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“Can you spell your mommy’s name, too?” Expecting to hear her spell the name Lindsay, Maya said, “Yes. M-O-M!” READ MORE
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ALSO | FAMILY NEWS BITES | FAST FACT The second-largest age group in Orange County is comprised of 5-14-year-olds, with about 450,000 of the 3.1 million residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. BEATLES LULLABY Babies can listen to ‘Yesterday,’ today John, Paul, Ringo and George, those rascally Beatles, wrote numerous tunes that children of any age can enjoy. Now, there is an album for the youngest ears. The “Rockabye Baby” series of CDs, which grab onto famous bands and develop lullabies from their works, has now captured the Beatles. The CD became available in mid-March. For parents who know the music intimately, here is the track listing: “Yesterday” “Across The Universe” “Michelle” “Strawberry Fields Forever” “I’m Only Sleeping” “Hey Jude” “Something” “Yellow Submarine” “Here There and Everywhere” “Here Comes The Sun” “And I Love Her” “If I Fell” Information: babyrockrecords.com Ethical lending 5 tips to help do it right with a home loan As summer approaches, many families make a home change. Here are five tips to examine when the home mortgage questions arrive: [1] Ask for referrals. Referrals from friends, family and colleagues are one of most effective ways to locate an ethical lender. [2] Shop around. Call each referred lender to compare loan terms. Keep in mind that anything out of the ordinary, like an interest rate dramatically below what others are quoting, is a red flag. Check your lender’s credibility with your local Better Business Bureau or the Upfront Mortgage Brokers Association, upfrontmortgagebrokers.org. [3] Check with the government. Draw on these government agencies that have jurisdiction over lenders to help narrow your search: • The Federal Reserve Board of Governors (federalreserve.gov) oversees state-chartered banks, trust companies belonging to the Federal Reserve • The FDIC (fdic.org) supervises state-chartered banks not belonging to the Federal Reserve • The Office of the Controller of the Currency (occ.treas.gov) has jurisdiction over banks with “National” or “N.A.” in their names • The National Credit Union Administration (ncua.gov) oversees federally-charted credit unions • The Office of Thrift Supervision (ots.treas.gov) watches over federal savings and loans, and federal savings banks • The Bureau of Consumer Protection (ftc.gov) covers other miscellaneous members [4] Leverage the Web. Websites provide consumers with easy access to loan information and rates. [5] Test your lenders before signing on the dotted line. Get a good-faith estimate from multiple lenders, which lists the fees and costs you will have to pay when you close your loan. Some of these fees are set and will not fluctuate, but things like points and origination fees can change – sometimes daily. Information provided by Loan.com Grey’s Anatomy’ effect? Doctor is the top career choice of teen girls Call it the “Grey’s Anatomy” effect, but “Doctor” is the top career choice of teen-aged girls, according to a new poll released by JA Worldwide (Junior Achievement) and Verizon. “Teacher” was the second choice, followed by “Businessperson.” Based on the responses of 1,500 teens between the ages of 13 and 19, 10% of girls said that “Doctor” was their ideal job, up from 8.3% in 2004. In 2004, “Businessperson” was the top career choice of teen girls. There has been a steady increase in the percentage of girls interested in careers as doctors since 2004. “While we have no way of proving it, one might see a correlation between the rise of popularity in a medical drama like ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ whose target audience is young adult women, and an increase in interest in the medical profession among girls,” says Dr. Darrell Luzzo, senior vice president of education for JA Worldwide. “We saw a similar effect in 2004 when ‘The Apprentice’ was very popular during its first season. That year, ‘Businessperson’ was the top career choice of girls. It was the only year since we started this poll that ‘Businessperson’ was the top career choice of girls.” According to the poll, “Businessperson” is the top career choice of boys, with 14% responding that it was their “Ideal Job.” “Professional Athlete” was their second choice at 9.4% and “Computer Field” was No. 3 at 7.8%. California’s low grade In OC, it’s better than advertised, superintendent states California earned two Fs, two Ds, three Bs and two As in a recent report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the nation’s public education system. However, Orange County’s superintendent says that it is inaccurate to lump a part into the whole. Overall, the chamber’s brutal assessment noted that the nation’s school systems are failing their students. “The business community cannot sit on the sidelines while another generation loses its chance at the American Dream,” says Tom Donohue, chamber president and CEO. “Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness,” graded nine categories and offered recommendations on reform (go to uschamber.com/-reportcard). California received Fs for Academic Achievement as well as Achievement Among Low-income and Minority Students. It received an A for Rigor of Standards and 21st Century Teaching Force (preparing teachers of the future). The D grades were in the categories of Return on Investment and Data Quality. The B grades were in Flexibility of Policy, Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness, and Truth in Advertising about student proficiency. Says Bill Habermehl, OC superintendent of schools: “They lump Orange County into all that, and that’s not fair. Our schools are doing an incredible job.” He believes the A grade for rigorous standards is well-deserved. Missing in the assessment is the life skills that are helping turn today’s students into eligible workers, he says. These include guidance in teamwork, attitude and other ways of communicating well. “Most people get fired because they don’t get along with other people, they come to work late, etc.” He also says that OC school districts – particularly Santa Ana Unified, with its heavy Latino population and low-income students – are doing well, and increasingly well, in academic acievement. More students than ever are scoring high on the SATs and seeking out college. Habermehl suggests that studies like this have a bit of a Los Angeles tint to it. If L.A. is doing poorly, the rest of the state must be, as well. “In Orange County, our schools are doing a heck of a job and we’re heading in the right direction.” OBESITY AND GIRLS Onset of early puberty is one side effect Earlier puberty in girls may be triggered by obesity, researchers at a children’s hospital suggest. Increases in body mass index between age 3 and first grade may prompt early puberty, defined as the presence of breast development by age 9. “(This provides) additional evidence that growing rates of obesity among children in this country may be contributing to the trend of early maturation in girls,” says lead author, Dr. Joyce Lee, of the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. Its new study was published in the March issue of the journal,Pediatrics. Studies show that American girls are entering puberty at younger ages than 30 years ago. This may be an important reason why. In earlier studies, Lee explains, “it was unclear whether puberty led to the weight gain or weight gain led to the earlier onset of puberty. Our study offers evidence that it is the latter.” Some 354 girls were studied. The early onset of puberty may lead to higher rates of behavioral problems and stress, along with increased rates of adult obesity and reproductive cancer. Asthma Bad air, hard breathing, steps to take The recent early spring fires that blanketed Orange County with smoke, and other fires expected during a particularly dry spring and summer throughout the county and Inland Empire, could fuel a struggling child’s breath. According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, some 750,000 children are taken into an emergency department each year because of asthma. The organization suggests that a management plan be in place to deal with any issues. “Spring is an ideal time to put together an asthma management plan, before the real trouble starts with the fall allergy and winter flu seasons,” says Dr. Rita Cydulka of MetroHealth Medical Center/Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. If you are not sure whether your child has asthma, but he or she has the symptoms of asthma (coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath), talk to your doctor. How and when medications are used may vary from season to season, dependant on an individual child’s triggers. These include: • Exercise • Colds and flu • Laughing or crying hard • Allergens from plants, animals, house dust, cockroach droppings or mold • Irritants such as smoke from fires, cold air, chemicals Be sure to get your child a flu shot as soon as they are available in the fall. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that only 30% of children with asthma get the flu shot, even though flu can be fatal for people with asthma. Older children (ages 11-17) have the lowest rate of emergency department visits, but the highest rate of death from asthma. It suggests that although they are more independent than younger children in many areas, they still need close monitoring by their parents for signs that their asthma symptoms are worsening and in need of medical attention. FAMILY NEWS BITES EQUESTRIAN CENTER COMPLETES FIRST PHASE The J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center recently completed the first phase of its redevelopment project. Dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities through riding programs, the San Juan Capistrano equine facility includes a 40-stall barn, two covered arenas, two uncovered arenas, two round pens and a veterinary/shoer area. CAMP FOR MOMS Weekends of Women, Inc. (WOW) will offer a 48-hour getaway for moms June 8-10 in Palomar mountains of North San Diego County. Campers can do as little or as much as they like. Among the numerous options, hiking, arts and crafts, body pampering and more are offered. Visit weekendsofwomen.com for details. NEWPORT HARBOR TEAM WINS CULINARY COMPETITION Students from Newport Harbor High School recently took first place at the fifth annual California ProStart Culinary Competition. Teams were awarded points in several categories, including presentation and product taste. The first-place winners in the culinary competition are Alex Gonzales, Steve Smeets, Cody McDonald and Tyler Wolk. HOSTS FOR EXCHANGE STUDENTS NEEDED World Heritage, a public benefit organization, is looking for local families to host high school students from Italy, Australia, France, Germany, Thailand, Japan, Russia, China, Switzerland and Denmark. For information, visit world-heritage.org or call 949.310.5612. PRENTICE SCHOOL TO OPEN PRE-K CLASS A new pre-kindergarten class is scheduled to open this fall at Prentice School in Santa Ana. The private, nonprofit institution serves children with dyslexia from four Southern California counties. Research shows that the earlier learning difficulties are recongnized and addressed, the better a child’s chance for success. Information: 714.538.4511. FITNESS COMPLEX OPENS AT OCC Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa recently dedicated its 49,000-square-foot fitness complex. The two-story structure includes a large multipurpose room, training facility, cardio lab, housing 57 pieces of cardio equipment, strength lab and more. FUNDRAISER FOR SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES Parents Without Partners and Active Single Parents will host a Casino Night/Silent Auction at 6 p.m. May 20 at Mezzanine Restaurant in Irvine. Proceeds benefit the South Orange County Chapter. Information: activesingleparents.org - Reported and compiled by OC Family Magazine staff |
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