Volume 7 Issue 7
How to Create & Maintain Routines Water Safety & Bicycle Tips
2016 Volunteer Workshop & Youth Symposium
Family Matters
July 2016 Diane Coffill State Family Programs Director diane.l.coffill.civ@mail.mil (984) 664-6324 MSG Ramona Robertson State Family Programs Specialist ramona.k.robertson.mil@mail.mil (984) 664-7005 SSG Tammy Fowler State Family Programs Assistant tammy.l.fowler.mil@mail.mil (984) 664-6876 Lana Greer State FAC Coordinator lana.m.greer.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-1667 Alice Dean Lead Child and Youth Coordinator alice.c.dean.ctr@mail.mil (984) 664-6676 David Nobles Outreach Coordinator david.m.nobles.ctr@mail.mil (984) 664-6721 Terry Henderson Airman and Family Readiness Program Manager terry.r.henderson3.civ@mail.mil (704) 389-4949 About Family Matters Family Matters was created to provide Service Members and their Families the most up to date information and services available. If you would like to contribute to future issues, please contact
A Message from the Director Summer has arrived!! The dog days of summer are certainly upon us. I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July. With the heat on the rise, it’s always refreshing to jump into a pool to cool off. Please take a few minutes to read the “8 Life-Saving Water Safety Rules Every Parent Needs to Know.” The USO is “Promoting Strong Military Families and there are programs in several counties that will be hosting programs for Families with children 10-12 years old. Please take a look inside for more information. Our NCNG Family Readiness Program received the Service to Armed Forces Partner of the Year award from the Triangle Chapter of the American Red Cross. We work with the ARC to provide services like Reconnection Workshop for Families of NCNG. The Red Cross also works with us to provide volunteers and food for a variety of events put on by the Family Readiness Program. We will continue to work with the ARC to provide even more opportunities for our Families to take part in these wonderful programs. Thank you, ARC, for being a wonderful partner to us and our NCNG Families! While it is summer time, and the normal routine of getting children off to school has changed, you might want to think about creating a “new” routine for the summer. Please take a look inside at the info on “How to Create and Maintain Routines” for your family. It might help with the changes during summer break. Since Families have the opportunity to spend more time together enjoying outside activities during the summer with the long days, “Brophy’s Bicycle Safety Tips” could come in handy. They are very simple but very important tips. Remember, you are not the only ones on the road and you’re smaller, so please be very careful and enjoy yourself. If you are unemployed or under-employed, there will be an NC4ME Hiring Event at JFHQ on 27 July. Take a look inside for event information. It’s not just another job fair. If you enjoy baseball, the Carolina Mud Cats are hosting a very special event on Saturday, 13 August. Space is limited so be sure to pre-register. NCNG Family Readiness Program will be hosting our NCNG Volunteer Workshop and Youth Symposium the weekend of 19-21 August in Winston Salem, NC. If you are an appointed Volunteer (FRG Leader, CoLeader, Treasurer, Key Caller, etc.), please plan to join us for this very important workshop. See the flyer for details. We would love to see you there! It’s going to be a great weekend! Try to stay cool and safe out there. Remember, we are always here for you whenever you need us.
SSG Tammy Fowler @ tammy.l.fowler.mil@mail.mil
References in this newsletter to specific commercial products, processes, services or the use of any trade, firm corporation name does not constitute endorsement, recommendation or favoring by NCNG Family Programs
Diane
Table of Contents 4
8 Life-Saving Water Safety Rules Every Parent Needs to Know
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PROSPER
8 2016 Volunteer Workshop 9
Building Partnerships
10 How to Create & Maintain Routines 12 Brophy’s Bicycle Safety Tips
14 KOG Super Hero Night w/ the Mud Cats 1 15 2016 Youth Symposium If you would like to submit photos or stories for future issues of Family Matters, please contact SSG Tammy Fowler at tammy.l.fowler.mil@mail.mil
On the cover: Trace Kahn Son of 2LT Jacquelyn Kahn JFHQ
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Life-Saving Water Safety Rules Every Parent Needs to Know
More than 600 children drown every year. But you can help bring down become panicked.) And don’t assume you’ll hear your child yelling or this tragic number. We’ll show you how to make nearly every body of splashing if he needs help—that’s something you see in the movies. In water—from your bathtub to the beach—a whole lot safer for your real life, most kids and adults drown quietly and quickly. family and friends.
Rule #2: Ignore your phone.
Make no mistake: Drowning is a threat to children everywhere. Nationwide, it’s the number one cause of accidental death in kids ages 1 to 4 and the second-most-common cause of injury-related death in children ages 1 to 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every year upwards of 600 children under age 15 die from drowning, and seven times that many get treated in emergency rooms for nonfatal submersion injuries. Most deadly accidents affecting young kids happen in backyard pools, but there are also sneaky hazards around the house and at the beach. That’s why learning water-safely essentials and being aware of drowning dangers is so important. Start with this lifesaving advice:
Rule #1: Never take your eyes off your child when she’s in or around the water.
Make a pact with yourself: When you’re at the pool or the beach or the lake, silence your phone and stow it out of reach in your bag so you’re not tempted to use it. “If you hear a text message come in and turn to your phone for five seconds, that’s long enough for a child to be submerged,” says Anne Beasley, M.D., a pediatric hospitalist at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should leave your phone at home; it’s bets to keep it fully charged and within reach in case of emergency. (You should also memorize the address of wherever you’re swimming so you can easily give your location to a 911 operator.)
Rule #3: Don’t rely on water wings, inflatable toy, floating loungers or pool noodles.
Sadly, young children can drown silently in as little as 25 seconds, even in the shallow end or in a baby pool, says Lois Lee, M.D., M.P.H., an emergency-medicine specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital.
“Parents put too much faith in flotation devices that were never made to be life preserves,” says James Callahan, M.D., a pediatric emergency physician at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. If your Kids who are not yet experienced swimmers need constant touch little one is a nonswimmer, it’s okay to let her use floaty toys, but only supervision when they’re playing in or near a pool or at the beach. That if you’re right there next to her in the water. And just say no to toy means you (or another responsible adult) should stay in the water with mermaid fins; they can trap your child’s legs, preventing her from your child at all times, within touching distance, giving him 100 easily kicking her way to the surface from beneath the water. The only percent of your attention. Once your child has learned to swim long safe flotation device is a well-fitting Coast Guard-approved life jacket, distances and float on his back, he won’t necessarily need you right and it’s not a bad idea to have a weak swimmer wear one while she’s in next to him, but you should always keep him in sight, no matter how or around the water (though, of course, you still need to be with her old he is. (Kids of all ages can get stuck underwater, grow tired, or too).
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Rule #4: Sign up your child for swim lessons. What’s the right age to get started? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children ages 4 and older take swimming lessons. But don’t let lessons give you a false sense of security. Regardless of ability, all toddlers and preschoolers need a caregiver at their side in the pool.
Rule #5: Make older kids buddy up. As an extra layer of protection, experts recommend that kids follow the buddy system. Pair your child with a friend or a sibling, and explain that each kid is responsible for knowing where her buddy is at all times. But don’t forget that a pal doesn’t replace adult supervision; the system serves as a supplement.
with the littles ones and others standing where they can observe the entire group. And don’t drink alcoholic beverages while your kids are swimming or hanging out by the pool; save the wine for when outdoor time is over for the day.
Rule #7: Teach your child the rules. For easy memorizing, stick to these five: no running, no diving in the shallow end, no pushing people in, no pulling other kids under the water, and no swimming without adult supervision—ever. And remember, children aren’t the only ones who shouldn’t swim alone; it’s not particularly safe for adults to swim solo either, says Dr. Callahan.
Rule #8: Learn CPR.
If the worst happens and you have to rescue a distressed swimmer, conducting CPR while you wait for an ambulance to arrive could save that person’s life. When the heart Rule #6: When there’s a crowd, put a stops, continuing to circulate blood to the brain parent on lifeguard duty. helps prevent a bad outcome, explains Dr. Or better yet, hire help. At a party or a Beasley. “In a perfect world, all parents would gathering, it’s almost guaranteed that parents be trained in CPR.” You can find a class will get distracted and look away from the pool through a community center or hospital, or via at some point. A simple backup to make sure the American Heart Association or the that everyone’s safe: in addition to keeping track American Red Cross. If you’re untrained or rust of your own kids, pay a pro or designate an on CPR, do chest compressions (100 per minute), adult “water watcher” and take turns every 15 and skip rescue breathing, also known as mouth minutes, suggests Dr. Beasley. to mouth. When it comes to drowning, doing That person’s only job is to sit something is always better than doing nothing. on the edge keeping an eye on all of the children. If there are Article courtesy of more than a few kids, designate multiple water watchers, with some swimming in the water
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Building Partnerships: NCNG Family Readiness Program Receives Award The North Carolina National Guard’s Family Readiness Program received the Service to Armed Forces Partner of the Year award from Triangle Chapter of the American Red Cross during their annual meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina, June 23, 2016.
families know how to reach the Red Cross,” Cain said. “They make sure everybody who needs to know about the Red Cross in the National Guard community, knows about the Red Cross.”
The Red Cross also provides volunteers and food for events put on by the Family Readiness Program like the The Red Cross has a service program recognition award Easter egg hunt and movie night events held earlier this for all their main activities. year. “The American Red Cross does blood services, disaster services, we teach CPR and then our oldest and our foundational mission, going back to our founder Clara Barton, the battlefield nurse, is service to the armed forces,” said Joshua Cain, the Director of Service to Armed Forces for the Eastern N.C. Region of the Red Cross.
“We have a lot of organizations that help us,” said Staff Sgt. Tammy Fowler, the State Family Programs Assistant. “But we only have a few that really get out there and get down and dirty with the kids and really play and interact with the kids. The Red Cross really gets more involved on a personal level, more than just dropping off some donations.”
The NCNG Family Readiness Program works regularly Both the Family Readiness Program and the American with the Red Cross to provide services like reconnection Red Cross said they look forward to building this workshops for families of Guardsmen returning from partnership and providing support to NC Guardsmen deployments. and their families. “They [the Family Readiness Program] are sort of our access point to the families and they help make sure the
Article by: Staff Sgt. Mary Junell North Carolina National Guard 9
How to Create and Maintain Routines
S
ome adults thrive on routine; others can imagine nothing worse. For most children, routines give them a sense of security, especially around sleeping and eating. Children often have little control over their daily activities, so knowing what to expect is a big deal to them. Routines are even more important for children who have a hard time dealing with last-minute changes, either because of special needs or their personality.
took to the schedule on day one, but refer to the point above. Routines require practice and time for your child to get used to them.
You’re less likely to send your kid to school without his or her lunch if you have a little structure in your morning. The same is true at bedtime, which can turn from sweet dreams into a bit of a nightmare if it’s a frantic rush. So whether you’re Type A or a free spirit, taking time to plan some routines for your family can pay off in a less stressful days for you and your kids. Creating Routines Planning routines for your family doesn’t mean scheduling every hour of the day in 10-minute blocks. It just means settling up more order around things you already do, like feeding your kids or putting them to bed. Here are some suggestions:
Be realistic. Getting home from work at 6:00 p.m. isn’t going to let a 7:00 bedtime happen unless you have super powers. Think carefully about your and your family’s schedule to guide your timing.
Be patient. It would be awesome if your child
Try to have meals together as a family as often as possible. This is a little tricky when you’re moving your baby from bottles and baby food to the real stuff, and when older kids have sports and other activities. But it’s worth it to have everyone eat at the same time when it’s doable. Make mealtime run more smoothly. Having your kid set the table or doing another premeal task can help him or her switch gears from whatever the child was doing just before then. Picky eaters are less likely to reject whatever’s on their plate if they’re somehow involved in the preparation. (Just don’t have your toddler man the grill.) Ease into nap time and bedtime. There’s no on-off switch on your child. You can’t set the kid in the crib or bed and expect instant snoring. Gradually wind down by doing a diaper change, bathroom trip, bath or stories to help them slow down.
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Keep the same general structure. If your nighttime routine is always bathpajamas-stories-sleep, that helps your child know what to expect, which can avoid clever delay tactics to push bedtime later and later. Using the same sequence can be particularly helpful if your child has special needs and thrives on routines.
If your kids attend day care or school, much of their daytime, weekday schedule is set by someone else. You can help the weekends go more smoothly if you can stick to roughly the same time for snacks and naps. Routines don’t have to be complex—the simpler, the better, and the easier to maintain. Maintaining Routines Sticking to your routine may take a bit of discipline on your part. After a long day at work, you could be tempted to skip the bedtime stories and get your child to bed more quickly. The five minutes you save not reading that book could turn into 15 minutes of negotiating and trying to get your child to sleep. Use these tips to help you stay the course:
Remind yourself that your child probably looks forward to certain routines and relies on them for a feeling of security.
Know that well-established routines can help your child adjust during challenging times, like a deployment, PCS or new sibling.
Don’t be afraid to change a routine that’s not working. If nap time has become an epic battle, switch it up.
Let your partner or someone else run the bedtime routine once in a while so your child gets used others handling the duty. This will come in handy if you’re deployed or if you use a babysitter.
Be flexible. Your routine may need to be adjusted occasionally because of things outside of your control, like holidays, vacations, and daylight savings time — which pretty much all kids refuse to acknowledge.
Routines sometimes need to change, even though the whole point of a routine is predictability. As your child grows, you’ll be able to ditch the nap time routine, but you’ll need to create a new routine for homework. (You might want to continue the routine of prompting your child to use the bathroom before a road trip until the kid is, say, 20.) The key is small adjustments that best fit your family’s changing schedule. No matter what they look like, routines are a great way to help your kids feel secure and make your days less stressed.
Article courtesy of Military OneSource. For more information, visit www.militaryonesource.mil
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Brophy’s Bicycle Safety Tips Summer time rolls around,
5) Fuel and hydrate properly! It is hot as blazes
and bicycles roll out! Anyone
in North Carolina in the summer, so be sure
can enjoy riding a bike, but it
that you take a good snack and plenty of
is important for everyone to
water or electrolyte drink to prevent heat
follow some basic safety
injuries and dehydration.
rules, as well as laws put out by the NCDOT in order to avoid accidents. Below is a list of some simple ways to enjoy summer cycling excursions safely: 1) Wear a helmet, it’s a no brainer! Always
6) Know the rules of the road! It’s important to know the rules of the road before getting out on it. Visit https://www.ncdot.gov/bikeped/ to learn more about what’s on the books in North Carolina.
wear a bicycle helmet that’s been approved by 7) Share the road! Bicyclists are people too, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission drivers should try to be considerate and (CPSC). Consider MIPS as an option for exercise a little patience when approaching increased safety.
someone riding a bike.
2) Be seen and be safe! When riding on the road, wear brightly colored visible clothing and get some blinking lights that can attach to clothes or the bike itself. 3) Be known and reachable! It’s important to
Article submitted by SSG Chris Brophy C Co 1-120th INF REG
carry a phone and some form of identification while riding. Put the phone and ID into a
Ziploc baggy in order to keep them dry and safe during a ride. 4) Let someone know before you go! Plan a route prior to leaving and let someone know when and where that route heads. This is important especially if you’re going mountain biking where cyclists aren’t as visible to the public. 12
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Family Assistance Centers
Statewide Support
Charlotte Unit Family Contact Center 4240 West Blvd. 28208 Carry Bandy: carry.s.bandy.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-4573 Anthony Moore: anthony.r.moore8.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-4547
NCNG Service Members and Families’ First Line of Defense Call 1-855-322-3848
East Flat Rock Unit Family Contact Center 2025 Spartanburg Hwy. 28726 Rebekah Torres: rebekah.s.torres.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-0565 Military OneSource Here to help you with just about any need, by phone or online. The service is completely private and confidential with few exceptions. www.militaryonesource.mil 1-800-342-9647
Greensboro State Family Assistance Center 110 Franklin Blvd. 27401 Vacant (984) 661-5649 Greenville State Family Assistance Center 1401 N. Memorial Dr. 27834 David Kovach: david.p.kovach2.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-1150 Lenoir State Family Assistance Center 1535 Beecher Anderson Rd. 28645 Frances Johnson: frances.r.johnson28.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-1242 Morrisville Unit Family Contact Center 2050 National Guard Dr. Mark Woolbright: mark.l.woolbright.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-6377 Raleigh Unit Family Contact Center 1636 Gold Star Dr. 27607 Wendi Bell: wendi.h.bell.ctr@mail.mil (984) 664-6078 Lisa Faison: lisa.m.faison.ctr@mail.mil (984) 664-7100 Smithfield Unit Family Contact Center 406 Hospital Rd. 27577 Abby Millsap: abigail.e.millsap.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-2784
Family Readiness Support Services 130th MEB Nikkie Newsome genesia.k.newsome.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-4548
449th TAB George Lane george.w.lane2.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-6313
30th ABCT/139th REG Jacqueline Connell jacqueline.a.connell.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-5136
JFHQ/60th TC Norman Dean norman.g.dean2.ctr@mail.mil (984) 664-6537
30th ABCT Gerald Murray gerald.t.murray.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-5423
FRSS Trainer Gloria Fields gloria.d.fields.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-5620
113th SUS BDE Vacant 984-661-5651
Southern Pines Unit Family Contact Center 510 Morganton Rd. 28387 Earlene Buchan edna.e.buchan.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-2683 Wilmington Unit Family Contact Center 2412 Infantry Rd. 28405 Jim Marley: james.e.marley.ctr@mail.mil (984) 661-6918 Winston-Salem Unit Family Contact Center 2000 Silas Creek Pkwy. 27103 Sandy Harrison: sandra.b.harrison2.ctr@mail.mil (984)-661-7131
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