Cambridge Youth Commission
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It's Time For Me To ... But...
It's time for me to ... but... An absolutely gorgeous fall Saturday morning, with blue skies and a crisp breeze blowing. It's the perfect day to begin my annual Fall Clean Up. With a mug of steaming coffee in hand, I grab the list of jobs off the kitchen table and head outside. I'm in old work clothes, drinking steaming coffee. Sitting on the back step, drinking some coffee – this helps to get the eyes open – and looking at the list is the first thing to do. This isn't a particularly long list, but it's possible to finish this mug, which will then require a trip to the kitchen for another. My routine is well honed since this is a yearly ritual. It started several weeks ago when I left a pad of paper on the counter - where it was always visible - for anyone - usually me - to write down any ideas for jobs. It certainly sounds like a smart idea, since it will save time and guarantee everything will get done. It is finally time for the annual walk now that the second mug - yes, it did happen - is almost done. This means walking around the house and yard - with the list, of course - and checking that everything is in place. Interested in what's on this holy list? Not much exciting, just these items: Window exteriors need to be cleanedTake all lawn furniture to the basement to be storedCollect garden figures for the basement.Garden beds should be cleaned of fallen leavesAfter cleaning leaves from beds, cut back plants Now that we're back where we left off, we haven't moved very far. I got a little distracted watching Mother Nature's magnificent display of color. Okay, back to... um, wait, the mug's empty, let me refill it and I'll be right with you. Due to some important phone calls, I'm really behind. I've been sitting at my desk watching the flurry of activity outside my window as I watch the "Feathered Friends Backyard Diner" open for business and quite busy. Several adorable squirrels are also chasing one another up and down a tree. While I ought to be doing the jobs on that list, it's getting late, the sun's moving away and the temperature is beginning to drop. After all, next Saturday is always around the corner. Therefore, I might as well make another pot of coffee, fill up that mug once again and watch the entertainment outside the window.
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Safeguarding Your Children at Fairs, Festivals, and Amusement Parks
Families have more time to enjoy fairs, festivals, and amusement parks when children are out of school. As a parent, you know there is always an increased level of concern when it comes to safety.
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Tips On Lawn Mower Safety
Tips On Lawn Mower Safety Many moms and dads understand it's crucial to tend to more than their lawns when they do yard work. Still, countless children are hurt in yard-work-related injuries every year. It just takes a minute for a kid to dart into the path of a lawn mower. Myranda got her foot caught underneath the blade of her dad's riding mower when she was 2 years old. Spence lost part of his foot when he tripped in front of a riding lawn mower when he was 3. Both Myranda and Spence needed to have a foot amputated and now use prosthesis. Myranda and Spence are among the many children Shriners Hospitals for Children treats each year who have lost fingers, toes and limbs as an outcome of power lawn mower mishaps. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), more than 84,000 injuries arise from mower accidents each year, and 8,800 of those injuries are to children under the age of 18. One out of every 5 mower deaths involves a child. According to a report released in the Annals of Emergency Medicine Web site, children between the ages of 15 and 19 have the highest rate of hospitalizations brought on by mower accidents, and the second-most-common outcome of these hospitalizations is toe amputation. To avoid lawn mower injuries, follow these safety tips from Shriners Hospitals for Children and the CPSC: Do not allow passengers on a riding lawn mower.Keep kids out of the backyard and inside your home while cutting the yard. Do not enable kids under the age of 14 to operate a mower. Always prepare your lawn for mowing. Examine your lawn for items such as sticks, rocks, toys, and so on. Make sure absolutely nothing is concealed in the lawn.Handle fuel with care. Wipe up spills. Never fill the tank on a mower that is hot. Never smoke or use any kind of flame around gasoline. Wear proper clothes and shoes, including long pants, long-sleeved shirts, eye safety, heavy gloves, and sturdy, close-toed shoes with slip-resistant rubber soles. Check guards and shields. Read the owner's manual and know how to run the equipment. Don't eliminate or disable guards or other safety devices. Always utilize a lawn mower with an automated blade cutoff. Stay behind the handle till the blade stops. Never reach under a mower while it is still operating. If you need to remove particles or examine the blade, detach the wire from the spark plug. Don't cut lawn when it's damp. On slopes, mow up and down instead of across the slope.
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10 Tips When Traveling by Automobile with Children
With the rising expenses of air travels and the increasing time it takes to survive security at the airports; a growing number of families are choosing to travel by car for their vacation. Most of us with children are returning to the days we grew up in where we took a trip to most locations by automobile with our moms and dads. We began asking other good friends for how they make the journey go easier and how they beat the "Are we there yets?", here's 10 suggestions to assist your automobile vacation go a lot easier: 1. Decide if your kids do better in the early morning or night hours for traveling? Which ever it is, plan your travel to match. For us, our kids do not travel well in the early morning. They do better if we leave after 2:00 pm and take a trip into the night. 2. Stock your vehicle with preferred pre-bagged snacks for everyone, even parents, a cooler with great deals of water and favorite drinks, colored pencils, crayons, a couple of coloring books, sticker books, travel video games, and a travel journal for older kids. 3. Bring video games, individual mobile devices (even for little kids), and you can get audio books from the library. 4. Do consider a portable DVD player. Mobile data can be costly and does not work everywhere. This makes a 5 or 6 hour day seem like 2 hours. It likewise cuts a lot of the unnecessary stops as the kids are involved with the film playing. 5. Prevent the difficulty of hauling in a suitcase for every person into a hotel for the 1 night stops. Pack a 3 day bag into which everyone contributes 3 days worth of clothing. This way you take one suitcase of clothes in every three days. 6. Do pack a lightweight table cloth for outdoor lunch stops along the way. 7. Make sure to have adequate memory on your phone/ digital camera. You'll be creating life time memories. 8. Do get postcards from every major location along the way. 9. All kids are different but in general do not drive as far as the adults can go in one day. Attempt to keep automobile travel to a 6 to 8 hour range of time. 10. Do not fill the inside of the car to the brim, triggering less space for the kids, rather think about a car topper for safe keeping of your valuables. Have a terrific family vacation.
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Why Are Our Children Getting Heavier? The 5 Truths Every Parent Must Know To Get Their Kid's Weight On Track
With as many as 50% of all kids being overweight in this nation, moms and dads are starting to understand that something must be done. There is no lack of details about nutrition and workout, but the task of helping an overweight child without setting them up for a life time of dieting is a challenging obstacle. Moms and dads who understand the 5 truths of getting a child's weight on track can begin to address the issue in a healthy and reliable way. Reality # 1: Parents are the problem AND the solution. Heavy kids consume too much and they don't get enough exercise. It's that simple. Moms and dads of overweight children must own up to the fact that they are permitting and enabling their children to consume too much and move too little. Once moms and dads accept this, they will begin to understand that they have remarkable power to fix their child's weight problem. Truth # 2: Kids need to be informed. You may know how much, and what kinds of foods your kid must consume. And you might expect that your children have the sound judgment to know, too. But did it ever occur to you that your children truly don't understand? They understand that too much is bad and that some foods are better than others. However without education, they have no idea why, or what results eating too much of the wrong things have on how they look and feel in their every day lives. Once they are educated, kids take fantastic pride in becoming great stewards of their own bodies through activity and nutrition. Reality # 3: An overweight child is a family issue. Whether one, some or all in a family are overweight, fixing a kid's weight problem must become a concern for the entire household. Otherwise, a child can feel singled out, different and embarrassed. Getting the entire family included helps with the kid's self-esteem by letting them understand they are part of an effective team that will help guarantee success. Fact # 4: Your child has an "ideal weight." No 2 kids are alike, however your child does have a "normal " weight variety based upon their height, gender and age. They also need a set number of calories each day. Understanding a child's typical weight range and knowing how many calories they need is basic to getting their weight on track.Reality # 5: Parents need a plan. Losing weight is not rocket science. However altering the practices and lifestyle of a family in today's busy world is difficult and multi-dimensional. Particularly when the psychological wellness of a delicate overweight kid is at stake Parents need a plan and they require perseverance. Lots of parents fail because they don't have a strong, long-lasting plan for success.
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Do not Jump! You CAN Stage The Ultimate Children's Party!
Do not Jump! You CAN Stage The Ultimate Children's Party! Organizing a kids party is excellent fun! No, wait! Come back! I'll explain. How many times have you dropped your kids off at a party, only to witness mayhem as soon as the door is opened by a hassled mom whose eyes are pleading you to take her away from all of this and put her out of her misery? Behind her, 2 kids are swinging from the light fittings; another pair are destroying the carpet, presumably searching for a hidden entryway to the wonderful world of Narnia; and the rest are deeply fascinated in a who-can-stuff-the-most-hamsters-into-your-mouth contest.It needn't resemble that ... The only factor that kids parties dissolve into little sessions of anarchy is boredom - which, dear parent, is all down to you. "But, I tried so hard" , I hear you sob. Yes, you probably did: lots of chips, a big cake, and plenty of balloons. The thing is, you broke the primary rule of kids parties. The rule that you should follow at all costs, unless you want your house damaged by a legion of little monsters ...Never, Ever Play Musical Chairs! Here's a secret: kids hate the game. Even if they once enjoyed it, they've played it at every birthday, Christmas and end of school party they've ever been to. Plus, you're the one who needs to manage a dozen or more bored kids careering around the edges of the room while two determined finalists battle it out for that final seat. That leads me perfectly to rule number two: Never Play Any Game That Involves Kids Being 'OUT'If you play games that keep all the kids involved from start to finish, you've got their attention-- and when you've got their attention, they aren't etching their name into the varnish of your table. But wait, there's more! Expand your party playbook with alternative, inclusive games that cater to creativity and teamwork—think treasure hunts, craft stations, or group storytelling. These activities not only keep everyone engaged but also ensure the party is a hit across various age groups. Speaking of which, tailoring your party to the age group can turn a good party into a legendary one. Different strokes for different folks (or kids, in this case)! Get Rid Of The ParentsAside from the ones that are there to help, parents get in the way. Plus, their kids won't really begin to enjoy themselves until their figure of authority has gone. Provide Each Kid A Name Sticker Not just will you remember who everyone is, they also help quieter children to break the ice, and you can write everything from parent's mobile phone numbers to special dietary requirements on them, thereby avoiding needless stress. Speaking of dietary restrictions, a little planning here can ensure all the kids enjoy the feast without worry. Offer a variety of common allergen-free snacks and ensure there's something for everyone to munch happily. Always Have A Party ThemeIt's the 21st century. A few party poppers and re-lighting candles just don't do it anymore. A party theme gets the kids excited from the moment they receive their invitation, and provides a cohesive framework for activities, decorations, and even food. The early birds can dive into making extra bits of costume or help with last minute decorations while they're waiting for their pals to turn up.Then, run the party in this order: Games - Food - Presents It may seem cruel to the birthday child, but always leave the opening of the gifts to the end of the party to avoid presents getting broken or lost in the fun. And if you get the kids running wild after they've had food, you're just asking for trouble!Oh, and about the parents you've tactfully nudged out the door? They can actually be a great help without cramping the party's style. Consider assigning them roles, like manning the craft station or supervising a game, to keep things running smoothly without diminishing the fun.Flexibility is key. No matter how bulletproof your plan seems, be ready to pivot on the fly. Having a backup activity or two up your sleeve can save the day if the kids aren't engaging with the planned ones.Safety first! A quick once-over to ensure the environment is safe for your chosen activities can prevent mishaps and keep the fun rolling without interruption.The ultimate goal is to create memories that last a lifetime. Set up a DIY photo corner or have the kids create a craft they can take home as a keepsake. These little touches make your party memorable and special for everyone involved. That's all there is to it. Follow these simple guidelines, and you'll not only throw a party that's talked about for ages but also enjoy it as much as your kids. Plus, you'll be hailed as a hero at the school gates come Monday morning! And remember to have fun! After all, it's a party!
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ABOUT US
Our small town atmosphere has captivated families, business people, artists, retirees, and a variety of others who have made this community their home. As a central location, the Village of Cambridge offers convenient access to big cities and towns, as well as some of New York's most picturesque scenery.
REACH US
clerk@cambridgeny.gov
PHONE
(518) 677-2622
LOCATION
56 N Park St, Cambridge, New York, 12816
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