Parents Guide of Las Vegas

Children’s Hospital of Nevada Bicycle Safety Reminders
Make Summer a Productive Time for Learning
Awards Scholarship
NV PEP Trainings
Seven Really Cool Things on The Las Vegas Strip
Birthday Party Favor Ideas
Arts & Crafts Guide
Destination Southern Utah
California Road Trip Carlsbad
Road Trip Essentials
Summer Camp Directory
Why You want fit kids!
Daycare/Preschool Directory
Baby Pages
Family Calendar
Are You a Helicopter Parent
Dining Out with Lauren

Location:
Nevada PEP 2355 Red Rock Street, Suite 106, Las Vegas, NV 89146
Email: pepinfo@nvpep.org
Web: www.nvpep.org

All Pep training’s are provided at no charge.
Please register in advance to attend these trainings 702-388-8899

Understanding ADHD
Parents and teachers of children who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) face different challenges when helping children achieve appropriate behaviors at home and school. When a child has ADHD, traditional approaches to teaching appropriate behavior may not work well. Join us as we take a look at some strategies that can help a child become successful in home, community and school environments. Wednesday, June 16, 2010 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Monday, June 28, 2010 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

IEP Clinics
Individualized Education Program Clinics
An Iep Clinic Training for parents, Teachers & Caregivers
Nevada PEP offers Individualized Education Program Clinics (IEP) each month.
Clinics include a brief of the IEP process and a question & answer session.
Please bring your child’s IEP so you can review it during the class!
Saturday, June 19, 2010 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 29, 2010 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Entrenamiento del IEP
Jueves, Junio 10, 2010
5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m

Families are Important
Understanding the early Intervention process in Nevada
This workshop is designed for families who have concerns about their child’s development and would like to learn more about the early intervention process.
This workshop includes:
· How to make a referral
· The evaluation process
· The Individualized
Family Service Plan (IFSP)
· Transition to Early Childhood Programs… and much more.
Friday, June 4, 2010 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Positive Behavior Interventions
This workshop will introduce Participants to “A New Way of Thinking” by focusing on the “Whys” of behavior. It will provide an overview of functional assessment and positive interventions. Families need access to information and tools to help prevent, understand and address the challenging behaviors of their children. Please register in advance to attend.
Saturday, June 12, 2010 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 15, 2010 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Thursday, June 24, 2010 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Is Your Child a Target of Bullying?
Bullying is a serious issue that affects nearly every school in our nation. It is a behavior that knows no boundaries of class, race, gender, size of school or age. Bullies tend to target children who are considered “different.” It may be their appearance, the way they communicate, or the manner in which they behave. Don’t miss this evening full of strategies to help families cope with and prevent bullying. Thursday, June 3, 2010 6:30 p.m-8:30 p.m.

How Is My Child Reading?
All children, regardless of their age, culture, economic background or the severity of their disability should have access to stories in books and instruction on reading and writing. This workshop focuses on helping participants understand terms that are used when discussing reading and writing. Learning the building blocks of literacy will answer this question and give parents the confidence to discuss reading scores with school staff. Don’t miss this workshop full of valuable information on how students learn to read and write.
Monday, June 21, 2010 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Transition Trainings
You Can do It starting early to prepare for College The “You Can Do It!” presentation will help families and high school students with disabilities prepare for a successful transition into college. Participants will receive their very own “You Can Do It” guide which provides strategies and ideas that will help parents and students develop a plan to attend college. Tuesday, June 22, 2010 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. solving the employment puzzle preparation for post-High school employment Parents and youth will be introduced to practical job development strategies and resources that assist and support youth with disabilities who are preparing for employment.
Thursday, June 17, 2010 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. navigating Through Transition Saturday, June 5, 2010 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Family Fun

Before the “What happens here, stays here.” advertising campaign debuted in 2003, Las Vegas was trying to be all things to all tourists, including families. There was a concerted effort to attract families to play together in Vegas. you may recall back then the free show running multiple times per day in front of treasure Island at Buccaneer Bay was family friendly. The storyline followed a British naval ship who encounters a pirate ship and cannon fire ensues. This 10 minute production was a lot like something you might see at Universal studios. fast forward a few years to the current “sirens of tI” show in front of treasure Island and you will see the show is decidedly not family friendly. The feel of the show now is, as one parent from out of town put it, ‘kind of sleazy’ and she said, “I noticed a lot of parents took their kids somewhere else half way through the performance”. Treasure Island notwithstanding, there are multiple fun activities for families in Las Vegas. My point in bringing up tI is only that parents need to do a little homework to take advantage of them. This issue of ParentsGuide is dedicated to having fun with your kids in and around Las Vegas. Best,

Mark Sherwood
Publisher

By Dr. Rick Sterett

Learning to ride a bibicycle is a significant event for a child. It provides independence and marks a developmental milestone. Unfortunately, bicycles are still associated with serious injuries, and sometimes fatalities.

Children’s Hospital of Nevada has some reminders to help parents keep their kids safe. With these basic bicycle safety guidelines, they can teach these rules to their children, and accidents can be prevented.

First, parents need to choose the right size of bicycle. Buying a large bicycle so your child can grow into it is dangerous. A bicycle that is too big is too dangerous, so buy a bicycle that fits your child Most children are not ready to ride a two-wheeled bicycle until they are about 5 years old. Don’t push them to ride until they are ready.

When buying a bicycle, take your child with you so you can assure a proper fit. To test a bicycle for fit:

1. Have your child sit on the bike with the hands on the handlebars and check that he/she can place the balls of both feet on the ground at the same time.

2. Next, have them stand straddling the cross bar. They should have at least one inch of clearance.

3. Bicycles with hand brakes should be reserved for older children who have the strength and dexterity to use the hand brakes properly.

Helmets are a life-saver. At Children’s Hospital of Nevada, children are able to be treated for minor bumps and bruises from a bike fall when they were wearing a helmet, but the injuries are much more severe and can be fatal for a child who was not wearing a helmet and fell or was knocked off a bike.

Buy a bicycle helmet that meets the safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Bicycle helmets have been designed for protection in head-first falls. In addition, they are light and provide good ventilation. Multisport helmets that are certified by the CPSC to meet bicycle standards are also acceptable. Helmets are available in sizes for toddlers through adults. Also, do not let your child have a helmet in used condition, as it may have been damaged in a previous crash. Finally, helmets involved in serious accidents should be replaced.

Both hard shell and soft shell helmets are available that meet CPSC standards. Their differences are mainly style and comfort. The hard shell helmets are probably more durable.

Helmet fit is important so that it provides good protection. The chin strap is essential. The helmet should be worn on the top of the head covering the top of the forehead.

Use the chin strap to make sure the helmet fits snuggly with minimal movement. Tipping the helmet back lessens the protection afforded by the helmet. Helmets can last several years. Many have straps or pads that can be adjusted as the child grows.

Helmets should be worn on every bike ride. Wearing a helmet should be a habit. This is important because the majority of accidents happen close to home and they often occur on sidewalks and bike paths.

Before allowing your child to ride on streets it’s important that they know basic traffic rules and hand signals.

1. Never allow your child to ride against traffic. Riding a bicycle on the right with traffic is much safer. Approximately one quarter of bicycle-motor vehicle accidents occur when bicyclists ride against traffic, as this can surprise and confuse drivers.

2. Hand signals allow the bicyclist to communicate with drivers.

3. Obeying stop signs and traffic lights have obvious safety implications.

Finally, children should not be riding their bicycles at dusk or after dark. Bike reflectors and/or reflective vests do not provide adequate protection.

Dr. Rick Sterett is a Pediatric Intensivist at Children’s Hospital of Nevada. He has taught his own two children how to safely ride their bikes. For more information about Children’s Hospital of Nevada, please log on to childrenshospitalofnevada.org.

Dr. Raymond J. Huntington

The end of the school year may find your children exhausted from a year of hard work and fixated on that great burst of freedom that begins in June. If so, your suggestion that they consider some “summertime learning activities” might not go over too well. But staying smart during the warm weather months doesn’t depend on test-taking and fretting over grades. With less structure and more adventure, the following activities can turn leisure time into learning time and help prepare your child for challenges in the year to come.

Look beyond the books at your local library. Many libraries are true resource centers, offering a wide array of educational and cultural activities. Your child can participate in group learning projects, learn a foreign language, build technology skills and more. Young children in particular can have a lot of fun participating in storytelling activities, while teens can often use libraries to learn about colleges and universities and the steps that need to be taken to qualify for admission.

Encourage ambitious independent learning projects. If your child enjoys writing and storytelling, consider journaling activities. These can be as simple as keeping a diary or more inventive tasks such as using prose, photography and illustrations to chronicle summertime activities such as family trips or camp. If your child is especially visual, consider using a loose-leaf notebook that enables individual pages to be taken out and posted in family-friendly areas such as the kitchen or playroom. Scientifically-minded students can find many exciting “science fair”-type projects through books at their local library and through Web sites that specialize in sharing this type of information. One of the most comprehensive sites is “Science Fair Central,” offered by The Discovery Channel at school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral.

Students who enjoy mathematics can test and strengthen their skills through Figure This! (www.figurethis.org). This website features engaging mathematics challenges that are designed to be completed by children and families together. While they tend to be “fun,” the challenges are also an effective primer for the rigorous mathematics that most students will be required to master in school.

Volunteer. Lending a hand to those in need and engaging in community service projects can build a strong sense of self-esteem and people-skills. Most communities offer ample opportunities to volunteer through churches, schools, local government initiatives and neighborhood associations.

Turn to teachers and school counselors for help. After spending many months with your child, teachers and guidance counselors can be good sources of information on summer learning activities that tie into your child’s interests and aptitudes. Talking with these educators can also give you great ideas for summertime learning opportunities that strengthen your child’s grounding in “the basics” and expand horizons and expectations for the year to come.

Dr. Raymond J. Huntington and Eileen Huntington are co-founders of Huntington Learning Center, which has helped children achieve success in school for 32 years.