Dream Ellison is celebrating National Bath Safety Month! Bath time is a wonderful moment for a baby to learn their parents’ touch. Bath time is also an opportunity to check an infant’s skin for rashes, healing of the umbilical area, and their overall appearance. For new parents, a simple list of items you will likely need to make bath time a success are changing pad; baby bath towel; baby soap; baby shampoo; diapers; clean clothes (i.e. pajamas); wash cloth; and rinse cup. National Bath Safety Month is a great time to think about bath safety for everyone in your family and learn about extra precautions you can take for the youngest members of our household. To reduce injuries, there are strong recommendations parents should follow if they own an infant tub. When using an infant tub bath, set the bath tub on a sturdy surface. The surface should also be level. After the infant tub is setup and in place, fill the bath with enough warm water to cover/reach the baby’s shoulders. Cut the water off before setting your baby in the tub. Keep water around 100° Fahrenheit (F) or 37.8° Celsius (C); it should feel warm, not hot. Parents should remember young children have thinner skin resulting in deeper burns than adults for the same temperature and exposure time to a scalding substance.  Use your inner arm to feel the water and determine if it is comfortable. After bath, dry and dress the baby quickly to avoid chill.  Other bath time safety tips for infants to keep in mind include: 1.       Supervise your child and do not leave them unattended. Drowning is a serious risk and parents should keep children in sight at all times during bath time. Babies should always be kept within arm’s reach. 2.       Children are sensitive to temperature. Ensure water is not too hot before starting bath time. Bathtub thermometers are available to measure water temperatures and provide precise temperature readings. 3.       Bath chairs are not recommended if your child cannot sit up unassisted. Additionally, bath seats may give parents a false sense of security. Be cautious that children can tip forward or sideways in the water if the suction cups become detached from the tub. 4.       Your baby’s umbilical cord will likely fall off 1 to 2 weeks after they are born. Give your baby sponge baths until the umbilical cord falls off. After the umbilical cord falls off or a circumcision heals, you can use a sink or baby tub. Please note: If you prefer tub baths, we recommend checking with the healthcare provider caring for your baby since some healthcare providers do not feel a tub bath increases the risk of infection while skin is healing. Bath time safety tips for older children include: 1.       Teach your child bath time safety rules. A best practice is to stay seated during the bath. Hold a grab bar or your parent’s hand when standing up. 2.       Babyproof the tub. Invest in a spout cover and/or padding. 3.       Don’t touch the water handles. The will reduce the chance of an accidental scalding. Hot water can scald children at 120° Fahrenheit (F) or 48.9° Celsius (C). 4.       While teaching your child to sit (not stand) in the tub, consider introducing new bath toys or alternating existing bath toys. This may be enough to keep your little one sitting down. 5.       Follow the infant bath tub manufacturer’s recommendation for maximum fill levels. For full size tubs, we recommend that you fill the bath with water no more than waist high (in a sitting position). 6.       Use a non-slip bathmat in the bath if your bath does not have a non-slip surface. 7.       Turn the water off before putting the infant in the tub. This will prevent the water from becoming too deep. Bath time safety tips for children of all ages include: 1.       Keep the room warm so your child does not get cold. 2.       Bathe your child quickly to avoid chilling. 3.       Minimize Distractions. Just like chefs practice mise en place before preparing a meal, parents have to plan ahead to avoid distractions during bath time. Get everything ready in advance so you can stay with your child for bath time – towel, washcloth, clean clothes. If you think your cell phone might distract you, consider turning your phone to silent and leaving it in a safe space out of reach/sight of little ones or their siblings. Beware of any other distractions that could take you away from the bath or make you lose track of time. 4.       Let the water out as soon as bath time is over. Other safety tips parents should consider include: 1.       Learn First Aid. If you don’t have time to take a course, consider a visit to a local fire department whenever they have an open house. During open house, some fire departments have on-site CPR Manikins (adult and infant), provide on the spot instructions on how to perform CPR, and allow you to practice doing chest compressions. 2.       Perform a deep clean of bath time tools. Similar to establishing a schedule for the cleaning of potty training tools, we recommend cleaning bath time tools periodically. If you have a house cleaning service on a regular schedule, this can serve as a reminder to do a deep clean on bath time items. If you perform all the cleaning around the household, remember to deep clean the children’s bath time tools when cleaning the bathroom.

Parents start potty training their children are different times and what “works” for one child doesn’t necessarily work for the next. Consistency is key but there are other factors to consider too. We recommend parenting to the child you have. When having a setback, negative reinforcement may cause a child to shut down or have a negative association with using the potty. Using positive reinforcement will make an already stressful situation more tolerable. When negative reinforcement is needed, success has been noticed when rewards or treats were taken away. The “treat” does not have to be desserts or sweets. It can be going or not going to a favorite park or any activity that has “value” to the child. With the thought that potty training is an inevitable part of life, we recommend purchasing training pants whenever you stumble across them at a discount price. Purchasing training pants in sizes 2T/3T and 3T/4T have a very high chance of being used. And the good news is that any pants that you don’t use can be turned into a useful children’s birthday gift that almost any parent can use. Occasionally, there will be a time where training pants (and diapers too) are discounted so well, that they’re hard to say no to even if they’re designed for a specific gender. Until a child reached 3-3.5 years old, they’re probably not focused on whether there’s a girl or boy character on the front of their training pants. If there is a concern about the “optics” of which training pants are being worn, you would simply let them pee and/or poop in them at home and use other training pants when going to daycare or out and about. Other basic potty training tips include but are not limited to: 1. Determine if your child is ready for potty training. Determine if they’re interested in the potty. 2. Take your child to buy big kid underwear. This can turn into a bonding experience as you pick a favorite character and talk about staying “dry”. 3. Establish a potty schedule. It’s helpful to know going to the potty is a routine thing.  4. Sing a potty training song. Tinkle Tinkle Little One is a modern classic but there are plenty of song ideas online. 5. If you have floors are hardwood, vinyl, or easy to clean, foregoing training pants altogether is an option. We recommend having paper towels handy.  6. Read a potty training book. Tinkle Tinkle Little One was also adapted to a best selling potty training book but there are plenty of books online. 7. It’s encouraged to teach boys how to pee sitting down. Once they have advance from novice to expert, it’s a great time to try peeing standing up.  8. Once boys start peeing standing up, invest in store brand “O” shaped cereal. This is a cheaper alternative than purchasing potty “targets” online.  Please message dreamellisonllc@gmail.com (mailto:dreamellisonllc@gmail.com)if you have questions or comments about this article and to find out about Eartha’s United Learning Advocacy (EULA) Program. The EULA Program is named after Eartha Blocker, a retired educator and avid reader. Ms. Blocker is a proud alumna of Morris College. The goal of EULA is to provide independently owned and home based daycare / preschools with quality books that make learning about staying healthy fun. As a book publisher, we collaborate with other authors who focus on early education. Please contact us to find out how to have your book promoted and distributed with EULA.

This is the first movie I've taken my kid too and we both loved it. Princess Peach was beautifully done. Mario was a reluctant hero. Every character in the movie has a unique personality. The plot was straightforward but..... ***spoiler alert*** we never found out who the Spy/Source was. My best guess is Toad. What are your thoughts? We recommend this movie. It has action, comedy, and Princess Peach brings the girl power.

Are you planning for a Staycation? The Preschool Pass grants kids ages 3-5 complimentary, unlimited admission to Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Water Country USA. Passes are valid for unlimited visits to both parks until October 31, 2023 (your registration and first visit must occur in person by May 31, 2023). This pass is only available if you register online. Once enrolled, you’ll receive an e-ticket you will need to print out and bring with you, along with a valid form of ID verifying your child’s birthday (see website for important details). Preschool Pass DOES NOT include admission to Christmas Town or parking. This special offer is only valid for the registered child and not for parents/guardians. Click here to find answers to frequently asked questions.

This is an enjoyable movie to watch with a straightforward plot. There's a little bit of action, comedy, and romance. Channing Tatum and Daniel Radcliff brought the comedy. I found Sandra Bullock's character relatable. The movie makes the viewing audience think about stepping out of your comfort zone. Sometimes you willingly step out of your comfort zone or in this movie plot....you're forced to step out of your comfort zone. Daniel Radcliff was entertaining as a bad guy. The run time factored in my decision to watch this movie. This movie will cost you about 1.5 hours of time. It's long enough to enjoy escaping into a new adventure but short enough that you can start and finish a load of laundry without skipping a beat.

The Debbie Doğrul Resilience Scholarship, funded by The DDA Love Foundation -- the non-profit charitable organization of Debbie Doğrul Associates, LLC. (eXp Realty) -- seeks to give a $3,000 one-time scholarship to a high school senior who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity and is on an upward trajectory, academically and personally. The student should represent the core values of Dedication, Diligence, and Attentiveness (DDA) and apply them to their community, school, academics and/or friends/family. This scholarship is for any student who plans to attend a 2-year community college, a 4-year college/university, or a vocational/technical school. The student should have a minimum 2.5 grade point average. The student should demonstrate in a brief essay on how these core values are reflected in their life, how they have overcome adversity and how this scholarship will help their financial needs. Six scholarships will be awarded. Must apply by March 31, 2023. More information is available at https://www.teamdda.com/scholarship. This scholarship is only open to seniors from these schools: Annandale HS, Lewis HS, Lake Braddock HS, Robinson HS, West Springfield HS, and Woodson HS.

We have a subscription to Noggin' and use the service everyday. The girls of our family love Butterbean's Cafe and Shimmer and Shine. Team Umizoomi, Rusty Rivets, Bubble Guppies are also faves of ours. Noggin also features Paw Patrol, Santiago of the Seas, and more!

I finally found time to watch Jurassic World Dominion and really liked it. The script was well written and I loved the new characters! If you're a fan of the Jurassic World movies, then this is a great sequel. It's definitely worth checking out!

I'm a mom, wife, sister, aunt, and daughter. I am creator of "Don't Wake the Baby" inspired signs. In my free time, my family and I enjoy attending local events. It's my love of exploring new places and things that inspired me to create this forum. In my free time, I'm also an avid movie watcher and certified newborn care specialist. You can see highlights from some of your excursions at youtube.com/@explorewithdreamellison

Q: Was the movie Black Adam overrated? A: It appears a lot of money was spent on marketing but the movie was just okay. The actors played their parts well but the script needed more meat. Alot of hype was put into the movie and come across as overrated.