Disasters are a part of life. Whether the disaster is a hurricane, tornado or a terrorist attack preparation is the key to survival and to clean up after the event. Knowing where your family records and valuable documents are and being able to pick them up and take them with you, if you must evacuate, can save valuable time. For your “on the go” papers you will want to purchase a packet, folder, brief case or other carrying case for your documents. Place documents in this case in a secure but easily accessed location in your home. Then if you need to evacuate, important documents that need to go with you are in one place.

If you have access to scanner, you may want to scan your papers and documents to a computer disk and keep the copy in the carrying case and leave the original in the recommended storage place. You may also want to videotape the contents of your home to supplement your household inventory. If you use a software package to keep track of your finances you may want to keep a back-up copy with your “on the go” papers.

Important Papers and Documents Checklist

What are important papers?

Important papers are papers or documents that you will need sometime during your lifetime for a variety of reasons, such as a birth certificate; used for proof of age, citizenship, to obtain a drivers license, or to go on a cruise.

Other important papers include household inventory; adoption, marriage and death certificates; passports; deeds; leases; insurance policies; social security records; contracts; wills; trusts; and ownership papers.

Why should you be concerned about important papers?

In case of a disaster, it would be difficult to remember or identify exactly what you lost. Valuable time and money could be lost while you try to remember what possessions you owned or replace lost documents. Therefore it is much better to protect valuable papers than to replace them.

Who should keep up with important papers?

Even though all family members need to know where the family’s important papers are located, one person should handle the family’s record keeping system.

Where should they be located?

Essentially there are three places where important papers should be kept. Some should be kept on your person, some at home in a file system and some in a home safe or a safe deposit box.

What is a safe place?

It is generally accepted that a home safe or fireproof file should be able to withstand heat of 1700 degrees F for one hour.

Another option for a safe place is to rent a safe deposit box at a financial institution. The rental cost is relatively small when compared to the possible loss that could occur from a fire, hurricane, or other disaster. If you store income producing property such as stocks or bonds in the box, the rental fee maybe deductible from your federal income tax. If you choose to rent a safe deposit box, the following tips will help you get organized:

• Inventory documents in the safe deposit box and keep the inventory in a safe place in your home. Keep the inventory current. Set aside a time each year to update your records. When you do your income taxes is a good time to do this task.
• Check your homeowner’s insurance coverage to find out if it covers the contents of your safe deposit box. Also check the agreement you sign with the financial institution for any limitations on the protection.
• Keep family members informed about the location of the box and where the keys are stored.
• Even though it is not the practice in Florida to seal safe deposit boxes when the owner dies, it is still not a good idea to put burial lot deeds or burial information and wishes in the safe deposit box, because the box may not be opened until after the funeral.

Written by: Dr. Jo Turner, Professor, Family and Consumer Economics

disaster, hurricane, finances

All babies cry, for many different reasons—“they’re startled, hungry, cold or hot, tired, wet, bored, annoyed, [or] have gas…” (Jana & Shu, 2005, p. 108). And, they cry an average of 2 to 4 hours a day (Jana & Shu)!

The first thing to do when your baby cries is to respond right away (Shifford, n.d.). You won’t spoil your baby this way. Instead, this builds a trusting, caring relationship.

Try to find out why your baby is crying. She or he may be hungry, tired, or need to be changed. Check for problems such as a pokey pin, or fever and illness.

If you’ve taken care of the basics and your baby isn’t sick, here are some other things you can try:

• Cuddle your baby. Babies need comfort and closeness.
• Take a walk with your baby in a sling or stroller, or a little drive in a car.
• Use some simple sound effects. Turn on the vacuum cleaner, washing machine or shower. Sing or play soft music.
• Provide something safe to suck on, such as a pacifier or your little finger.
• Relax. Babies can pick up on your stress.
• Hand your baby off to someone else until you feel calmer.
• Or, place your baby in a safe place like a crib or car seat for while you calm yourself.
• Never shake your baby.
  

It’s not unusual for new parents to feel like crying from time to time, too. So if you feel stressed, talk to someone about your feelings. And if your baby keeps crying or cries more than usual, make sure to see your baby’s health care provider.

Written by: Suzanna Smith, Associate Professor, Human Development

Listen to the podcast: Soothing a Crying Baby


Listening, learning and living together, it’s the science of life. “Family Album” is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences and of WUFT-FM. If you’d like to learn more, please visit our website at familyalbumradio.org.

References

Centers for Disease Control (n.d.). You’re your baby cries. Retrieved June 20, 2006 from http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/katrina/pdf/violence_babycries.pdf.

Jana, L. A. & Shu, J. (2005). Heading home with your newborn. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics.

Shifford, D. (n.d.) Crying. A minute for kids (audio file). American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved June 20, 2006 from http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/behavior.cfm.

baby, crying, infant, parenting

"This is not fair! I need more money!” These words were spoken to me this past summer during a money management camp hosted for teenagers in Ocala, FL. The young lady was in the middle of a spending and budgeting simulation when she realized that she did not have enough income to pay for the high end clothing, red sports car, and 5 bedroom house that she wanted. As I watched these teenagers become frustrated with finances, it occurred to me that, in many cases, parents are waiting until their children are 16, 17, 18 years or older to start teaching them about money management. But how is an 18 year old who has always had Mom and Dad pay for everything going to know what to do when the National Bank of Dad closes and he has to go out into the real world and make ends meet?

According to Janet Bodnar, author of “Dollars & Sense for Kids,” children should begin learning how to manage money through an allowance as soon as they are old enough to recognize money’s worth. Linda Barbanel supports the same principle in her book “Piggy Bank to Credit Card,” indicating that as soon as a child is old enough to ask for something in the grocery store, it is probably time to get them started on an allowance. Many parents, however, are concerned by how much they should pay as an allowance, how often they should give an allowance, whether or not they should link chores to allowance, and how to get their children to save the money that they receive. All of these are valid concerns and there are many different approaches and theories out there, but most researchers agree on some certain principles.

First, let’s address the age at which children should begin receiving an allowance. As mentioned before, it is good to get children managing their own money as early as possible. If children have not already begun receiving an allowance by 6 years old, this is a good age to begin. It is at this time, around first grade, that children begin learning about money in school, and they are excited to apply what they learn. For instance, a 6 year old who receives a dollar a week can realize that that dollar is equal to 100 pennies, or 10 dimes, or 4 quarters, or 20 nickels; and he will be proud to share this information with his parents. Most children are going to get the money out of their parents anyway, adds Bodnar, so it is better to teach them to manage their own money than to allow them to nickel and dime you for every little thing they want.

Now that the age issue is out of the way, many parents just don’t know how much money is appropriate to give as an allowance. First of all, parents and children need to sit down and discuss what expenses the allowance will cover. For a 6 year old, one or two dollars a week will probably suffice to pay for the candy that they want at the grocery store, while an 11 year old may require a higher allowance in order to pay for movie tickets and arcade games. Basic living expenses such as food, clothing, and school supplies should be the responsibility of the parent, but even a 15 year old can be reasonably expected to contribute for special clothing items, events, and out-of-town trips, thus requiring a higher allowance. According to a Nickelodeon/ Yankelovich Youth Monitor survey, the average allowance for a 6-8 year old is $4.80 per week, a 9-11 year old is $7.00 per week, and a 12-17 year old is $16.60 a week. As this study shows, it is very reasonable to raise a child’s allowance as he or she gets older. Financial Advisor David McCurrach says that a good way to decide how much a child should receive as an allowance is to estimate how much you are currently spending to fulfill their requests and then set that amount as their allowance.

Another concern for parents is how often they should give their child an allowance. Is it better to give allowance on a weekly basis or a monthly basis? Well, most researchers agree that this depends on the age of the child. For most young children, long term goals are not really a strong point, so it would probably be best for them to receive a weekly allowance. For older kids, however, a monthly allowance is better because it teaches them how to budget their money. If they spend their whole allowance in the first week, it’s gone. Linda Boelter, a certified financial planner and family financial management specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Extension, puts it this way, "Teaching children to budget in their teen years helps save them from the consequences of not knowing how to budget as they get older. It's better to not be able to go to the movies for a couple of weeks when you're 16 than not being able to pay rent or a car payment when you're 25."

While all of these concerns are valid, the biggest debate around allowances for children is what to give an allowance for. Many parents base their children’s allowance on the amount of chores that they do, but child development experts say that this is generally not a good idea. David Riley, Bascom Professor of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin (Madison)- Extension puts it this way, “There are risks in linking allowances to chores. It sounds like a good idea at first because we want children to have experience actually working for money, but the problem is that it undercuts the idea of the family as a moral unit.” Kaitlyn Laurie, a child and adult psychotherapist, suggests giving children a basic allowance that is not linked to chores, but to spending responsibilities. Then, if the child would like to supplement their regular allowance, allow them to do extra chores to save money for more costly goals. Keep in mind that the purpose of an allowance is to teach children to manage their own money, while the purpose of chores is to contribute to the successful running of a household. You don’t want your son to say, “Sorry, Dad, Mr. Johnson next door offered to pay me more, so I’m going to mow his lawn instead of ours.”

Lastly, since the purpose of an allowance is to teach kids money management skills, an important thought to consider is how to get kids to save some of the money that they receive. First of all, it is important that you know your child’s personality and understand that even kids in the same household respond differently to money. Some kids want to hoard all of their money and you can’t get them to spend it if you try, while another kid will get a dollar and it burns a whole in his pocket. A good way to get children to save when they are younger is to require that they put a certain percent of their allowance toward a short-term goal. Bodnar says that this rewards them, but also teaches them that they don’t have to have everything right away. If children are saving for a very costly item, offer to match whatever they save. This gives them incentive to accumulate a certain balance and prevents them from giving up on their goal.

Most importantly, whatever schedule you decide to set for allowance, and whatever criteria you decide to base your child’s allowance on, be consistent. Be open about finances and talk to your kids about the stock market, savings options, budgeting, and other money matters. If children are going to learn to be financially stable adults, they have to have good role models in their parents. That way, when your child goes out in to the real world, he or she will be leaps and bounds ahead of the kids that just found out that dad’s wallet is closed and they are on their own.

Written by: Selena Hohenstein
Reviewed by: Jo Turner

kids, parenting, children, allowances

Internet connectivity in the form of blogs, chat rooms and forums can be hazardous to today’s teens. These online communication aids are not themselves the problem – Rather, teens face an ever-present threat of being sexually solicited online.

For example teens may be persuaded to discuss sex with someone, do something sexual, or disclose personal sexual information. This can happen when an adult initiates a nonsexual relationship with a child or adolescent online, builds trust, and then seduces him or her into sexual acts. Similarly, online seduction can also occur between peers.

Studies find that teens most at risk for being approached sexually online are more likely to be female and between the ages of 14 and 17 years. Teens who are depressed and who have experienced negative life transitions such as moving to a new neighborhood or a death or divorce in their family are especially vulnerable. Also, teens who use the internet more frequently – 4 or more days a week at 2 or more hours a day and who engage in high-risk online behavior are more likely to be approached sexually online.

Ways to keep your teen safe online include: (1) keeping computers with internet access in a centralized location in the home; (2) educating your child or preteen about potential dangers and devising ways to handle online solicitation; and (3) setting ground rules for internet use such as scheduled times, permissible websites, and limiting online communication to familiar peers. Although there is a big scary cyberworld out there, the family and home can be a safe haven for teens.

Listen to the Podcast: Sexual Solicitation
Written by Kate Fogarty
Reviewed by Suzanna Smith and Donna Davis

Listening, learning and living together, it’s the science of life. “Family Album” is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences and of WUFT-FM. If you’d like to learn more, please visit our website at familyalbumradio.org.

References

Mitchell, K.J., Finkelhor, D., & Wolak, J. (2001). Risk factors for and impact of online sexual solicitation of youth. JAMA, 285, 3011-3014.

Ybarra, M., Leaf, P., & Diener-West, M. (2004). Sex differences in youth-reported depressive symptomatology and unwanted internet sexual solicitation. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 6, no pagination specified.

Resource

OnGuard Online.gov Social Networking Sites: Tips for Teens and Tweens Online

teens, parenting, online, sexual solicitation, children

Going to the dentist to get a cavity filled is not a fun experience for adults or children. Dental work can be costly and occasionally painful. The good news is that there are good nutritional habits your family can practice to decrease the risk for cavities, also known as dental caries.

Eating a balanced diet will provide the nutrients necessary to keep teeth strong and healthy. For example, milk is not only a great source of calcium but decreases the risk for dental caries when consumed with foods. Also, limit the frequency of snacks and sweetened beverages between meals to decrease the number of times the bacteria in the oral cavity can produce acids that cause dental caries. If snacks are consumed, brush the teeth, rinse with water or chew sugar-free gum to neutralize the acids formed by the bacteria.

Stay away from slowly dissolving, sugar-containing candies that remain in the mouth for a long period of time. Even healthy foods like dried fruits can promote dental decay because sticky foods remain on the teeth longer, so make sure your children brush after a sticky snack.

Incorporating these simple habits into the diet in addition to keeping good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing and using a fluoridated toothpaste will help decrease the number of cavities and can potentially save your family pain and money. This can bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Listening, learning and living together, it’s the science of life. “Family Album” is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences and of WUFT-FM. If you’d like to learn more, please visit our website at familyalbumradio.org.

Listen to the Podcast: How Nutrition Affects Oral Health

Written by Karla P. Shelnutt

Reviewed by Linda Bobroff and Donna Davis

As we’ve learned over the past couple of years, disaster can strike anyone, anywhere and anytime. A natural disaster, whether hurricane, tornado, flood, or tsunami, can devastate areas and leave families without resources, sometimes for long periods of time. And, while people of all ages suffer, infants can be at far greater risk. However, mothers can save their infants’ lives and protect them from illness by simply breastfeeding… even if they haven’t been breastfeeding their baby.

While medical and nutrition experts have long supported breastfeeding as the optimal way to nourish an infant, during disasters when the risk of contaminated water increases dramatically, breastfeeding can be even more critical. Breastmilk protects infants from respiratory illnesses and diarrhea, problems that can become fatal to a vulnerable infant displaced by disaster. According to Lawrence Gartner, chair of the Section on Breastfeeding of the American Academy of Pediatrics, breastfeeding can also “promote psychological health and comfort during stressful times. Human milk reduces pain and promotes more rapid healing after injuries and infections.”

Even mothers who have not been breastfeeding can start, up to 6 months after giving birth. According to the La Leche League, if a mother has given birth within five days, she “can have a full milk supply quickly by breastfeeding the baby, every two to three hours or more frequently.” Even up to six MONTHS after giving birth, a mother can relactate!

Breastmilk is 87% water, so mom should be sure stay hydrated to ensure adequate milk production! For more information on breastfeeding during emergencies go to our website at familyalbumradio.org or to lalecheleague.org.

Listening, learning and living together, it’s the science of life. “Family Album” is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences and of WUFT-FM.

Listen to the Podcast: Breastfeeding During Disaster

Written by: Donna Davis

References

“La Leche League Answers Questions about Breastfeeding in Emergencies” retrieved June 18, 2006 from http://www.lalecheleague.org/emergencyfaq.html

“When an Emergency Strikes Breastfeeding Can Save Lives, Part 2” Retrieved June 18, 2006 from http://www.lalecheleague.org/Release/emergency2.html

“Disaster or Emergency Preparedness for Women” retrieved June 20, 2006 from http://www.4woman.gov/tools/disaster.cfm

The USDA released a set of tips to help you pack safe lunches for your children. The article also provides a list of tips for helping older children learn to use safe food handling practices when making after school snacks. Add this to your must read list before packing your next school lunch!

USDA Gives Tips for Keeping Kids Food Safe All Day