Mar 21

Kid's Forum

Kids’ Club at Northridge Fashion Center is a Whole Lot of Fun for Kids
April Kids’ Club Hosts the Art Workshop
By Staff Writer

What: The Kids’ Club at Northridge Fashion Center is a FREE program especially created for children ages 1-8. In April, be sure to bring painting clothes because this art workshop is sure to be messy. Kids will be challenged to think creatively and everyone will get to bring something colorful home with them.

Each month members enjoy a variety of activities including art projects, puppet shows, music and live entertainment. At each Kids’ Club event, children are given a free ticket for a raffle drawing. By the end of each club meeting, Northridge Fashion Center awards raffle prizes, donated by mall retailers including movie tickets and sometimes movie posters and t-shirts.

Kids’ Club meets the first Thursday of each month. To register for FREE, customers can visit Northridge Fashion Center's Customer Service on the lower level in JC Penney Court to receive a membership card and benefits flyer (retailers offers). Also, during their birthday month children will receive a special Kids’ Club birthday gift.

When: Thursday, April 3 at 10:30 AM
Where: Northridge Fashion Center, NFC Cafes Food Court, Northridge, California
For more information, call (818) 701-7051 or long onto www.northridgefashioncenter.com

Top Parenting Tips on How to Find a Sitter
By Rashel Dan |

It's not unusual to find both parents working. There may also be times when you have to attend functions as a couple. In both cases, you may need to leave the kids with someone trustworthy.

If you want the peace of mind, the best way is to find the best sitter. The process of getting a sitter however probably is not that simple. What do parents have take note of when picking a sitter?

Start as Soon as Possible

If you want to have a break as a couple, then begin your search for a sitter early. This means planning all your night outs, breaks, work commitments ahead of time. This is to ensure that when you decide to study your sitter options, you have more time to study qualifications and be discriminating.

Study All Your Options

Needless to say; you would want a sitter that can be entrusted with your kids' safety. A relevant tip therefore is to look at all your options. You can look for sitting services in the paper. Just make sure that the services you choose are ones, which conduct some form of background check on their sitters. Another good parenting tip on this aspect is to advertise with your local community organizations or groups. One of the best things to do however is to ask close relatives and friends to recommend some good sitters.

Ask For a Lot of Things

When you're done looking for sitters and there are already applicant for the position, start a good screening process. Ask the right questions. Many highly recommend asking for references, actually checking, and calling on those references. You should also consider a lot of questions during your interview with potential sitters.

Ask about length of experience as a sitter, ages of kids looked after, training in CPR or other relevant training. Make sure the applicant sitters know what they should do during emergency situations like the child choking or falling down the stairs.

Take the Time to Observe

When you have selected a sitter already, take the time to observe how the sitter interacts with the kids. One parenting tip is to see if the sitter seems naturally comfortable with the kids and vice versa. Another thing to do for additional safety is to install nanny cameras.

Ask the Kids

Always talk to your kids about their experience with their baby sitter. You can ask them to describe what they did that day, if they enjoyed being with their sitter, what new things their sitter taught them and what other things their sitter has been doing. Be sensitive to such warning signs as discomfort among your kids when you ask them sitter related questions and bumps and bruises in inconspicuous parts of your child's body.

Fun Outdoor Games to Enjoy
By Dave Roth

In areas of the country that enjoy a moderate climate, and it less moderate areas during specific times of the year, many individuals enjoy fun outdoor games. There are a lot of different games that can be played outside, depending on the skill level of the players, how old they are, and the options that they have available to them for where to play. If they have enough room, for example, they can play Frisbee. However, this is not usually a game for the very young (too dangerous), or the very old (too physically demanding). If it is played gently, though, most people can enjoy it. For Frisbee games that are more aggressive, a higher level of skill and physical fitness, as well as more space, is needed.

Another game that can be played outdoors, and that is easier for all ages, is the beanbag toss. This game is also sometimes called cornhole, and it is played in virtually all areas of the country. It consists of a board with a hole in it, and that board is placed a specific distance from the players. They then throw the beanbags at it, in an attempt to place one or more of them into the hole. Because the beanbags are soft and there is no difficult physical activity, virtually anyone of any age can play this game. It is often very enjoyable, and tournaments have also been organized for this game, turning it into a sport in some areas.

Frisbee and the beanbag toss are not the only two games that are played for fun outdoors, however, many individuals also enjoy badminton, horseshoes, and other games such as hide-and-seek. Badminton requires a net and some space, but it can usually be played by most people without any problem. Horseshoes can also be played by most people, as it is generally not that physically demanding. The possibility for injury does exist, though, so very young children should be watched closely if they are playing the game or playing nearby. Hide-and-seek does not have as much injury potential, but allowing young children to run off and hide is also a bad idea, so parents should monitor these games closely so that they are able to remain fun for everyone.