I had one very bad burn on my back as an 8-year-old and another serious burn on my back as an adult. Both times it was due to not applying sunscreen. I am a fanatic about sunscreen.

I have used different brands over the years. Here’s my take on sunscreen/sun exposure:

• I never used sunscreen on a baby less than 6 months. I limited sun exposure until the baby was over 6 months of age.
• Coppertone Baby is excellent for babies up to late elementary school age. Comes in the pink bottle. It is a thick liquid.
• For active kids, Banana Boat or Coppertone Active is excellent. It is thick, plus resistant to sweat. I reapply after swimming for a long period.
• When my kids were about 8, I started letting them sunscreen their arms and legs. I would do their backs and chest.
• With my tween and teen, I trust them to apply sunscreen.
• Each of the kids carries a sunscreen in their pool bag in case they go to the pool with a friend.
• The kids wore rashguard shirts on the beach and at the pool until around age 10.
• If you need sunscreen due to fair skin AND you are going to the beach, apply sunscreen before you go on the beach. Applying sunscreen to already sandy legs can result in uneven sunscreen coverage.
• Avoid spray sunscreens! The spray will not cover all areas. I find myself applying twice as much spray to be sure.
• Only use cream sunscreens. I like to see the cream on the children’s skin to know that I have covered each body part.
• We have a house rule that if a child refuses to use sunscreen the child does not go outside. No exceptions.
• The worst time of year for sunburn is April/May and September/October. At these times of the year, the sun can be bright but I don’t think about using sunscreen. Invariably one of the kid ends up with raccoon eyes.

I’ll be keeping this list of tips in mind as I prepare to travel to Ocean City with my family. The beach is a hit with my husband and kids. Not so much me, with my fair skin and ability to burn when near the sun.

He’s doing laundry. Cooking. Getting it done. And, he’s the designated driver of the carpool to camp, no less!

I am hooked to the computer working. I should be outside in nature…my husband found the above baby deer one morning this summer. It seems as though there are not enough hours in the day right now to get it done. To get everything done. To get anything done. At this point I would settle for crossing a few items of my to do list each day. Many days I sit and move from one project to the next with nothing to show for myself.

Today I tackled a mini crisis that I should have tackled a month ago. I’m just letting everything pile up.

Winners need to be chosen. Packages need to be shipped. Products have to be reviewed. Posts need to be written. And BlogHer!

BlogHer is two weeks from today. Yikes! I need to get my regular work done so that I can go to BlogHer to enjoy the fun and festivities.

Anyone else totally stressed right now??

Now, I am exaggerating a little. I am not yelling at kids while they are sleeping. I don’t yell at kids while they are at swim practice. I leave that to the coaches. :-p But, when we are home or in the car…

At home, the kids are starting to get on each other’s nerves. I cleaned out the basement playroom with the help of my minions. The playroom is ready for occupants. I only have one slight problem none of the children want to step foot in the playroom. All three would prefer to do any of the following activities:

• run through the house
• run through any area where anyone is tryi8ng to do something quietly…read a book, work on the computer, nap
• run through the house shooting Nerf guns
• run through the house scattering Googly Bands
• run through the dining room office while I am on a call
• run through the bedroom office while my husband is on a call
• argue loudly over why someone should trade their Cowboy Googly Band for a Pirate one when anyone is on a call
• make an impassioned plea to be allowed to stay up late because it is Tuesday and the summer…Go to bed, kid.
• continue making pleas about the injustices of bedtime to a parent or two who just simply need the kids to go to bed
• and the piece de resistance…kids arguing with each other over which is the most preferable chair in the kitchen. I. Give. Up.

Ay Caramba! I do not know how my mother managed to survive the summer with my sister and I at home. We never went to camps or attended classes. It was three months of very little planned. The weekly or twice weekly trip to the pool at the garden apartment complex near our house. The occasional friend over to play. The weekend trips to Cheasequake Park in NJ.

How did my mother manage my sister and I over the long, hot summers? Some of the summers we returned to England to stay with my grandmother. Four words — Small House. Loud Kids.

How did our mothers deal with us? Most summers I played at home, played at the pool, and that was it. Was my mother yelling at us all the time? Did she feel as relieved as I do when the kids are in bed for the night? Note: My husband does most of the bedtimes, but I get a vicarious thrill when he comes downstairs after everyone is in bed…not asleep but in bed.

My kids have activities and things they need to do, but there is no end to the bickering. Did I spend the summer arguing? I have no recollection. I do recall spending many hours digging a hole in the dirt with neighbors. I also rode my bike. Played at a playground until all hours.

Maybe that’s it. Our mothers weren’t bothered by kids arguing because we were outside playing all day and night. Now, if only neighbors would move in who had kids…

Our house had Spring Fever badly this year. The kids were out of school for 11 days in February due to record snowfall. The winter quarter passed by in the flash. By the time spring rolled around, we heard that the school year would be extended. I know I was crushed. My kids were already super antsy about summer coming and now the school year would be in full swing until June 23!

Enter Googly Bands… Googly Bands saved the day in the Musings from Me household. My 11- and 7-year-olds needed a “carrot” as an incentive to do their homework with a minimum of complaints. The nights were getting lighter, but the homework load was not letting up. I used Googly Bands to encourage them to do their homework and do assigned chores. It worked…I mean Googly Bands worked!

Homework rewards. Chore incentives. Good deed prizes. Googly Bands are the perfect reward for the elementary and middle school student, ev even preschooler and teen, too. I have seen a few adults wearing Googly Bands!

Googly Bands are stretchable, wearable, collectible, and trade-able bands. If you see a group of tweens and kids, and even teens, chances are you will see one of the kids wearing a Googly Band!

New at Googly bands — Series V bands features the shapes of Classic Toys, Pirates, Dogs, Rescue, Shoes, and Florida.

Series IV bands…Hollywood, Pets, Body Parts, Text Messages, Soccer, and Wonders of the World.

Series III…Fruits, Cowboy, USA, Reptiles, Sports, and Tools.

Check out Googly Bands for many more cool bands!

Late-breaking news from Googly Bands!

Googly Bands are retiring all Series 2 bands. I would like to invite you and to join me at the Official Retirement Party this Thursday, July 15, at 2 p.m. PST. Party is tomorrow! Rules will be posted at 2pm at Facebook.com/googlybands. Googly bands will give out tons of prizes live at the hour-long party. Hope to see you there! Bring your kids to the twitter party!!

What is the Jensen Project? I’m not sure. I know it has something to do with Family Movie Night. I can totally stand behind any force to get families together…eating dinner together, family game night, etc. The writeup sounds as though it is right up my alley.

Here’s what I know…

The Jensen Project is on July 16 at 8/7c. To follow the conversation plus follow tweets about the show use hashtag #jensenproject.

About the Film
The world is hanging by a string. Can this family pull it together?

After a 16-year absence, Claire and Matt Thompson are reintroduced to The Jensen Project — a secret community of geniuses conducting advanced underground research to solve the world’s most difficult problems. The former scientists, accompanied by their tech-minded teenage son Brody, are thrust into a frantic pursuit to keep a potentially dangerous technology from falling into the wrong hands. As the family races against the clock to stop the group’s rogue faction, they discover an important truth. In this high-pressure, high-tech world, sometimes the smartest thing we can do is lean on each other.

One constant in any of our active activities is the value we place on safety. Whether it is wearing a helmet for lacrosse or skiing. Or wearing appropriate shoes for volleyball. Or getting enough sleep before a swim meet. We stay safe.

Underwriters Laboratories and Disney have a list of tips for summer safety — pool, water, and playground safety.

Keep your family safe by reading the following tips:

POOL SAFETY AT HOME
·    If you have a pool at home, install a fence. The fence should be at least four feet high and have a self-closing, self-latching gate that has a locking mechanism beyond a child’s reach.
·    Cut overhanging tree limbs and remove chairs or ladders from the pool area to prevent children from climbing over the fence that surrounds the pool.
·    Keep grates and drain covers in good repair and secured in place. Alert your family and guests to stay away from these devices, as the suction from drain outlets can be strong enough to cause entrapment of hair or body parts, which can potentially cause a person to drown.
·    Make sure you know infant and child CPR if you own a pool.

BE SAFETY SMART WHILE SWIMMING
·    Supervision is a must. Follow the 10/20 rule when you’re at the pool. The 10/20 rule states the supervising adult needs to position themselves to be able to scan the pool every 10 seconds, and reach the water within 20 seconds.
·    Always have rescue devices, such as UL-LISTED life preservers, nearby.
·    Flotation devices, toys and inflatable swimming aids are not safety devices. They are toys and can easily puncture and deflate.
·    Always drain wading pools after children are done playing. Infants can drown in just a few inches of water.
·    Have a telephone nearby and appropriate emergency numbers posted.
·    Remove all toys when you leave the pool. Toys may attract children to the unattended pool.Check out these guys…Timon and Puumba from the Lion King…in a video teaching kids how to stay safe while swimming during the summer, and all year long.

BEFORE INSTALLING A BACKYARD PLAY SET…
·    Make sure your backyard is large enough for playground equipment. The site must also provide good visibility and security. Before setting up equipment, look out for obstacles, such as the garage, tree branches, utility poles and wires.
·    Read and follow the manufacturer’s directions when setting up play set equipment. Be sure your child’s weight and age fall within the manufacturer’s recommended limits for the equipment.
·    Install protective surfacing, such as rubber tiles or mulch under the play set, at least six feed in all directions, to prevent serious injuries should a child fall.

BEFORE HEADING OUT TO PLAY…
·    Carefully inspect backyard playground equipment. Make sure equipment is anchored safely in the ground, all equipment pieces are in good working order, S-hooks are entirely closed and bolts are not protruding.
·    Check for spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs. These spaces should measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.
·    Always supervise children on play set equipment to make sure they are playing safely.
·    Never attach ropes, jump ropes, clotheslines, pet leashes or cords of any kind to play set equipment. If used improperly, they can be potential strangulation hazards.
·    Watch for potential trip hazards, such as rocks, tree stumps and concrete footings. Make sure you’re children are aware of them as well.
·    Do a sandbox check. Before letting your child dig in, rake through the sand to check for debris or sharp objects. Also, inspect for any animal contamination or insect problems.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Underwriters Laboratories. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

My 1st grader may or may not have writer’s block. He may or may not have handwriting issues. He may or may not be stubborn as a mule. He may or may not be a task avoider. All these things may be true, but he needs to write in school, at homework time, for pleasure.

My 1st grader has handwriting that is all over the place. I found lined paper for him with ridged rules to keep his writing within the lines. He knows what he wants to say, writes it, but without the ridged rules his writing can be hard to decipher. Once he uses the ridged rule paper, his writing in the composition book is SO much better. Here’s a link to purchase a set of Mead Writing Notebooks. My son rocked the notebook with the raised rules. He learned quickly to write within the lines. I also found paper where the child writes each letter in a box. I will move on to this paper mid-summer.

My 11-year-old is a different matter. I am thinking of starting a private blog for her. I will have her use it as a journal. I might add writing prompts, but may see how she does with it on her own. One thing is for sure, she loves to type! Update: She starter her own blog and she is writing a play!

—

We had a few AWFUL “first time at the movies” experiences.

I took my then-3-year-old to see Tarzan. In the first 5 minutes Tarzan’s mom and dad are mauled and killed by a tiger off screen. Lots of roaring. 3 yo kept saying “Where Tarzan’s Mom and Dad?”

I took the same child to see Elmo in Grouchland at the movie theater. Within 5 minutes Elmo’s blanket fell down Oscar the Grouch’s trash can or maybe it was the sewer. In any event 3 yo cried so hard, one of us had to go to the car for her blankie.

Other odd movies we took kids to. Lilo & Stitch — 4 yo was scared of Stitch when he froths at the mouth.

I took my 1-year-old to see Because of Winn Dixie at a Mommy-Me showing. All the other moms brought babies who slept through the movie. My 1-year-old climbed up and down the steps. Wouldn’t eat any of the snacks. Was loud. He watched about 5 minutes of the movie.

I have blogged extensively about my passion for keeping kids safe online.

When I first went online I was a married 20-something. The extent of my online life was checking e-mail once a month — I had very few friends who had e-mail accounts back then. Come to think of it the internet was a nicer place back then. Very little spam. I kind of remember single digit e-mails in my in-box. Can you imagine! Viruses became more of an issue as e-mail entered the workplace.

I don’t know when I first heard about online predators targeting young children, but I am sure I was shocked to the core. No amount of training can prepare you for the shock and outrage of crimes against children, tweens, and teens.

I was thrilled to be invited to the Cox 5th National Teen Summit on Internet & Wireless Safety in Washington, D.C. I was anxious to hear what the teens had to say about online safety. My daughter is a young teen. As the oldest grandchild on both sides of the family, she is a trailblazer. Anything she does whether academic or artistic or online is subject to scrutiny. We want to give her the tools necessary to do everything safely.

The teens were inspiring. The teens told how they help the teens and tweens in their community navigate the internet, Facebook, cell phone use, sexting, and many other issues. The teens were emceed by the awe-inspiring John Walsh. Questions from twitter were handled by @KeyInfluencer AKA James Andrews. Andrews asked the teens probing questions. Walsh challenged the teens to give precise, fact-filled answers. Many of the teens head up groups dedicated to teaching online safety in their high schools or at boys and girls clubs.

The Cox Teen Summit covered many topics. I took copious notes. There was one main theme brought up throughout the summit. Schools need to teach kids about online safety as part of the curriculum.

Cell Phones

• Sexting is still a big problem for tweens. Teens see younger kids as having too much freedom with cell phones.
• Walsh urged that kids as who walk to and from school or take a bus need a cell phone — even if they are as young as 7-8. He cited a couple of recent abductions where kids who walk/take the bus to school were stalked. Could have used phone to call for help.
• Walsh said if Mom/Dad were worried about cell phone abuse by younger kids Mom/Dad could block all calls except emergency or calls to Mom/Dad.
• Teens suggested prepaid cell phones.
• Walsh “Texting is the crack of teens.”
• Walsh, Andrews, and teens love Oprah’s Texting Ban. Have you signed the pledge?
• Fact: Texting while driving causes more accidents than drunk driving.
• What’s on the horizon for online/wireless technology? Video chat on phones.

Internet and Social Networks

• Do a Google Alert for your kids to find out what they are doing online.
• Start and continue a dialogue with your kids about what they are doing online.
• Most of the teens have friended their parents.
• All of the teens had taught a family member how to use Facebook.
• Teens talked of learning what to post and what not to post on their walls.
• Andrews told teens “to think about what they are putting up on the internet.”
• Teens talked about how everything they post online could be viewed by college admissions and potential employers.
• Teens asserted that “Privacy is a Privilege.”
• Walsh: “It is time for parents to parent up and find out what their kids are doing on the internet.”
• Parents, teachers, and kids need to learn Facebook privacy settings, so that they know how much of their profile is available for review.
• Walsh ” Teens and tweens give up too much information about themselves.” Bad characters are out there waiting to find vulnerable teens and tweens.
• Teens asked “How much is too much information?”
• Everyone hates ChatRoulette — lots of “creepy guys” per Walsh — and Formspring.

Schools

• There should be a policy of anonymity in schools so that students can report bullying without fear of retribution.
• Walsh said that America’s Most Wanted doesn’t trace or tap calls. People can call in without “fear of getting in trouble.”
• Teens said there should be safe rooms at school where kids can go for help.
• Cyber bullying and regular bullying are very different. Many school counselors are not trained to deal with cyberbullying.
• Kids need to be taught how to use social networks.
• At one time it was an option for kids to be on Facebook, now it is a given that most teens will be online in social networking sites.
• Teens need to be taught rules for online behavior.

Identity Theft

• Teens talked of experiences with identity theft. One teen said that a relative had tried to steal her identity online.
• Walsh said that identity theft is big business with kids lured to buy a “free download” with Mom and Dad’s credit card. Kids don’t realize they are being duped.
• Walsh told of unscrupulous census takers who go from house to house gathering information about inhabitants.

Families and Online Safety

• Families need to work together to come up with a set of rules for their children.
• Andrews says tweak rules as necessary.
• Walsh “Kids and teens want rules and boundaries.”
• Parents should go over boundaries with kids. Discuss consequences and punishments.
• Parents should not assume that teens understand the rules. Go over rules to make sure kids understand.

Walsh made a statement that stuck with me. He spoke of the kids who are neglected and abandoned by their parents. He praised the work of the Boys and Girls Clubs in finding these kids and giving them something to live for…education, camaraderie, hope.

Walsh urged the teens at the summit and the teens at home:

If you see something bad happening, say something. You will save someone’s life.

The teens reminded everyone that they are a “strong force.”

My children are still in school, but today all three might as well not be. Today is Convergence Day. One of those days when all three children have a scheduled activity for school requiring my help.

The 1st grader has his end-of-the-year picnic. I’m running a few games. My husband is joining him and bringing lunch. I would stay for lunch, but I have to go to a state park over an hour away. Why?

I have to go to a state park as the 8th grader has HER end-of-the-year picnic at Greenbrier State Park. She’s riding the school bus to the park, but wants to stay later to swim. I initially said that she had to ride the bus back to school, to get the bus home, but she desperately wants to stay at the park, So…I have arranged my day so that she can stay. Nice mom, right?

But, what about my 6th grader? She has her end-of-the-year picnic as well. What to do about this? I knew I couldn’t chaperone due to the 1st grade picnic. The school did not need chaperones.  I’m thankful for small mercies. I will try to do a fly by before driving to the state park with the 8th grader.

Convergence Day is given with three children in two different schools. Why don’t the schools coordinate their calendars?