New tanning bed regulations
Spring breaks for school districts are right around the corner.
That means a lot of teenagers are going to be heading to a warm, sunny beach. Others are going to stay home while wanting to look like they’ve been to a tropical setting.
Proms and graduations also are in the near future for youngsters, giving them all sorts of reasons for heading to the nearest indoor tanning facility.
Whatever the case may be, parents especially need to be aware of new tanning regulations in Kentucky this spring and summer.
These regulations are designed to protect young tanners who frequent booths regularly, as well as tanning facility owners.
The Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) and local health departments now provide monitoring and oversight of tanning facilities.
Parental consent is now required for children and teenagers to tan. Teens between ages 14 and 17 must provide written parental consent to a tanning facility, and those consents must be kept on file in the facility.
Children younger than 14 must have a parent or legal guardian accompany them to the tanning facility.
Owners must offer proper warnings, eye protection and documentation of use. A facility also must provide a written statement to the consumer outlining warnings associated with tanning devices.
To view the Food and Drug Administration’s stance on teens and tanning, click here.
Absolutely Incredible Kid Day
Do you know a great kid? Do you want to tell that kid how special he or she is? Thursday, March 20, marks Camp Fire USA's 12th annual “Absolutely Incredible Kid Day.” This is an annual letter-writing campaign honoring children of all ages.
Basic words of support and kindness can make a big difference in a child's life. A letter using those words allows the child to hang onto that encouragement and return to it for inspiration and guidance, often for years to come.
According to the Camp Fire USA Web site, Absolutely Incredible Kid Day, celebrated annually on the third Thursday in March, is Camp Fire USA's national call to action asking adults to write letters of love and support to youth – sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, neighbors, even kids they don't know.
The goal of Absolutely Incredible Kid Day is for every child to receive a letter. It can be left on a pillow, mailed, stuck in a lunch box, e-mailed, read over the phone or read in person. Camp Fire USA wants parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, neighbors, educators, mentors and all adults to participate.
Need help putting your feelings down on paper?
Camp Fire USA offers these helpful tips to get started.
- Getting started can be the toughest part. Form a mental picture of the child and the things that you enjoy or appreciate about the child.
- Make a list of adjectives that describe the child: funny, honest, smart, skillful, helpful, caring...
- Begin with a favorite poem or a famous quote that has special meaning to you.
- Remember fun times or special moments you and the child have shared. Refer to these events and tell the child what you enjoyed about that time.
- Be specific and descriptive. Use humor. Try “Do you know what I like about you? I like it when you . . .”
- Don’t limit yourself to pen and paper. Send an encouraging e-mail, postcard or greeting card or simply tell the child how you feel, over the phone or face-to-face.
- Don’t worry about the length, and feel free to write it by hand. A short note can be cherished as much as a formal letter.
- Include things that you would like to hear in a letter that you might receive. Chances are, the incredible kid you're writing to feels the same.
- Be optimistic and future-focused; emphasize positive self-esteem.
Kentucky Agriculture Day
Thursday, March 20, is not only Absolutely Incredible Kid Day, but it is also Kentucky Agriculture Day.
Agriculture education in Kentucky strives to improve agricultural literacy by developing programs that increase consumer, educator and student awareness about agriculture. It instills an appreciation for our food and fiber system.
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s education program includes the Kentucky Agriculture and Environment in the Classroom; Project Food, Land & People; Mobile Science activity unit; agriculture awareness programs for adults and children; and the annual Agriculture Day poster and essay contest.
Take some time out of your day to talk to kids about the social and economic benefits
of Kentucky agriculture, and visit KDA’s Agriculture Education Web page. On this link, you’ll find a Kids’ Corner, a recommended reading list of agriculture-related literature and educational links for educators.
Share the road with motorcycles
Share the Road Kentucky, a program created by the Governor's Commission on Motorcycle Education and Safety, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education of the motorcycle-riding and non-riding public. This program was created to help reduce accidents between motorcycles and all other automobiles by teaching motorists to understand and respect a motorcyclist's needs and rights on Kentucky roadways.
Share the Road offers these safety tips for you and your children who are of driving age.
· Always try and judge the speed of a motorcycle by at least two seconds.
· Remember that a motorcyclist has the right to use an entire land and often does do to avoid bumps and cracks in pavement.
· Motorcycles are about 1/4 the size of cars, so you need to really stop and look before changing lanes or pulling into traffic.
· Treat motorcyclists with the same respect and courtesy as you afford other motorists.
· Use turn signals to indicate your next move.
· Poor weather, bad roads, flying debris, oil slicks or snarled traffic present dangerous situations for motorcyclists.
· Watch out when turning left. Most accidents happen where vehicles are turning left at an intersection. Wait for motorcycles to pass through intersections before pulling into traffic.
Children’s study looking for participants
Melody Keller, M.A. and Michelle Craske, Ph.D. are conducting a free child anxiety study at UCLA. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not anxious children between the ages of 6 and 12 and their mothers can benefit from a cognitive-behavioral skills-based program delivered over the Internet.
Eligible mothers and children are randomly assigned to one of two 12-week conditions: an Internet program condition or a waitlist condition. People placed in the waitlist condition will be given access to the Internet program at the end of the study.
People from across the United States are welcome to join this study. Parents and children will not need to come into the research lab. Everything will be conducted online or over the telephone.
Anyone interested in this study can call (310) 206-1128.
Latest Kentucky Education Issues available on Web
The newest episode of Kentucky Education Issues, a television program hosted by Education Commissioner Jon E. Draud, is now available on the Kentucky Department of Education’s Web site.
To access the program, visit the KDE Web site at http://www.education.ky.gov and click on the link under “Headlines.” Or, click on “News Room” and access the link for the program.
The half-hour program features lively discussion with leading educators and policy makers concerning topics important to students, teachers and taxpayers.
Program #2 features interviews with Senate Education Committee Chair Ken Winters and House Education Committee Chair Frank Rasche. The theme is education legislation.
Kentucky Education Issues is produced by KDE’s Virtual Learning Branch primarily for Insight Cable in northern Kentucky and its affiliates throughout the state. The program also will air on the Kentucky Channel (KET3). Check local listings for specific times and availabilities.
Upcoming days of interest
· St. Patrick's Day (March 17)
· Late registration deadline for April 12 ACT (March 21)
· Easter Sunday (March 23)
· ACT make-up day (March 25)
· April Fool’s Day (April 1)
· World Health Day (April 7)
· Income taxes due (April 15)