Parents Want to Know 101

Welcome to Parents Want to Know 101. Parents Want to Know 101 was created for parents and those interested in parenting issues and trends, from birth to college, and beyond. It provides exposure to important and current information, relevant to raising a healthy, happy, independent, successful child. What should we, as adults, contribute to our families, the community, and our country to make this happen? The children are our future. Parents need one another; it does take a village.

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

When a Loved One is Missing

By Sharon Rose

Ajah Blackledge - FOUND and reunited with family.

Found! Each day that we awake and start our day, we seek happiness and a reason to smile. Yesterday, that happened for me when good news arrived, that missing person, 18 year-old Ajah Blackledge of Hoover, AL, missing for 4 weeks, had been found alive and well, in South Florida. Ajah’s uncle and aunt, Kenny and Dionne Blackledge of Atlanta, GA, are close family friends, so I followed this case closely with the hope that Ajah would be found, unharmed. Ajah had been missing since January 29, 2018, and from that moment on her family had been experiencing terrifying feelings of helplessness and fear. It is heartbreaking for parents and family when a child and loved one is missing and there's a fear they are in harm’s way. Through this dark time, the Blackledge family, diligently, worked with law officials, made use of print and network media, social media, flyers, supported one another, and appealed to the wider community to share Ajah’s picture. They worked hard to bring her home. They received an outpouring of help, support, and sharing of information about Ajah's missing person case. Yesterday, their shared dream for the last 4 weeks, came true. The light emerged! They join a small percentage of families that find their missing loved one, who was missing for this long. Now, for the Blackledge family, grieving for the loss of their missing loved one must transition in to a healing period.

At any given time, there are 100,000 active missing persons cases in the United States. Of the 692,944 people reported missing in 2010, 531,928 were under the age of 18. According to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC), 355,243 women were reported missing in 2010 compared to 337,660 men. The FBI reports that in 2016 there were 465,676 NCIC entries for missing children. Similarly, in 2015, the total number of missing children entries into NCIC was 460,699. Ajah Blackledge fits in the category of the 2% critically missing young adults, ages 18 to 20.

Ajah Blackledge, has been FOUND. Her family worked with the police department, created
press releases for social media, such as a Facebook page with updates; news media
interviews and; flyers; etc., to get the word out that their loved one was missing. *See our
resource list to find out what to do if you have a loved one who is missing.

Now that Ajah, a student at Lawson State Community College, has been found, the family can be reunited and start the process of healing. Previously missing persons, and their families who have experienced this kind of disruption in the family dynamic, should reach out to general physicians, mental health care providers, and if they desire, spiritual leaders, to start the road forward, to a better and brighter day. I send best wishes to Ajah and the Blackledge family as they travel the road, forward.

*More on the Ajah Blackledge Story:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/articles.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2018/02/missing_hoover_teen_ajah_black.amp

*Resources for Families of Missing Persons - What You Should Do:

https://www.trustify.info/blog/how-to-find-a-missing-person

https://www.nami.org/Find-Support/Family-Members-and-Caregivers/Finding-a-Missing-Loved-One

https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.wikihow.com/Find-a-Missing-Person%3famp=1

*Resources for Families of Missing Persons to Promote Healing:
http://inspireadifference.com/missing-person-resources/
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-469244

Thursday, February 22, 2018

How to Ease Painful Gums In Teething Babies

By Sharon Rose

Teething can be a very painful experience for babies. Parents feel miserable and helpless watching their baby go through this inevitable milestone of growth and development. Here are some solutions that can help baby and you feel better.

1. Rub your baby's gums. Use a clean finger, moistened gauze pad or damp washcloth to massage your baby's gums. The pressure can ease your baby's discomfort.

2. Offer a teething ring. Try one made of firm rubber. The liquid-filled variety might break under the pressure of your baby's chewing. Don't risk it. If a bottle seems to do the trick, fill it with cool water. Prolonged contact with sugar from formula, milk or juice contributes to tooth decay.

3. Keep all things cool. A washcloth, teething ring or spoon, chilled in the refrigerator, can be soothing on a baby's gums. Don't give your baby a frozen teething ring, however. Contact with frozen things can be harmful and damaging to gums.

4. Try hard foods. If your baby is eating solid foods, you might offer something edible for gnawing, such as a peeled and chilled cucumber or carrot. Keep a close eye on your baby, however. Any pieces that break off might pose a choking hazard.

5. Dry the drool. Excessive drooling is part of the teething process. To prevent skin irritation, keep a clean cloth handy to dry your baby's chin.

6. Try an over-the-counter remedy. If your baby is especially cranky, acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) might help. Avoid teething medications that contain the pain reliever benzocaine. Benzocaine products have been associated with methemoglobinemia, a rare but serious condition that reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood.

With these helpful tips, let's hope baby will be comforted and everyone can get a good night's sleep. Best wishes!

Copyright, How to Ease Painful Gums in Teething Babies, Sharon Rose, February 22, 2018. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Keeping Your Relationship Alive

by Sharon Rose

Parents, keep your relationship alive and fresh! To maintain and grow your love in a relationship, each partner must actively express love. Speak up! Don't be shy! Love is a strong emotional feeling that grows and needs care and attention to thrive. If not, the bond you share will, likely, begin to fade. The old adage that love is like a garden is true. You must give it care and attention for it to grow.

The primary benefit of the relationship is to receive and give love, affection, and to support each other as you seek to achieve your goals in life, especially those which benefit the family as a whole. If you want a long-lasting, successful relationship make a commitment to your partner’s emotional well-being, even when you feel it’s not easy. This means being affectionate towards your partner through the good and the bad, when it’s most needed, and when it is least expected. This is what will make your relationship strong and lasting.

Keep the romance alive in your relationship. Romance in the relationship will create so many special memories that will strengthen your bond for years to come. Both partners, from time to time, should plan something romantic, if no more than, a candle-lit dinner at home. However, it would be so special to get creative, like a trip to the spa for a couple’s massage, a moonlight picnic with a favorite wine, a dip in a sauna; and I’m sure you can think of more. Also, a simple kiss and a hug at the door to say good-bye for the day, and a kiss and hug to welcome one another home again, can be a romantic ritual that each partner looks forward to. Enjoy one another other! Enjoy love!