The Health Department in Utah is joining forces with local media to create awareness about an alternative to common tobacco products. The tobacco industry is coming up with a new way to introduce nicotine products to its potential consumers: Gum.

Nicotine Gum is easier to use than the regular cigarette. There's no lighting up, or no spitting required and the nicotine gum packages have the same layout and design of a regular gum package. The lack of smoke or smell makes them very deceiving for parents or teachers and harder to be detected.

"Tobacco companies spend nearly $60 million a year here in Utah on their marketing, and they are eager for new customers to replace those who die each year from their deadly products. Products such as the ones we see here today show they are not relaxing their efforts, and neither can we," says Kathy Baebler, health educator with the Salt Lake Valley Health Department.

The Department of Health advises parents to be aware of what these products look like and the potential harm they may cause. Parents should talk to their teens about them and let them know that they are not a good alternative to smoking. There is no such thing as a safe tobacco product.

Although nicotine gum might not directly cause certain kinds of cancers because of the lack of smoke, it is just as bad if not worse for the health. This is because the doses of nicotine are much higher, which makes them even more addicting.

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology has reported that nicotine harms the linings of our arteries which leads to the build-up of plaque, thereby increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Additionally, nicotine suppresses insulin output creating a hyperglycemic condition in smokers. The bottom line is that nicotine is a poison, and the human body is much better off without it.

Utah has launched a Quit Line toll-free at 1-888-567-TRUTH to help smokers trying to quit. It is a free service where people are connected to either quit-smoking services from the person’s health plan or to a quit coach at the Quit Line. Quit line services are completely confidential and available in English and Spanish.

Utah’s Granite School District is implementing a new program to help kids learn another language while still in elementary school. The program called Dual Immersion, works by giving kids, starting as early as 1st grade, 50 percent of their instruction in English and 50 percent in another language. Reading and Language arts classes are taught half of the day in English. While classes like math, science, or social studies are taught in their targeted language. Art, music, and P.E. can be taught in either language.

The project coordinators at Granite School District  "because of the teaching strategies used, the students learn the concepts and skills for the subject area and develop the ability to read, write, speak, and listen in another language.” The Dual Immersion program has been implemented for over 25 years in the United States; Granite School District will be using all those years’ research and experience to bring this program to Utah.

It is interesting to note that students who learn a second language increase their brains' ability to solve problems and there is no better time to learn a second language than when children are in elementary school.
The goals of this program are to “develop literacy skills in both English and the target world language such as Spanish, French, or Chinese while attaining academic achievement that is at or above their grade level as measured by Utah core testing.”

Along with teaching children another language, the program helps students create cultural sensitivity, making them more aware of the different cultures and people that share the world they live in. According to Granite School District web site the school strives  "to prepare Granite School District students academically, linguistically and socially for the challenges and needs of our global community.”

The success of the program can be previewed by the Chinese Summer Camp program, held in two of the district's schools. This program called “Startalk” is a collaboration with fluent BYU Chinese teachers. The program works in the same way, with half-day classes in Chinese during eight days.  Recreation and P. E. activities are also based on the Chinese culture to help kids better understand Chinese traditions and practices.  

Studies have shown that children who learn a language before their teen years have higher chances of acquiring a native-like pronunciation, plus introducing children to new languages broadens their view, prepares them for their future careers by sharpening their communication skills and gives them opportunities to understand people with different backgrounds and absorb more of the cultures.

For more information about Granite School District Dual Immersion Classes visit their Web site.

Hiring a Chinese Au Pair is becoming a growing trend for American families. According to the New York Times, the drive behind this trend is the “desire among ambitious parents to ensure their children’s worldliness, as such parents assume that China’s expanding influence will make Mandarin the sophisticates’ language decades hence.” So here are some interesting facts about China and Chinese Au Pairs:

China is known to be a country full of history and ceremonies. Appropriate manners are expected from everyone, especially towards the elderly. China’s total land area comprises more than 9.6 million square kilometers with four time zones. The national language is Mandarin, which is one of the five working languages in the United Nations. Cantonese is also one of the local dialects, more common in the south of China. The Chinese language has been in use for over 6,000 years. The country's total population is 1.328 billion (2008) and it comprises about 22 percent of total population in the world. China is also one of the four oldest civilizations in the world with a written history of more than 4,000 years. 

Chinese youth want to become Au Pairs in U.S. to improve their English and experience some of the American culture. Taking college credits in the U.S. increases their potential for a better career when they go back home.  They also want to share their traditions and backgrounds with American families.

Potential Strengths of the Chinese Au Pair
1. Bright, eager and willing to work hard.
2. Well mannered and respectful of host parents and elders.
3. Can expose your children to the Mandarin language.
4. May adapt quickly to a new culture without significant homesickness or depression.

Possible Weaknesses of the Chinese Au Pair
1. May not be used to large families and become overwhelmed with lots of children.
2. She may not be accustomed to American children, who are generally outspoken and direct. Be patient, have a sit-down talk with her and explain the cultural differences between American and Asian children.
3. She may be very quiet in the beginning and you may feel she is not happy, but be patient and usually she will begin to open up as she gets to know and care for your family.

Most of our Chinese Au Pairs have worked or volunteered as tutors for younger children. Nearly all of our Au Pairs from China are qualified to work with infants based on their daycare and babysitting experience. goAUPAIR has had successful experiences matching American families and Chinese Au Pairs, for that reason we are always pleased to help families find their perfect match. If you are interested in Chinese Au Pairs, feel free to let us know or search for them in the Au Pair Preview.

China is the Featured Country for February at goAUPAIR, which mean Host Families that match with an Au Pair from China get $100 off Au Pair program fees.

For more information:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/us/05aupair.html
http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/chinese-au-pairs-on-the-rise-834810.html

Healthy foods and children don't always make the happiest combination. Parents and care givers may have a hard time making children happy about their food choice and introducing a healthy eating lifestyle.

We all know healthy habits contribute children's overall well-being and help them grow and develop healthy bodies. Parents can be a little confused and frustrated when trying to introduce healthy foods. “Unfortunately, some parents over-think what to do about their child's eating habits, which give way to practices like forcing kids to clean their plates. And some parents don't think about nutrition at all, letting their kids eat a lot of junk food and drink a lot of juice. So, it's important to find a balance.”

When we understand a little better some of the basic facts about children's nutrition, we can avoid mistakes. Here are some tips for parents and care givers about children's nutrition: You may go from having an infant who eats a large variety of vegetables and fruits and three big meals a day, to a toddler who is a much more picky eater and eats much less. Surprisingly to many parents, that can be very normal -- as long as their toddler is gaining weight and growing and developing normally, and isn't filling up on milk and juice. In fact, many toddlers simply eat one good meal each day, and then just pick at their other meals. Your toddler's diet will likely be made up of about 16 to 24 ounces of milk (low fat milk once your child is 2 years old) and 4 to 6 ounces of juice, and be eating 2 snacks and 2 to 3 meals.”

It is important to know that although toddlers may not eat everything that it is offered to them, we should always continue to present a variety of healthy foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Children are more willing to accept food if they are not pressured or forced to eat them. “Remember that this is a period in your child's development where he is not growing very fast and doesn't need a lot of calories. Also, most children do not eat a balanced diet every day, but over the course of a week or so, their diet will usually be well balanced.”

Most experts also advise that kids will eat more vegetables and fruits if parents or care givers start offering these foods when they are infants. Parents should also set a good example to kids with their food choices and by eating healthy. Also, a good tip is to mix vegetables and fruits in the food that the kids already like.

According to the American Heart Association, the best nutrition advice to keep your child healthy includes encouraging him to:

• Eat a variety of foods
• Balance the food he eats with physical activity
• Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol
• Avoid foods with a lot of added sugar and foods high in salt
• Choose a diet that provides enough calcium and iron to meet his growing body's requirements
• Avoid a lot of fast food, caffeine, juice, and soda

For more information about children and healthy eating visit

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3030485

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/childrens-health/HQ01107

One of the greatest advantages of having an Au Pair in a home is the exposure the family has to a new culture. An exchange of cultures is most often accompanied by an exchange of languages because it is very difficult, if not impossible to separate language from culture. That is also one of the main reasons why Au Pair programs are becoming so popular among many child care options.

Children are born with the ability to produce speech simply by hearing words and sentences spoken by the people that surround them. Deborah D.K. Ruuskanen, professor of English Linguistics at the University of Vaasa in Finland believes there is a window of learning language that opens at about the age of ten months.

“It is clear that they will begin to imitate the 'noises' they hear, and when there is a reaction from their caregivers, they begin to associate meanings with the sounds. Over the next two years, infants acquire language at an astonishing rate.”

She also explains that the optimal time for learning a second language appears to be at the same time as the first language. The next best time for learning a second, third, and even a fourth language, appears to be between the ages of two to seven years. A third period for learning a second language is from about ten to thirteen years of age.

For the learning experience to be successful, Au Pairs along with parents need to motivate children and give sufficient encouragement to get them excited to learn a new language. Practical ways of doing so are reading books out loud, singing to them and teaching them songs and nursery rhymes and showing videos in the foreign language. A good idea is to try being the child’s tutor if the language is taught in school.

Christina Bosemark, the founder of the Multilingual Children's Association, gives some tips that can easily be applied, “Books, music, movies, and toys in your minority language are the most obvious ways to boost your child's exposure, but there is also an amazing range of other household items such as place mats, tableware, posters, etc.”

It is always good to remember that trying to teach another language to anyone requires patience. Although children are naturally more inquisitive, everyone has different learning styles, so be ready for the ups and downs. Remember children love to be praised and that is how they are going to be interested in learning about new languages and cultures.

Did you know the United States is one of the few developed countries that still allows children to play with toys that some scientists say may cause infertility in boys?

The chemical in question found in some plastic toys is called phthalates (pronounced thal-ates). Though not widely known, the chemical is said to cause considerable problems for children and especially in boys. The European Union has even banned this substance in products created for children, but the U.S. has yet to put a ban on the substance.

The phthalates help soften materials like PVC or vinyl. Phthalates are used in toys that are soft and squishy - possibly your child’s favorite rubber duckies and baby dolls. It is also said to be found in other highly flexible toys like children's photo albums, purses and other toys.

If you are worried one or many of your children’s toys may contain this chemical, there are two ways of finding out. First you can look at the packaging, some PVC toys are labeled with a V or #3 inside the chasing arrows triangle usually located on the bottom of a product. If the product has the V or #3 then you know it is made of PVC and there is a high likelihood that the toy contains phthalates.

Although there is not a comprehensive list of toys that contains phthalates, HealthyToys.org has compiled a searchable list of some 1,200 toys. There is also another Web site called MomsRising.org that has taken advantage of new technology to provide parents with a way to check if a toy may have phthaltates with just a text message. Parents can text "healthytoys” with the name, type and manufacture of the toy to 41411, and MomsRising will instantly respond with a text message letting you know if the toy is toxic.

This information is especially important during this holiday season as many Host Families and Au Pairs look at buying gifts for the children they love and care for.

More information regarding toxic toys and how to avoid them can be found on the PBS Web site. There was also a special video report by NOW Senior Correspondent Maria Hinojosa, covering the toxic toys with more detailed information.

Have you ever found a piece of broccoli wrapped in a napkin in the garbage?

Some children just do not like fruits and vegetables. No matter how hard you try, you can't get them to eat the things that are the healthiest for them and their growing bodies. Plus, if your children spend their days at a child care center, there is an increased chance they won't eat as healthy as they would if they were cared for in your own home.

Because parents, Au Pairs, and child care centers all face the same problem, we wanted to share some ideas on how to help your children eat more fruits and vegetables.

Below are some great tips we found on how to help your children not only eat, but enjoy fruits and vegetables a little more.

1. Healthy breakfast
Fill your kids up on their fruit for the day at breakfast
a. Banana on toast, maybe with peanut butter
b. Cereal with fresh or dried fruit
c. Pancakes or waffles with fruit toppings
d. Fresh fruit smoothies and a yogurt and sliced fruit combo

2. Hide vegetables in a sauce
a. Grate and chop zucchini, carrots and spinach into pasta and cheese sauces
b. If they absolutely refuse to eat vegetables no matter what and pick them out the sauce, puree them and then add to the sauce

3. Add to dessert
a. Add fresh fruit pieces to Jello, yogurt or ice cream for a healthy treat
b. Puree fruit to use as homemade topping in place of chocolate or caramel syrup
c. Let your kids make their own fruit parfaits

4. Put vegetables into the meat
a. Grate vegetables in meat dishes
b. Hide grated vegetables in meatball, casseroles, meatloaf, shepherd's pie and lasagna
c. Try an all-vegetable lasagna
d. Make all-vegetable "hamburger" patties

5. One pot, many vegetables
a. Making homemade soups stews and chili are all easy ways to increase your family's intake of vegetables and fruit (yes, fruit!) Everything and anything healthy should go into the pot. Puree vegetables that the kids don't like and add them to the stock to use as a thickener
b. Make gazpacho, a fruit soup using mangos, yellow pepper, yellow tomatoes, carrot, cantaloupe, cucumbers, papayas, raspberry vinegar, honey and vanilla extract

6. Mystery foods
a. Use the kids' favorite cookies, cakes and breads as a cover for fruits and vegetables. Make sweet breads and desserts with vegetables - zucchini bread, sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie
b. Slip fruits and vegetables in all kinds of things: applesauce in cookies, zucchini in chocolate cake, and grated carrots in pasta sauce

7. Fast and healthy food
a. Homemade pizza. Give the kids tons of healthy toppings to choose from such as tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, spinach and pineapple. Let them make their own pizza
b. Tacos or fajitas can be a great way to get kids to add vegetables in various forms - diced tomatoes, salsa, etc
c. Stir fries - sugar peas, snow peas, spinach and carrots
d. Omelets - salsa, tomatoes

8. Keep fruit and vegetables handy
a. Keep washed fruit in a bowl nearby
b. Have ready-to-serve individual fruit cups in the fridge
c. Make up vegetable-and-dip packs for snacks
d. Serve fruit and vegetables as a side dish at meals

If you have any other tips about how you help your children eat healthy, let goAUPAIR know by leaving your comments below.

*Tips provided by 4MomsAtHome.com