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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Identification Cards Help Find Lost Child

Lynn Gibson Correspondent

The lost-and-found station at amusement parks is not very popular but usually very populated with teary-eyed children waiting to be retrieved by parents. Being separated from mom and dad in a public place - even for a moment - can be traumatic for youngsters.

To ensure that family outings are safe as well as enjoyable, SAFE-T-CHILD offers these tips:

Carry a card with each child’s description including what the child is wearing. When frantic, parents have difficulty describing their child to officials.

Give each child an identification card to wear (hidden from view) which includes name, address, phone number and parents’ names. Children often forget important information when they become fearful.

Review personal safety before leaving home. Be sure your children know what to do if they get lost, where to go for help and how to handle strangers.

Select a “meeting” location at every public place to make children feel more confident and safe in case they get lost.

To receive a free copy of the SAFE-T-CHILD newsletter, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Jane French, SAFE-T-CHILD, 401 Friday Mountain Road., Austin, TX 78737. Or call (800) 935-5634 for information about SAFE-T-CHILD’S personal safety program.

Kids’ input requested

For children ages 10-14 who love to read, you are invited to participate in a review and discussion of children’s books to recommend for the Notable Books for Children Committee.

Led by Mary Bogdan-Hensold and Cecelia McGowan, the book group will gather every other Saturday beginning in September. For more information or to sign up, call Mary Bogdan-Hensold at 624-4820.

Summer child care

Although most parents have already made child-care arrangements this summer, it may be a good idea to observe the programs in action and evaluate them for your child-care needs next summer.

“The Parents’ Guide to Summer Child Care,” recently published by the Child Care Action Campaign, will help parents learn about options and resources available to them.

It covers child-care options, various camp alternatives and how to ascertain the quality of a staff and program. It also includes a brief safety guide, a comprehensive resource list and a checklist to help evaluate a child-care program.

To receive a copy, send $5 to: Child Care Action Campaign, 330 Seventh Ave., 17th floor, New York, NY 10001.

Looking for quality videos?

The Children’s Video Report is a newsletter that features the latest on quality video releases and includes hundreds of authoritative reviews, taking the guesswork out of choosing quality videos for children.

CVR is published eight times per year and each issue includes a four-star rating system, reviews of high-quality videos, previews of new releases and recent industry-related awards.

Martha Dewing, publisher of CVR, is author of several books related to the media and quality children’s programming.

For a subscription, send $45 payable to: Children’s Video Report, 335 Court St., Box 76, Brooklyn, NY 11231 or call (718) 935-0600.

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