Ask Emily: Prepare kids for trip
By Susan Pugh on Aug. 06, 2008
Dear Emily: I have to fly across country for the first time in a month with my two young children, ages 2 and 4. I am dreading the trip because I know people have very little tolerance for children on flights. Got any tips for traveling?
- Kids in the friendly skies
Dear Kids in the friendly skies: I had a friend once suggest to me that children should only be “allowed” to fly in extreme emergencies. Obviously, he didn’t have any kids and didn’t want to be annoyed with the constant screaming, kicking of chairs or whiny behavior. But let’s face it, children do take trips on airplane, and there is little we parents can do when they start acting up. Little - but not nothing. First, prepare your children beforehand about what they are going to experience. If you teach them things about take-offs and turbulence, they are less likely to get scared and react badly when these things occur. Second, bring new books, movies or (quiet) toys to keep your children occupied. Third, when making reservations, ask for contiguous seats so you’ll all be together. And finally, keep on schedule. Make sure your kids get a good night’s sleep before a big trip and aren’t overly tired before the fun even starts.
Dear Emily: My friend is really into homemade cosmetics, and she makes her own soaps, shampoos, lip balm and other things. She wants me to try them, too, but I’m worried that these things aren’t as safe as what you buy at the store. What do you know about homemade cosmetics?
- Safety first
Dear Safety first: A lot of people enjoy mixing their own oils and herbs to create the perfect beauty product for themselves, but there are always risks involved when using a product on your skin that isn’t subject to FDA inspections. You have to consider that commercial products are supposed to be manufactured in clean and regulated conditions. Homemade cosmetics, however, are often made in someone’s kitchen, which may not be clean (I know mine isn’t). This doesn’t mean you have to avoid your friend’s products, but it does mean you have to take some extra precautions. For example, do test dabs of the products. Make sure you aren’t allergic to anything in these homemade goodies by taking a little bit of the product and dabbing it on your inner arm. If you develop any burning, itching, or pain, you obviously don’t want to use any more. Also, if you’re pregnant, don’t take any chances with natural care products that you feel uncertain about.
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