Make This A Safer Summer For Your Child

Patti N. Laird is president of
Safer Kids And Homes, Inc.,
8843 S.W. 132nd Street, Miami, FL 33176.
For more information and free safety checklists, please stop by the store, call 305-854-KIDS or visit www.SaferKidsAndHomes.com.


Summer is fast approaching, a time when your children will be spending more time outdoors and in or around the water. Here in South Florida, water safety and sun protection need to be year-round concerns.
During the summer, however – with children out of school and engaged in more outdoor activities – you have to be even more vigilant. Here are some important sun and water safety tips to keep in mind this summer… and all year long.

Sun Safety
Skin cancer in both children and adults is on the rise, especially in Florida, but it can be prevented by following the American Academy of Dermatology’s ABC’s of Sun Protection.

The ABC’s Of Sun Protection

1. Away – Stay away from the sun in the middle of the day.
2. Block – Use SPF 15 or higher sunscreen.
3. Cover Up – Wear sun protective clothing, sunglasses and a hat.

Remember, just one bad sunburn as a child can dramatically increase your chances of developing skin cancer later in life. So make sure you’re doing everything you can now to keep your child from getting too much sun exposure.

Water Safety
In South Florida, drowning is the number one cause of death for children under the age of five. Yet, with proper knowledge, supervision and layers of protection, it is entirely preventable.
Teaching children to swim is valuable, yet not enough to prevent tragedies. Consider the following statistic: 75 percent of young drowning victims were in backyard swimming pools or other "friendly" bodies of water. They typically were under the supervision of one or both parents at the time, they were missing less than 10 minutes, and they were not expected to be in the pool area.

Prevent Drowning’s With Three Layers of Protection:

1. Adult Supervision: The first layer of protection to prevent drowning is constant and proper adult supervision. Do not rely on other children for supervision, or adults distracted by visitors, phone calls or other activities.
2. Door Devices: The second layer of protection is at the doors of your house. Child safety devices, high locks, or alarms should always be used on any doors leading to a pool, spa, pond or any other body of water.
3. Pool Fence: The third layer of protection – in addition to door devices – must be a barrier that completely surrounds the pool or spa, such as a 4-foot-high mesh pool fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate.
   

Sometimes, an installed pool alarm that extends down into the water can provide an additional layer of protection, but NOT as a substitute for all three primary layers detailed above.

Lastly, everyone who supervises children needs to know how to perform CPR, a skill that should be practiced regularly. In addition to the initial CPR classes available at most local hospitals, there are now good home training mannequins that parents and caregivers can practice on regularly. One is the CPR Teddy that provides vocal feedback on pressure and technique as you are practicing.
Whether you’re at home or away on vacation, indoors or outside, remember to follow these simple but important steps for sun and water safety.
Have a great – and safer – summer!

Every Roof Tells A Story

Fascinating facts about a house can be identified by its roof.
This under appreciated facet of every house is often nothing more than a roof. However, before you rush inside, step back and study the roof with an artistic point of view.
Whether composed of slate, tile, wood, metal or modern composites, nothing defines the personality of a house like the roof. An uncomplicated roof line will suggest quiet dignity, while an elaborate roof with cross-gables or turrets may seem like icing on an already delicious cake. Often, you will be able to identify the home’s overall architectural style simply by observing two key features: shape and pitch.
The type and shape of the roof on your home can help determine how well it will perform during a severe windstorm. A hipped roof is one that slopes upward from all sides of the building. Because of its aerodynamic properties and construction techniques, most hipped roofs will perform better in windstorms than the second roof type: a gabled roof.
A gabled roof has two slopes that come together to form a ridge or a peak at the top, each end resembles the letter A. Homes with gabled roofs are more likely to suffer greater damage. Collapse at the end wall, due to high winds, is common because they are often not braced correctly during construction.
Are you experiencing problems with a leaky roof? Has the wind taken a toll on your roof leaving you with missing shingles or tiles? At least twice a year, contact a roofing expert to perform a roof inspection as well as removing plants and/or other debris. During this inspection, broken or missing roofing material will be discovered and arrangements to make repairs can be made before major damage develops.
Do not paint roof shingles! This practise will shorten the life of the roof and despite the coating from the paint, will crack and fade. If the current look of your shingles is heavily cracked and faded, you should consider replacing the roofing material.
Depending on the age of your house, you may need a roofing contractor who is licensed to deal with Asbestos. The contractor should be able to inform you of this upon inspection; if they are not licensed to work with Asbestos, ask for someone they would recommend. Take advantage of the natural "coolness" of light colors. Instead of a dark roof, a light, reflective color can cut your electric demand by 70% during the summer months.
Do not power wash your roof. If your roof has leaves or other debris, hire a roofing expert to remove them by using a leaf blower or a by hand. The intense pressure of the water can have the same effect as severe weather.

Visit http://www.resourceliving.com/ for more details.

It's a Kitchen

Some businesses open their doors with Open House; Entrée Vous opened their’s with an Open Kitchen. And where you can prepare your take home food or order it for delivery. The concept is as fresh as the ingredients they use. For those of us who love to cook and eat healthy, but do not have the time, Entrée Vous offers an alternative that combines the best of both worlds. The food is prepared in-house by chef Nicole Puello. The final touches are given at home. In most cases it only involves placing the goodies in the oven and voila. Dinner is ready.
The menu changes every month and it includes a wide variety of fish, meats, vegetables and deserts. Their signature Mesa Verde flank steak stiffed with a mixture of spinach, cheese and mushrooms is appealing to the eyes and the palate. The Bavarian crusted pork chops with orange mustard sauce will make your mouth jump with excitement, and the apple cobbler is as decadent as it is delicious; just bake for 40 minutes and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Your family and guests will think you spent the entire day in the kitchen.
Whether you are cooking for two or 20, Entrée Vous has the solution. You can choose full or half portions. Items can be delivered if ordered 24 hours in advance. Owner-manager Patricia Rodriguez, a former clinical nurse, keeps the place shining, but the food is anything but sterile. Patrons can prepare the food themselves on the kitchen counter under the supervision of the chef. "Men love it, because by the end of the sessions, they actually feel like they have done all the cooking. The final step happens at home, just place it in the oven," says the chef. "We make sure all our ingredients are fresh. People want to eat healthy, but there are few alternatives, and it is usually time consuming. We are making this process as easy as possible," expressed Rodriguez with her characteristic wide smile.
The concept works like this. Go online and place the order a few hours in advance. Pick it up or have it delivered. Once you receive your food, follow the easy instructions and enjoy a healthy, delicious homemade meal with very little effort. Then spend your precious time around the table with family and leave the cooking to your friends at Entrée Vous.

More information at www.resourceliving.com and www.entreevous.com.