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Two local children have made a national name for themselves by doing good in the world, and their accomplishments will be celebrated in a new book series, Young Change Makers. Written by bestselling author Stacy C. Bauer, Young Change Makers is a 7-book series featuring more than 80 trailblazing youth from around the world who are taking action to change their communities in positive ways.

Through this motivating and uplifting series, Bauer hopes others will be inspired to make a difference.

“This series is near and dear to my heart,” she says “These kids are amazing and inspiring, and I am hoping to use the series to inspire kids and adults to take action in a positive way and make the world a better place.”

Bauer, an educator, wanted others to know the stories of ordinary kids who were doing extraordinary things, which was her inspiration for writing the series.

“I created Young Change Makers because I kept having recurring thoughts about using my author voice to write about kids making a difference and inspiring change,” Bauer says. “These are some absolutely incredible kids. From raising money to help the sick, to planting over a billion trees worldwide, these kids are so caring, inspiring, selfless, and kind. They are taking action to spread joy and love, and I am so excited to share their stories.”

The featured children are:

Oliver Koenig-Paquin, 9

Nine-year-old Oliver’s dream is to make sure every boy and girl has a pair of new pajamas that keep them warm and cozy at night! He started collecting pajamas at age 4 through Oliver’s Pajama Project. That year, he collected 122 pairs by asking friends and family to help. Since then, that number has grown every year, and in all, Oliver has collected more than 5,000 pairs. His goal this year is 7,000 pairs. 

“I felt like it wasn’t fair that other kids didn’t have pajamas,” Oliver says. “I feel good knowing that kids are going to get these pajamas, and feel safer, warm and snuggly going to sleep, not in their daytime clothes.”

Christian Stone, 11

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Christian Stone's community experienced heavy snowfall. Christian knew the doctors, nurses, and other staff at the local hospital were working overtime to help those who were sick. He wanted to do something that would help ease their burden. After brainstorming with his family, Christian decided to clear the snow off of vehicle windshields in the parking lot. When drivers used their remotes to start or unlock their cars, Christian and his friends rushed over to the car and cleaned it off as quickly as possible.

"I was thinking they've been helping us a lot through this whole pandemic, and I figured why don't we help them, you know?" Christian says. "All day, every day the nurses here, they deal with the pandemic like Covid and they want to get home from work, so we thought we would make it a tiny bit easier for them by cleaning off their cars for them."

Young Change Makers books are available for preorder  here.

I wanted to introduce you to a new product perfect for the new school year and upcoming holidays.  One Smart Cookie™  makes baking cookies with the kids easier and tidier so you can get to the best part of making cookies faster; decorating and eating.

One Smart Cookie™  cookie cutters are available in holiday designs, are perfect for any season, and are a great activity for children of any age. As the new school year approaches, be the house where all the kids want to go to make fun cookies, without all the hassle of clean up and waste.

Mom Yolie Moreno invented One Smart Cookie, after trying to use traditional cookie cutters with her child, but found that by the time they finished making the dough and waiting for it to chill, her daughter had lost interest, and Yolie had a huge mess to clear up. Yolie wanted to solve this problem by making it easier and tidier to make cookies and get to the best part; decorating and eating. Watch Yolie use One Smart Cookie™  and go from dough to the oven in only 5 minutes, cutting down on clean up and waste. Available in multiple styles for just $12.99 each, they are great for kids of all ages, and can be used again and again.

By Rebecca Parlakian,, Senior Director of Programs at ZERO TO THREE.,

Your young child has just had months of time with you at home. Most likely, there have been no other caregivers outside of your own family, due to shelter-in-place guidelines. But now—as communities begin to re-open—you may be facing a major transition for your family: Heading back to child care. If you imagine this change may be harder for your child after months of “just you,” you are probably right.

Here are some tips for managing the preschool transition post-COVID:

Remember that this is not just a regular transition back to school. Your family went through a tough time. You managed a lot of stressors—balancing work and family demands, financial concerns, worries about illness. Even very young children sense when there is stress in the household. Your child has managed this period of confusing changes and now they are encountering yet another big transition—going back to child care. Stress adds up and our resilience can be run down over time. Your sensitivity and patience are key ingredients for helping your child make a successful move back to their care setting.

Your worries are important. As communities re-open, you may have concerns about the safety of your child’s child care program. Many parents are feeling this way. Talk to your child’s teacher and the program director to learn what procedures they are using to keep children safe and healthy.

Use pretend play to explore the routines of preschool or child care with your toddler. Take turns being the parent, child, and teacher. Act out common daily routines, like saying good-bye to mommy and/or daddy, taking off your coat, singing songs, reading stories, having Circle Time, and playing outside.

Read books about child care. If you’re able to access a public library (or online stories), choose a few titles about going to preschool or child care. Talk about the story and how the characters are feeling. Ask how your child is feeling (excited, scared, worried, happy?). Check out titles like The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas, Bye-Bye Time by Elizabeth Verdick, or Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney.

Listen to your child’s worries. It’s tempting to quickly reassure your child and move on, but when you listen and respond to children’s worries, they feel safe and supported. Explain that starting something new can bring up worries and questions and that lots of people feel that way. It can also be helpful to share a time when you started something new and how you felt.

Suggest coping strategies. When you allow your child to share her worries, you can help her think through how to deal with them. For example, if she is worried about missing you, the two of you can make a book of family photos to keep in her cubby and look at when she is lonely.

Notice nonverbal messages. Most 2- and 3-year-olds are not able to use language to fully explain how they are feeling. Your child may “act out” his worry by clinging, becoming withdrawn or more fussy, or by being more aggressive. Another common reaction is for children to begin using more “baby-like” behaviors. For example, if your child is fully potty trained, he may start have toileting accidents. He may ask that you feed or dress him even though he can do these things by himself.

It’s natural to be frustrated by this return-to-baby behavior. But by meeting your child’s need for nurturing with love and patience, you’ll find they soon return to their “big kid” behavior. Remember that your child is facing—and managing—a big change in their life. They may need more support from you during this transition.

Get back into the routines of bedtimes and waking times. The transition to child care is easier when you are not also dealing with an tired, cranky little one. In the week before your return to your child’s program, begin to use “school night” bedtimes and wake-up times so that everyone can get back into the child care routine.

When your child starts back, ask whether there is a new drop-off routine. Because of new health screening and sanitizing requirements, you may not be able to stay with your child to help them transition during morning drop-off. Talk to your provider about new drop-off procedures and ask if it will be possible to have a teacher stay with your child to help them with the separation.

Consider letting your child bring a special object from home. Does your child have a favorite stuffed animal or blanket that offers comfort? Check with your child care program to confirm your child can bring this object from home. A favorite teddy bear can ease the transition when you say good-bye at drop-off. A family photo in your child’s cubby can also be comforting.

Talk with your child’s teacher about how you soothe your child. When teachers use similar comfort methods, babies and toddlers feel more safe and “at-home” in the child care setting.

Keep your tone positive and upbeat. Children pick up on the reactions of the trusted adults in their lives. So try not to look worried or sad, and don’t linger too long when it’s time to go. Say a quick, upbeat good-bye and reassure your child that all will be well.

Think about creating a special good-bye routine. For example, you can give your child a kiss on the palm to “hold” all day long. Or, the two of you can sing a special song together before you leave. Good-bye routines are comforting to children and help them understand and prepare for what will happen next.

This hasn’t been an easy few months, but the return to child care is one sign that life is going back to (a new) normal. Supporting your child through this process—staying patient and loving even in the face of challenging behaviors—is a loving way to take that next step, together.

Looking for more information? Visit zerotothree.org/coronavirus for our latest resources and updates for families.

By Trip Elix guest blogger

Whether you like it or not, social media is part of the fabric of our lives. Universities and major corporations will use social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and others to research your child. What they don't expect is that you understand this, and can plan ahead of time. Think of them more like a sales portfolio, selling your child's background and prior interests. Companies and colleges are using social media and searching for profiles of your children. With this in mind, think of social media accounts as a sales portfolio, and you should groom the account as such. There is an advantage to having multiple emails and social media accounts as well. Just make sure the one associated with the profile you want to build is registered to

a smartphone and a computer. Get a separate cheap used smartphone for this. Register the device to them only using wifi; it doesn't need a cellular chip. Add the social media accounts to the device for the profile that you want to create.  Social media uses the GPS in phones to track individuals that is why it is important to have a separate device. 

The one that your child will really use should not have their real name; never allow them to use the same computer that the other profile is accessed from. You should start this process when your child is at least 14 years of age. 

Your child will stand apart since most other children will have an abundance of images that they will need to remove. You should take the time and help your child craft exactly what you want the companies and colleges to find. Imagine the advantage of having pictures of school events, awards, and extracurricular activities neatly displayed for anyone to appreciate. The reason for starting at 14 is it will have enough information and posts by the time they are 18 to make it look completely legitimate; after all, it is real.

Embellishment is completely optional. Building a flowing social profile on the networks takes time; each photograph or post has a corresponding time and date stamp. While no one will know or could possibly go back and check events’ dates in the past, someone looking at the profile may notice if all of the images were uploaded the same day. Thus, it is important to create posts and images over an extended period of time. You might want to create a calendar event to remind yourself to produce a posting at least every two weeks for a child under 16, and once a week until they graduate from college. Future employers will also look at the same profile, at the same information, all displaying a childhood filled with personal achievement.

The social profiles you create will be the sales tool for your child’s future. Think of it as your child’s digital portfolio. You should keep it completely private and change the account settings to the public one around the time your child is in 11th grade or just before they start looking at colleges. When people look on the internet for profiles, often they stop looking when they believe that they have found the correct one, the one you created and seeded for them.

Trip Elix is a podcast host and the author of Protecting Kids Online!  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07675JRXV 

ONANOFF who specializes in safe audio headphones for kids aged 9 and under. They are about to announce enhancements to their BuddyPlus range that have been given a makeover in design and capabilities to include functions better suited to the increasing array of uses kids have today, from gaming to homeschooling.  

 They have a range of safe audio functions to keep sound under the 85dB recommended by the World Health Organization and features like StudyModeTM   that help isolate voices from other sounds, producing crisper vocals for studying or watching lessons. As you can see below, they are also highly customizable coming in lots of different colors and decorative stickers! 

The physicians of the Massachusetts Medical Society recognize the need for a return to activities that help to foster physical, mental, and emotional wellness in children and support a return to these activities.  While children do not typically suffer the same potentially serious health consequences as adults when they contract COVID-19, they still can become dangerously ill and may carry and spread the virus. It is important to use specific measures to protect them.

With that in mind, the Massachusetts Medical Society urges parents and guardians of children who plan to return to group activities this summer to consider these safety tips:

·         Get them vaccinated - Ensure that your child is vaccinated, if they are age 12 or older. The vaccines are proven to be safe and effective and have gone through rigorous scientific process and trials across all age groups. If you have questions about the vaccine, please schedule time to discuss with your child’s physician or health care provider

·         Know vaccine protection timeline when planning - Remember that, even if your child has received the first or second dose of the vaccine, they are not considered fully protected until two weeks have passed from the administering of the second shot. Please note that timeline and compare it to your child’s schedule of activities

·         Use expert health guidelines - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided guidance for youth summer activities. Please familiarize yourself with these guidelines and ensure that your child’s camp, sports, or other activity is aware of and adheres to CDC and state and local guidelines

·         Mask use - If you or your child’s physician and health care provider feel that it is best for your child to wear a mask in some or all settings – regardless of whether they are required or not – encourage mask use. Prepare your children for the probability that some of their peers or adult staff may still need to or prefer to wear masks (The Massachusetts Medical Society endorses the use of masks for all those wishing to reduce the risk of respiratory tract infection during the time of year when respiratory pathogens are most likely to circulate and whenever respiratory infections are known to be circulating when people are in close contact and indoors.) 

·         Keep kids home when sick - When your child is ill with even minimal symptoms, please keep them home from their activities and contact their physician or health care provider

·         Ask for safety protocols - Ask the directors of the activity for a copy of the list of protocols and precautions in place and how they plan to ensure that children are supervised and reminded to deploy the safety measures; this is especially important for overnight camps at which an increased amount of time is spent in communal settings

·         Urge your child to advocate for themselves - Encourage your child to report illness to staff if they begin to feel unwell while participating in their activity

·         Follow health guidelines - Remind your children to be attentive to and compliant with directives given by activity supervisors regarding social distancing, mask use and hand-washing

·         Always be prepared - While parents and guardians should expect the locations of their child’s activities to have ample supply of hand sanitizer, consider packing extra for your child

·         Sharing is off-limits for now - Remind your children that sharing food and drinks is not safe

It's difficult for even the most attentive parent to always know where their children are at any given time. Thankfully, keeping an eye on your little ones is becoming much easier thanks to Invoxia, creators of one of the first GPS trackers to be compatible with the LTE-M update of 4G cellular networks. Invoxia Cellular GPS Tracker is here to give parents some peace of mind when it comes to their children’s safety.

The Cellular GPS Tracker has a host of advanced features including its ability to work inside and outdoors as well as its exceptional battery life of up to 4 months! It is discreet, compact, and portable enough to be placed virtually anywhere. Its comfortable design won’t interfere with children's range of motion. And it locks tight onto school bags or clothes to stay with them from home to bus to the classroom and beyond. These features are thanks to a novel combination of radio technology protocols that switch between Bluetooth and LTE CAT-M1, 4G network.

Advanced Features:

GPS Tracking – Visualize exact location of items and loved ones at any time within the companion app. Location data can be requested any time or sent every 5, 10 or 30 minutes when on the move.

History – See precise route of the Cellular GPS Tracker during any time period.
Anti-Theft Alerts – Receive notifications in real-time when an item is moved or suspicious activity is detected. Alerts can be triggered by moving an item or by gentle vibrations such as lock tampering.

Panic Alert – Emergency button feature helps notify an individual if their loved one is in trouble through a push notification.

Geofencing Alerts – Set geographic areas in companion app to be notified when Cellular GPS Tracker enters or leaves the security zone.
Proximity Radar – Access hot/cold proximity radar on a smartphone to find valuables more easily inside and outdoors.

IFTTT Compatibility – Connect Cellular GPS Tracker to favorite connected products and services to automatically trigger actions E.g. Setting the house alarm when leaving the home or opening the garage door when entering a driveway.

Another idea is to attach it to your key chain and never lose your keys again! A gift to all ages!

As improving metrics have allowed for thoughtful and careful adjustments to COVID-19-related guidelines, many children will be returning this summer to activities like camps, sports, and summer school.

The physicians of the Massachusetts Medical Society recognize the need for a return to activities that help to foster physical, mental, and emotional wellness in children and support a return to these activities. While children do not typically suffer the same potentially serious health consequences as adults when contracting COVID-19, they still can become dangerously ill and may carry and spread the virus. It is important to use specific/clear/certain measures to protect them.

With that in mind, the Massachusetts Medical Society urges parents and guardians of children who plan to return to group activities this summer to consider these safety tips:

•         Get them vaccinated - Ensure that your child is vaccinated, if they are age 12 or older. The vaccines are proven to be safe and effective and have gone through rigorous scientific process and trials across all age groups. If you have questions about the vaccine, please schedule time to discuss with your child’s physician or health care provider
• ·         Know vaccine protection timeline when planning - Remember that, even if your child has received the first or second dose of the vaccine, they are no considered fully protected until two weeks have passed from the administering of the second shot. Please note that timeline and compare it to your child’s schedule of activities
• ·         Use expert health guidelines - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided guidance for youth summer activities. Please familiarize yourself with these guidelines and ensure that your child’s camp, sports, or other activity is aware of and adheres to CDC and state and local guidelines
• ·         Know your comfort level regarding masks - If you or your child’s physician and health care provider feel that it is best for your child to wear a mask in some or all settings – regardless of whether they are required or not – encourage mask use. Prepare your children for the probability that some of their peers or adult staff may still need to or prefer to wear masks
• ·         Keep kids home when sick - When your child is ill with even minimal symptoms, please keep them home from their activities and contact their physician or health care provider
• ·         Ask for safety protocols - Ask the directors of the activity for a copy of the list of protocols and precautions in place and how they plan to ensure that children are supervised and reminded to deploy the safety measures; this is especially important for overnight camps at which an increased amount of time is spent in communal settings
•         Urge your child to advocate for themselves - Encourage your child to report illness to staff if they begin to feel unwell while participating in their activity
• ·         Follow health guidelines - Remind your children to be attentive to and compliant with directives given by activity supervisors regarding social distancing, mask use and hand-washing
• ·         Always be prepared - While parents and guardians should expect the locations of their child’s activities to have ample supply of hand sanitizer, consider packing extra for your child
• ·    Sharing is off-limits for now - Remind your children that sharing food and drinks is not safe

Taking a road trip with the whole family can be tricky! Who sits next to who, who gets the window, who is touching who and the list goes on. Well, we found the SUV to solve those problems! GMC has done it again, the 2021 GMC Yukon Denali is perfect for a family road trip. The Yukon is the perfect family vehicle, with class-leading technology and increased storage space, offering a premium first-class experience.

I have to say I was expecting poor gas mileage on such a large SUV, but the Yukon Denali impressed us. It has a Diesel engine and the mileage was so much better than my past SUVs.

This beautiful SUV was roomy and comfortable for all 7 of us and plenty of storage in the back. Even car pool home from baseball was no worries with the 2021 Yukon Denali. If you are a large family and need the room to make family trips more enjoyable, the 2021 Yukon Denali is for you!

With the increased focus on overall wellbeing and health amidst the pandemic, more and more parents are realizing how important of a role nutrition plays in kids’ physical, mental, and cognitive health. Patrick Quinn, a parenting expert at Brainly– the world’s largest online learning and homework help community– has some recommendations and tips for foods that promote brain health that parents can make for their kids to enhance their cognitive abilities and keep them focused while learning.

Fact is, all the books, tablets, and notepads kids use for studying are useless if their brains are not in top functioning form. There are certain nutrients that are crucial for their brain development, and better brain development means better brain function, memory, and concentration—all of which contribute to better academic performance. 

To keep your kids’ performance at optimum levels, we've rounded up seven of the best brain foods to help boost their mental power, and also talked to Brainly’s parenting expert, Patrick Quinn, for pro parenting tips on how to incorporate them into your kids’ daily diet. 

1. Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds are packed with nutrients that are essential for brain health including essential fatty acids, protein, zinc, and B-vitamins. They’re also natural mood boosters that are portable and versatile, making them an excellent choice for study snacks.

Parent tip: Kids aren’t always going to love these. But mixing them in a trail mix with a few chocolate pieces or yogurt chips is a great way to get them munching on the healthy nuts and seeds. Just be careful not to send this in as a school snack in districts where nut allergies can affect other kids. 

2. Greek Yogurt
Full-fat Greek yogurt packs a lot more protein than other yogurts (and much less sugar), and can help keep brain cells in good form for sending and receiving information. It’s also full of protein and B-vitamins—essential for the growth of brain tissue, neurotransmitters, and enzymes. Greek yogurt is also a great source of Calcium and Vitamin D. Parent tip: Mix in a teaspoon of honey and some cinnamon to turn this healthy option into a delicious one as well. The problem for me at that point is avoiding eating it myself before the kids get it.

3. Berries
Berries are rich in a variety of compounds that may help promote academic performance and protect brain health. Berries (including blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries) are especially high in flavonoid compounds called anthocyanins, believed to improve mental performance by increasing blood flow to the brain. They also protect against inflammation and improve certain signaling pathways that promote nerve cell production and cellular processes involved in learning and memory. Parent tip: Berries make an easy study snack, but they can cause sticky fingers that can lead to messy keyboards and homework papers. Try putting several different types of berries on kid-friendly skewers for a fun, healthy, and mess-free desk snack. 

4. Fish
Fish is an excellent source of Vitamin D and the Omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA— both essential for brain growth and function. Consuming more Omega-3s means kids will have sharper minds and better mental skills. Parent tip: Fish can be a tricky one with kids. If you get them accustomed to eating it when they’re young, they’ll be more likely to be open to new fish dishes when they’re pre-teen and teenagers. You can make fish tasty for kids by serving it simply grilled, like fish sticks, or including it in tacos or in tuna sandwiches. Another option is using canned salmon to make delicious salmon salad sandwiches that can be mixed with reduced-fat mayo or non-fat Greek yogurt, raisins, chopped celery, and carrots.

5. Eggs
The versatile egg is a great source of protein, and egg yolks are packed with choline, which helps memory development. Eggs can be served in a variety of ways and can be enjoyed at breakfast, as a mid-afternoon snack, or even at dinner. Parent tip: Eggs are great for making grab-and-go breakfasts kids can eat on the road. Scramble eggs into a whole grain tortilla to make a grab-and-go breakfast burrito, or make your own version of an Egg McMuffin at home by putting a fried egg on top of a toasted English muffin and topping it with a slice of low-fat cheese. Bonus tip: Eggs aren’t only a great healthy option that will keep them full thanks to the protein, but it’s also a really great gateway to cooking for the budding chef. Teach them how to make scrambled eggs, a fried egg, or a veggie omelet, and you’re fostering a whole new side of creativity. Plus… you might get the occasional breakfast out of that deal!”

6. Oatmeal
Oats are extremely nutritious and they can provide the energy and fuel for the brain that kids need first thing in the morning. Oatmeal is also a fiber-rich food that keeps heart and brain arteries clear. In one study, kids who ate sweetened oatmeal did better on memory-related school tasks than those who ate sugary cereal. Parent tip: Delicious AND helps with memory at school? Oatmeal should really be considered a bit of a superfood for our kids. It’s another food option that can be endlessly tweaked to suit the tastes of your individual kiddos. You can dress oatmeal up with applesauce, dried fruit, almonds, and banana to make it tastier and more appealing to kids. Due to its natural compounds, adding cinnamon also gives oatmeal an extra ingredient that will help to protect brain cells. 

7. Apples and Plums
Kids usually have a craving for sweets. Apples and plums are lunchbox-friendly items that contain quercetin, an antioxidant that helps fight the decline in mental skills. Keep them organic to get the best benefits. Parent tip: These are some of the few snacks that are on the ‘help yourself’ list in my house. It’s great because kids can grab one when they get home from school while doing homework, or anytime they want a quick bite. For a heartier snack, you can also cut apples into chunky slices and spread them with almond or peanut butter, or you can freeze pitted plums and add them to a favorite nutrient-rich fruit smoothie.