Ideas for Winter Birthday Parties

(MS) - Throwing a birthday party in the summer seems like a snap, right? With blue skies and warm weather pool parties, trips to the park, beach escapes, and so much more are available. But what about those winter babies whose birthdays fall when there is more snow and ice than sand and surf? What can a parent do about having a creative birthday party that can compete with the summer party circuit? Lots, actually.

Winter Wonderland

Just because it's cold outside doesn't mean the kids can't venture outdoors for a winter adventure. Be sure that you indicate on invitations that guests should dress appropriately, meaning bundling up and snow boots, if necessary. This way they can compete in igloo or snow-fort building, sled races, snow-ball tosses, and the other delights of playing out in a winter wonderland. Or you can set up some of the same activities you would for a summer backyard party, including a scavenger hunt or obstacle course. Remember, kids are more forgiving about weather than adults, so they should be tolerant of the frosty conditions. Carry the winter theme throughout the party and indoors if necessary. Serve hot cocoa with whipped cream, warm stew or soup, and other toasty treats to warm up cold revelers.

Beach Bonanza

Feeling hot, hot, hot, even though it's cold outside? Why not host a summer luau or mock beach party indoors? Guests can come with their board shorts or swimsuits and frolic just as if they were at the beach. Tailor summertime activities for indoors, such as table-top volleyball using a foam ball. And have dancing contests to favorite beach tunes. If your birthday boy or girl has his or her heart set on a pool party even though the mercury is dipping, see if you can have a party at a Y.M.C.A. pool or at a local health/fitness center.

Party Centers

Today there are dozens of party centers popping up in hometowns across the country. Because these places have a variety of indoor fun, they're ideal for winter birthday parties. From rock walls to video game arcades to tumbling and gymnastic centers, you can select a party center to fit the personality of your child and guests. Also explore businesses that do parties on the side, including bowling alleys, roller rinks, ceramics shops, etc. Many bakeries or pizzerias offer hands-on parties where they let guests learn how to make the foods they're going to enjoy and then get messy with the actual preparation. Some party services will even come right to your home with all of the supplies.

Fun at Home

You can still throw a fun birthday party indoors for your son or daughter. Often this is the least expensive option. Scale activities and the guest list to the amount of space you have in your home. And remember, if you're having a party for toddlers or pre-schoolers, you'll also have to factor in space and food for parents or chaperones. Maximize space by moving out bulky furniture and setting up kid-sized folding chairs and tables. To protect the carpeting, put down canvas "drop cloths" that will catch spills. You can even have kids dine picnic-style on these cloths, mimicking an outdoor party.

CAPTION: A bowling alley can be a great site for a winter birthday party.

Keywords:
birthday ideas winter parties birthday party parent baby kids bowling alley

Share on: facebook

Sleeping Disorders: A Reality for Children, Too

(MS) - When it comes to sleeping disorders, adults can often identify a handful of reasons that might be making it hard for them to catch some Zs. Be it added stress at work, bills mounting up or familial concerns, adults typically can point to one or two things that might be causing their insomnia.

In children, however, problems sleeping can be a little more perplexing. After all, kids don't need to worry about bills or bosses breathing down their neck. But that doesn't mean kids can't experience trouble sleeping. Unfortunately, if a child is struggling to sleep, it could be indicative of any of the following sleeping disorders.

Night terrors: Night terrors typically occur in children between the ages of 3 to 12. Akin to nightmares, night terrors are characterized by periods of intense crying and fear, with an average episode lasting 1 to 2 minutes (though an episode can continue for up to 30 minutes). Unlike nightmares, night terrors are not recalled by the child the next day. In addition, while nightmares occur during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, night terrors occur during non-REM sleep, typically 90 minutes after a child has fallen asleep.

Night terrors can be very disruptive and frightening for families, as a child will appear to be genuinely terrified even though they are asleep. Episodes are frequent and recurring, and are often accompanied by an elevated heart rate, an increased breathing rate, and heavy sweating. While there is no uniform cause of night terrors, stressful life events, fever, trouble sleeping, and certain medications that affect the nervous system might be causes.

Somnambulism: Commonly referred to as "sleepwalking" somnambulism occurs when a child sits up in bed with their eyes open, but in reality is not seeing anything. Children can remain in bed during an episode, or get up and walk around. In some cases, children might even leave the house. Episodes are more common in male school-aged children.

Parents can tell if their child is awake or sleepwalking by several indicators. Glassy eyes that are more fixated than attentive is one symptom. Children who walk around the house will have a blank stare in their eyes as opposed to their eyes moving around like they normally would when walking. If parents talk to a child during an episode, their responses, if they respond at all, will be slow and not necessarily coherent. In addition, if a child is not woken up during an episode but simply returns to sleep, they likely won't recall the episode the next morning.

Nocturnal Enuresis: Typically a normal part of bladder control development, nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) is common among children ages 4 and under. Primary nocturnal enuresis, however, is bedwetting that occurs in children over the age of 5 or 6. In such cases, children cannot consistently stay dry at night, and this could be the result of several factors.

Since bedwetting is not an intentional act, it might be due to delayed growth and development, low levels of ADH (antidiuretic hormone), social or psychological factors, or simply a small bladder capacity. In some cases, children sleep so soundly they simply don't wake up when they need to relieve themselves.

Insomnia: This disorder is classified as trouble falling to sleep or maintaining sleep. Stress and depression are two underlying causes of insomnia in children. Oftentimes poor sleep habits, such as inconsistent sleep schedules, falling asleep outside of the bed and others can worsen insomnia.

Ways to combat long-term insomnia include:

· Avoiding caffeine, in any form, four to six hours before bedtime (chocolate, colas, tea).

· Avoiding a heavy meal in the evening. On the other hand, a light snack before bedtime may be sleep-inducing.

· Avoiding naps. If your child must take a daytime nap, it should be for less than an hour and should be completed before 3 p.m.

· Going to bed only when sleepy.

· Not using the bed or bedroom for non-sleeping activities, such as eating, talking on phone, homework, etc. Bed/bedroom should be used for sleeping purposes only.

Sleeping disorders are never intentional, as no child wants to have trouble sleeping. Punishment or shaming children will not help the problem, and could very well make it worse. Instead, consult your child's physician if you suspect your child has a sleeping disorder.

CAPTION: Children who have trouble sleeping could be fighting any of a number of sleeping disorders.

Keywords:
sleeping disorder children stress insomnia REM somnambulism naps

Share on: facebook