Remember when you did something wrong in school the punishment was detention? And if you were like me, you were more worried about how your parents would react. Quite frankly, I hated being yelled at. Being put on the spot no matter where we were, worked wonders for correcting bad behavior. But I always knew that my parents had their finger on the pulse… they know what I was doing and were quick to punish if it was necessary (I don’t mean corporal punishment but some of us actually did endure that too).

The reality today is that many parents assume contact by cell phone with their kids is supervision and that their child, no matter what, is never wrong. What do you suppose is the long term outcome? By you thinking that they would never do anything wrong teach them to be responsible for their actions? Does it make them better at getting their way? Parenting is work, we all need to keep tabs on what are kids are doing… think about it.

H — Happiness lives there;
O — Overwhelming love and safety;
M — Me and my family, strong together;
E — Everyone I care about is there.

And that spells HOME. Support at home to care for these children is where VNSNY plays a strong role. We have infants and children in our care that are thriving at home. Keeping families together is our goal.

Things are very different now then they were 20 or more  years ago. To begin all teens should have some type of out of the home paying job. Why? So they can earn their own money and manage their own money. Parents, don’t buy them everything they ask for. Jobs within the household are good too, but they should be expected as a part of living in your home. I am against allowances unless the job goes above and beyond, like shopping for the family, babysitting younger siblings, etc. Let’s face it, there are many bills that come every week that require consistent attention to stay afloat living independently. Opening a savings/checking account and managing a checkbook are skills that will stay with them a lifetime. Organization, community resposibility and living safely (i.e. leaving candles unattended and shutting off the stove when you are done, locking doors, etc.) have to be done always. So as you watch your kids grow and mature remember to TEACH too. They learn from you, so seting a good example gives them the skills to live independently.

New York City temperatures are beginning to drop. Before you know it snow will be in the forecast, which means older adults need to take adequate precautions before heading outdoors. They can reduce their risk of falling by sticking to these guidelines.

Using an assistive device such as a walker or a cane doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take additional steps for winter safety.

For more helpful tips on preventing accidents this winter, check out the VNSNY page.

Photo by: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When you are in the midst of a busy holiday season, getting enough sleep is something that can be hard to obtain. Yet for others, this is a year round problem if they have sleep apnea. It has been estimated that this condition, where a person has episodes of stopped breathing during sleep, affects about 18 million Americans (1 in 15 people) yearly. Not only does it contribute to daytime drowsiness and lack of energy, but could be potentially dangerous and affect ones health. Many suffer from this condition without even knowing it.

I once had a patient who had uncontrolled high blood pressure, and even though he was taking his medications the way his doctor told him, it was always too high. One weekend, his sister and her family came into town and stayed with him. It wasn’t until his younger nephew told him the next day that he snored so loudly it nearly scared him, that he went to get it checked. Eventually it was discovered he had obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and now that he uses a CPAP machine at night, his quality of sleep improved along with his blood pressure.

Months later I told a girlfriend his story when we went on a trip together and I found her snoring to be disturbing. After having a sleep study done, she too found out she had sleep apnea and wears the CPAP at night. She recently told me she now gets the best sleep ever. Although snoring does not mean a person has this condition, speak to your doctor about your sleep patterns and your energy during the day. If you believe you or someone you know may have this, have it checked out. Good sleep is something we all need! Be well.

Where is all this sit-down time coming from because it is taking a toll on the opportunity for normal language exchange between parent and child and the creative play that comes from mimicking what Mom or Dad is doing. I still remember the first time my now-18 year old daughter was two years old and picked up her play plastic phone, and started chatting away… just like me. Wow, she had mannerisms and gestures down and this is all from observing me at that very young age!! So when you turn on the TV and watch something that may not be appropriate for young children — guess what — they are watching and absorbing it ALL. There is no benefit for kids under three to watch hours of television, and there is no substitute for “Mommy/Daddy and me” time. They learn so much from you, and the drone of your TV or computer is robbing it from them.  Here is a inexpensive suggestion; pick up a book and READ to your kids. If you have no young children’s books, pick up a newspaper and read a “feel good” story. Put some inflection and feeling into your voice and have some FUN.