Monthly To-Do List

Monitoring Kids in the Month of June

Here in America, some kids are off from school for the summer already. Summer is a great time to have fun with the kids on a more relaxed schedule. But, nannies still need to work hard and monitor the activities of the kids in their care. Here are some things we suggest nannies monitor that are usually considered suitable for children, but may not be age-appropriate in this day and age.

Monitor:

√  Comic Books: The days of silly and non-offensive accounts of the lives of Archie and Veronica are long over. Comic books have become the domain of collectors and aficionados featuring bold art, x-rated adult themed stories, and violent depictions of action. Be forewarned -- check it out before the kids do.

√  Happy Meals: The King, the Colonel, and the Clown have devised menus of fat, sugar, and salt that are intended to addict kids for a lifetime. The portions are too big, the ads are too seductive. Keep the kids out of those restaurants and take them to a farmers market (that can be found all over the nation in June) instead.

√  Sports on TV: With the saturation of HDTV containing "stretch" and "zoom" screens, it is easy to hear or lip-read profanities and trash talk from the mouths of sports heroes. Consider that your charges should be playing sports more than watching sports.

√   Clothes: Youngsters should be dressed as youngsters, not as small adults. Kids like to imitate but a six-year old should not be attired like a 26-year old. Teens typically shouldn't be allowed to purposely have their undergarments showing (such as bra straps for young ladies and boxers exposed above their pants or shorts for young men). Be sure the children in your care dress in an age-appropriate manner.

√   Youth Team Sports: Kids are supposed to enjoy the games and sports they play while learning the virtues of fair play, discipline, and teamwork. Parents and caregivers should not interfere to the extent of subsuming the play of the child to their own dreams and memories. Remember, it doesn't matter if they win or lose, but how they play the game.