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Edited by Sara Chana Silverstein

Baking Soda Fun Clay

This clay can be molded into a menorah, a Star of David, an old-fashioned oil jug, a mezuzah cover, or a sefer Torah.

Items needed:

1) 2 cups baking soda
2) 1 cup corn starch
3) 1-1/4 cups water
4) Food coloring (optional)
5) Cookie cutters in various shapes (menorah, Star of David, heart, boy, girl, etc.)
6) Circle magnets (optional) for refrigerator magnets
7) Safety pins to make fancy pins (optional)
8) Pretty colored string to make hanging ornaments (optional)
9) Acrylic paints (optional)

In a saucepan, stir together baking soda and corn starch. Add water and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is the consistency of moist mashed potatoes (approximately 10-15 minutes). If you wish, you may add a few drops of food coloring to color the dough. Turn the mixture out onto a plate and cover with a damp cloth until it is cool enough to handle.

Roll out clay to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. The clay can take 12 hours to harden. When it begins to harden slightly, you can add magnets or safety pins, or poke a hole through the top and slip string through to make an ornament. When shapes dry and harden, you can paint them with acrylic paints.


Swallowing Toothpaste Can Be Dangerous to Children

A new Food and Drug Administration ruling requires that all fluoride toothpastes carry a label warning of the dangers of swallowing too much toothpaste. As quoted in the Pediatrics for Parents newsletter, the three toothpaste ingredients that pose health risks are:

  • Sorbitol, a laxative that can cause diarrhea in children
  • Sodium lauryl sulfate, which can also cause diarrhea
  • Fluoride, which in high doses is a poison that can cause fluorosis, which discolors or spots developing teeth.

The Tufts University Diet and Nutrition Letter warns that "children younger than age six tend to swallow rather than spit out toothpaste . . . Fluoride from the toothpaste is then absorbed by the body, which can lead to fluorosis in youngsters who are already getting plenty of fluoride through fluoridated drinking water or fluoride supplements. Dentists recommend that until the age of six, children should be supervised while they brush their teeth. They should use only a pea-size amount of toothpaste, which should be spit out after brushing."

Many dentists suggest that parents avoid sparkling, fruit-flavored, or yummy-tasting bubble gum toothpastes — since the temptation to swallow these is great — and that all toothpaste be kept out of the reach of small children.


Reading Aloud to Children

According to Marilyn J. Adams, a scientist and the author of Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning About Print, "The single most important activity for building the knowledge and skills eventually required for reading appears to be reading aloud to children. In this, both the sheer amount of and choice of reading materials seem to make a difference. Greatest progress occurs when the vocabulary and syntax of the materials are slightly above the child's own level of linguistic maturity."

Reading to children is essential; it is fun and entertaining for the child, and gives parents the opportunity to develop their kids' problem-solving skills. Reading stimulates curiosity, vocabulary development, and the love of learning.

Masha Mitchell, an early reading specialist trained in reading recovery, adds that "the key ingredient for the child is to hear how properly phrased language sounds. And by questioning the child about the story, you help to develop the child's critical-thinking skills."

Sterna Citron, a parent, writer, and educator, says: "Your children see by your choice of stories who their heroes and heroines are supposed to be; teaching this way is very powerful and instills proper messages in a subtle and gentle way."

Don't stop reading aloud in the elementary years; continue through adolescence. Here are some tips for reading aloud to children (adapted from early primary educational transition grant materials):

1. Read to children from birth;
2. Deliver the story slowly, to enable the child to build mental pictures of what is being heard;
3. Remember that children enjoy hearing their favorite books over and over;
4. Involve the children. Ask questions about the story, have them anticipate events, and ask them how they would have reacted to situations in the stories.

Following are some suggestions for reading aloud. These also make great Chanukah gifts.

Why the Ba'al Shem Tov Laughed: Fifty-two Stories About Our Great Chasidic Rabbis (Jason Aronson), by Sterna Citron

This collection of stories is well-written and exciting. Sterna Citron is a master storyteller who captivates her audience and teaches morals in a loving, gentle manner. This book will be enjoyed and treasured by anyone over age five.

Nine Spoons: A Chanukah Story (Hachai), by Marci Stillerman

Nine Spoons is based on an actual incident that occurred in a Nazi concentration camp the last winter of World War II. The heroines in this story are an enchanting group of women. How they sacrificed to build an amazing menorah is inspiring and uplifting. This book is appropriate for ages two and a half and up, and is beautifully illustrated.


Exercise for The Elderly

Q I heard that rocking in a rocking chair is actually a form of exercise for senior citizens. Is this true?

A The answer is yes, according to the Johns Hopkins Medical Letter Health After 50. The newsletter states that "disabled or frail older adults seeking a gentle form of exercise should consider rocking in a rocking chair. Although most think of rocking as relaxing, a study of 65-95-year-olds found that it slightly raised heart rates."


Refrigerator Temperature

Q I've heard that I'm supposed to check the temperature inside my refrigerator during the summer and the winter. What is the best way to check, and what should the temperature be?

A The ideal refrigerator temperature is between 33°F and 40°F, according to Stephen Elder, as quoted in Bottom Line Personal. He goes on to say, "To check the temperature, put a thermometer in a glass of water on the middle shelf, leave it overnight, and read it the first time you open the refrigerator the next day." After you get the reading, adjust your controls as needed to maintain the proper temperature.