a lobbyist for children in Olympia – especially children in the foster care system.
- Dr. John Neff, M.D., of Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center will be honored for his extensive work as chair of the Health Coalition for Children & Youth – the driving force behind a decade-long effort to secure health care coverage for all children.
- Doreen Cato, executive director of First Place in Seattle, is being recognized for her work over the past decades with disadvantaged youth, with a special focus on homeless children.
- Sheriff Bill Mahoney of Cowlitz County will be recognized for his work with the Fight Crime, Invest in Kids organization as they advocate for increased funding for early learning and child abuse prevention programs.
The Voices for Children Awards Luncheon is open to
the public. To attend, call 206-324-0340, contact Deborah Bowler at deborah@childrensalliance.org
or register online at www.childrensalliance.org/whatsnew/2007luncheon.cfm.
Individual tickets are $60.
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Seattle's Child, a publication of the Washington Post Company
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