Kathryn Smith

Being a parent, running from activity to activity with your children can be taxing on everyone. But more than any other activity, the benefits of enrolling your children in swimming lessons cannot be overlooked. Not only do swimming lessons provide a lifesaving set of skills, it’s surprisingly good for the body and the brain.

Here are five keys reasons to consider swim lessons for your children and how you can find great swimming options for your family near you.

1. Swim lessons reduce the risk of drowning.

When it comes to the health of your children, consider the benefits of diving in the deep end. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is a leading cause of unintentional injury death among all age groups of children, but especially for children aged 1–4 years. The best way to counteract this statistic — enroll your children in swimming lessons. The American Academy of Pediatrics found that children enrolled in swimming lessons had an 88% reduced risk of drowning.

More interestingly, it is estimated that 37% of adult Americans cannot swim, according to the Centers for Disease Control. So if you fall into this minority, consider joining your children in their weekly lessons.

2. Swimming does a body good.

Swimming is a great recreational sport that can be used for many types of fitness activities and fun. Time spent in the pool works every muscle, from head to toe, and can actually help youngstersdevelop long, lean muscles and general muscle endurance. Not only that, the gentle, low-impact nature of swimming is great for growing bodies, improving flexibility, and strengthening core muscles.

3. Physical activity boosts brainpower.

There is no arguing science when it comes to the link between fitness and academic achievement. Study after study has shown that when children are active, their test scores and overall academic achievement increases. In fact, researchers have found that math scores, in particular, can improve greatly when young children engage in physical fitness activities, whether it is swimming or just playing a game of tag.

4. Low cost to get started.

Unlike other sports and recreational activities, swimming requires very little investment in equipment. Most people own a swimsuit, and that is usually all you need to get started. If your child progresses in the sport, you may need to invest in a good pair of goggles and a swim cap, but the cost comparison to other individual and team sports is substantially lower.

5. Kids who swim get the benefits of individual and team dynamics.

Sports and physical activities push children out of their comfort zones when it comes to competing, physical capabilities, and working as a team. Recreational swimming provides independent and group challenges, encouraging children to hone their individual skills and work together to help one another in games and group activities. Competitive swimming has many event options, including both individual and team races. So regardless of the activities or the level of competition your children choose to participate in, swimming can provide great skill development when it comes to confidence, teamwork, encouragement, and friendly competition.

How To Find Swimming Lessons Near You

Finding the right location to enroll your children in swimming lessons doesn’t need to be difficult. Check out these great local options near you.

Find Your Local YMCA

With a focus on the community, many YMCA’s offer a variety of educational and sports activities for youth. Find a YMCA in your local community using the handy search option on the homepage of theYMCA USA website. Once you pinpoint the locations near you, determine if your local YMCA has a pool and check out their class schedules.

Check Your Local Recreation Department

Many local recreational departments offer swimming lessons at high schools and community pools. Many communities have a Seasonal Recreator or Program Guide, which outlines the upcoming activity and sport schedules offered to local residents. Check out your local recreation department to see if they offer classes for youngsters in your area. Be aware that some smaller communities join together and offer services at a central community location.

Private Swimming Schools

As with many sports nowadays, there has been an increase in the number of privately-run institutions. Swimming schools are no exception. While the costs are often higher at a private swim school, you know you are getting true expertise with highly-trained staff and facilities dedicated solely to swimming education. Use your local Google search to find swim schools in your area.

Swimming offers many great benefits for your children. I wish you the best of luck as you search for the right swimming options for your family.

SOURCE:  West Bend, Posted by Scott Stueber on Mar 1, 2016 9:00:00 AM

Buying a new car can be exciting and scary. I love the new car smell and all the new features that come with it.

For me, however, the scary part is driving it off the lot. No, it’s not the depreciation. It’s the fact that my new baby (investment) is now out on the open road. All of a sudden, I’m worried about stone chips, road debris, and other drivers … things I normally don’t think about after I get my first ding or scratch.

While it’s not fun to buy auto insurance, imagine life without it. We would be responsible for paying for damages out of our own pockets for things like:

• Medical bills;
• Legal fees;
• Property repair; and
• Actual repairs to our car and others.

When you purchase auto insurance, you protect your family, and your investment. And when it comes to purchasing insurance, many factors determine your premium. Unfortunately, people believe various myths about how insurance premiums are calculated. The infographic below identifies some of these myths and explains them so you have a better understanding of how auto insurance works.

For additional resources on auto insurance, check out the links below.

• You just had an accident with your rental car. Now what?
• Understanding car insurance
• Insuring classic cars
• Auto coverage gaps for grown children who don’t live with you
• Do you know what Car Damage Replacement Coverage is?

SOURCE:  WEST BEND, Posted by Scott Stueber on Feb 23, 2016 11:11:30 AM

It has been awhile since I have had to think about childproofing my home; however, as my younger cousins begin having children, and friends become grandparents, I thought it would be an interesting topic to research. For those of us who have older children, safety tips and recommendations have changed.

According to the CDC, more than 9.2 million children are treated in emergency departments for unintentional injuries that occur around the home. So if you’re a new parent or grandparent, here are some tips for creating a safe environment in your home.

Kitchen

• Clutter free counter tops. A child’s world is expanded significantly once he/she learns how to crawl or walk. Since a lot of time is spent in the kitchen, it is a good idea to keep as much off your counter tops as possible. If you have a pantry or extra cupboard space, store your small kitchen appliances there. This will prevent kids from pulling on electrical cords. Also, keep silverware away from the edge of the counter top.
• Use the back burners. Young kids love to reach and pull themselves up on things. By using the back burner, pot and pan handles will be out of sight and out of mind.
• Use the middle of the counter. Put hot pots, pans, slow cookers, and cookie sheets in the middle of the counter. Again, this will prevent kids from pulling things down on top of them.
• Install safety latches/oven locks. If you do not have room to store household products out of reach, install safety latches on kitchen cabinets. Today, there are so many options for cabinets. Visit KidSafe Home Safety Products to see what is available for your kitchen.In addition, cover your oven dials if they are located on the front of your oven. Lastly install alock on the oven door.

Livingroom

• Secure your flat screen TV. TV straps are available to anchor your TV to the wall or the TV stand itself. If you are securing it to the wall, make sure you attach it to a stud.
• Secure your book self. If you have a book shelf that is taller than it is wide, secure it to a stud in the wall.
• Add corner cushions. Nice coffee and end tables can spruce up your living room; however, tables with sharp corners can cause serious injury if your child falls.
• Cover the indoor ice rink. If you have hardwood or ceramic tile floors, they can be very slippery. To soften the blow from a fall, you may lay down a rug. However, unless the rug is laid on a non-slip rug pad, the rug may still move around and cause a fall.
• Install outlet covers. When my kids were small, I used plastic plugs in the outlet. They worked fine for my family. The problem with them is if you take one out and forget to put it back, it can turn into a choking hazard and your electrical outlet is left exposed. Today’s parents and grandparents can purchase self-closing outlet covers. When the vacuuming is done, you can unplug and move on to your next chore. The outlet automatically closes for you.
• Make sure window-covering cords are out of sight. To learn more about protecting your children from strangulation check out the article, “Are Your Window Coverings Safe?”

Bathroom

• Consider an anti-scald faucet. Water heaters’ default temperature settings range from 120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If yours is set at the high end, three seconds is all it takes for a serious burn. Anti-scald faucets can take the guesswork out of bathing your child by providing a consistently safe temperature. Another alternative is to turn down the temperature on your water heater.
• Install a spout cover. Spout covers come in a variety of shapes and sizes to meet the requirements of your tub.
• Keep your bathroom door locked. There are many hazards in an everyday bathroom. If possible, your best bet is to keep the door locked.

Bedroom

• Install a window guard(s). If you live in a two-story house and like to keep your windows open on nice days, window guards are necessary. The screens on the windows are flimsy and were made to keep insects and other debris from entering. They were not made to support the weight of a child pushing on them.
• Follow the same tips for the living room section. In addition, it’s a good idea to anchor dressers too.

Check out this video form This Old House. I found it interesting to see how safety devices have improved over the years.

While this video is a bit dated, it still provides valuable safety tips.

SOURCE: WEST BEND, Posted by Scott Stueber on Feb 16, 2016 9:00:00 AM

Sources: 
http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Safety-Guides/Kids-and-Babies/Childproofing-Your-Home–12-Safety-Devices-To-Protect-Your-Children/
http://www.burnfoundation.org/programs/resource.cfm?c=1&a=3
http://parent.guide/
http://www.cdc.gov/safechild/Child_Injury_Data.html

Valentine’s Day is that special holiday where you can show somebody how much you care. Spending this Valentine’s Day is expected to reach an all-time high of $19.7 billion with consumers spending on average of $146.84.

The top Valentine’s Day gifts are:

1. Candy = $1.7 billion;
2. Date Night = $4.5 billion;
3. Jewelry = $4.4 billion;
4. Greeting Cards = $1.1 billion;
5. Apparel = $2.0 billion; and
6. Flowers = $1.9 billion.

Where are people buying their gifts?

1. Department Stores = 34.5%
2. Favorite Discount Store = 31%
3. Online = 27.9%
4. Florist = 19.4%
5. Specialty Store = 19.1%
6. Local Small Business = 15.4%

If you’re looking forward to celebrating Valentine’s Day, here are some scams to watch out for.IDT911 and West Bend have collaborated to provide our insureds with the option to buy insurance coverage to protect them against identity theft. Victor Searcy at IDT911 wrote a blog titled “Top 5 Valentine’s Day Scams”.

The blog shares five tips you should watch for. To learn more about each tip below, I encourage you to read Victor’s blog.

1. Don’t click on embedded links from incoming e-cards, especially if they’re from an unnamed friend or secret admirer.
2. You’re safer shopping for a sweetheart’s gift from a reputable retailer’s website.
3. Think twice before opening Facebook messages with generic greetings such as “Valentine’s Day” and “Special Greeting.”
4. Carefully read the address.
5. Before giving away your heart and money, investigate your new sweetie atwww.romancescams.org.

In other identity theft news, skimming devices have popped up in my area on ATM machines. To learn more about what skimming devices do and how to spot them, read these articles:

• Headed to the ATM? Be on the lookout for a “skimming device.”
• Skimming the cash out of your account

SOURCE:  WEST BEND, Posted by Scott Stueber on Feb 9, 2016 8:00:00 AM

I’m sure you’ve seen recent images from winter storm Jonas. As I looked at them, I found it hard to imagine. I’ve never experienced that kind of snowfall in Southeast Wisconsin.

Cities and airports were shut down. Dulles International and Baltimore Washington International recorded more than 29 inches of snow.

From building collapses to car accidents, 42 people tragically lost their lives.

The tragic story that inspired this blog is the one about a mother and son who passed away in their car due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The snowfall was so significant that it filled in around their car covering the exhaust pipe. Carbon monoxide (CO) gas is a deadly, colorless, odorless gas that strikes quickly and without warning.

Keep these items in your car just in case you’re stranded in your car during a winter storm.

1. Keep a shovel in your trunk. If you’re stranded on the roadway or slide into a ditch, it’s critical to remove the snow around your car. If you idle your car to keep warm, the exhaust pipe must remain clear to avoid carbon monoxide poising. If you don’t have a shovel, use your arms and legs to move the snow away from your car.

If you’re riding out a winter storm in the comfort of your home, keep an eye on your furnace exhaust vent. If snow covers your furnace exhaust, carbon monoxide can build up in your home. Newer furnaces may automatically shut off if the vents become clogged with snow. To be safe, take a walk around your home to locate yours and keep it clear during heavy snowfalls.

My furnace exhaust is on the back of my house. This location allows me to keep an eye on it from my kitchen window. I also check it when I’m out shoveling my sidewalk.

2. Small candles and matches. Small candles and a coffee can may be used as an emergency heat source. Check out the article “Stuck in blizzard? Here’s an inexpensive emergency heating system.” 

3. Tow chain or rope. Roadside assistance is a great service to have. As a West Bend policyholder, I pay a nominal fee to have this coverage on my policy. The service usually works really well in normal weather conditions; however, usage increases significantly during major winter storms so there aren’t enough tow trucks to go around. If you have a tow chain or rope, a Good Samaritan may be able to pull you out.

4. Food and water. Many of the stories reported were about people stranded in their cars for 22 hours or more. Coach buses filled with church groups and sports teams helped out by sharing food and water with those around them. Keep snack foods, such as energy bars, nuts, and raisins, as well as water in your car all winter.

5. Medications. Consider taking a few days’ supply of your medications. And a roll of toilet paper may come in handy.

6. Emergency flares, reflectors, and flashlights. These will help you remain visible and assist emergency crews in finding you.

7. Extra clothes and blankets.

There’s nothing earth shattering about the tips I’ve shared; they’re simply common sense. What’s difficult is actually following through with a plan to stock your car with the appropriate items to keep you and your family safe. Thinking you’ll never be stranded or that you’ll stock up the car later makes it easy to forget about packing your car accordingly.

With all the weather technology available, we usually have sufficient warning of impending snowstorms. That’s why I find it mind-boggling that so many people get stranded in these storms. But you never know what circumstances may bring, so I’ve packed my car accordingly. While my family thinks I’m an overly-cautious insurance geek, our survival could depend on it.

For more driving and survival safety tips, visit the links below.

How to Make a Winter Survival Kit

Expert interview: Winter driving tips from Road America

Expert Interview tip # 2: Winter braking tips from Road America

Six tips to keep you safe during the next big winter storm

Tips to overcome the challenges of winter driving

Six tips for driving this winter season

SOURCE:  WEST BEND, Posted by Scott Stueber on Feb 2, 2016 11:02:26 AM

It’s been several years since I’ve had to put my girls in their car seats; however, I do remember that during the winter months, they were usually wearing winter coats and snow pants. My wife and I wanted to make sure they were warm when we transported them between our house and daycare. We also wanted them dressed appropriately in case our car broke down. This meant I had to loosen up the safety straps so they’d fit in the seat.

Today, safety experts recommend putting children in their car seats without their winter coats. Doesn’t this seem counter intuitive? After all, it is winter.

Recently on the “Today” show, Jeff Rossen did a segment on car seat dangers during the winter. He visited a crash test lab in Michigan. His segment shows the dramatic results of a car crash at 30 mph with a crash dummy inappropriately strapped in because of a puffy winter coat. Miriam Manary, who operates the lab, explains the proper way to strap in a child during the winter months. She recommends strapping them in without a coat. To keep them warm she suggests using a blanket or putting on their jacket backwards.

If you’re expecting your first child and haven’t picked out your car seat, check out the information atsafercar.gov. Their website provides information on:

• How to select the right car seat;
• What safety ratings mean;
• How to install your car seat; and
• How to register your car seat and how to get recall notifications.

Consider ordering a TIKE (Toddler Info Kept for Emergencies) sticker to attach to your car seat. TIKE is a bright neon green sticker that includes a child’s emergency and medical contact information that goes on the car seat. This information in critical if you have an accident and you’re unable to help the first responders with the care of your child. To learn more, check out my blog titled, “Will your child get the right care if you’re both injured in an auto accident?”

For additional safety tips, visit the resources below.
http://www.kidsandcars.org/
http://www.safekids.org/tip/car-seat-tips

SOURCE:  West Bend, Posted by Scott Stueber on Jan 26, 2016 9:00:00 AM