JAK CHAT

Start the Fall Sports Season on the Right Foot Sponsored by Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare- All Saints Contributed by Jessica Geisler, M S, LAT, ROT Midwest Orthopedic Sports Medicine at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – All Saints Most sports injuries in children happen from overuse and can be prevented with proper preparation, appropriate training, the right equipment, and common sense. Factors to consider if your child plays recreational or club sports: Perform proper warm-up and cool-down routines. All athletes need to stretch their muscles to release tension and prevent injury before and after playing sports. Hydrate adequately to maintain health and minimize cramps. Kids often forget to drink water while playing sports. Muscles need hydration to work properly and avoid cramps. Your child should take water breaks every 30 minutes or more. Have your child wear properly sized equipment. Check it weekly to make sure it still fits to avoid injury. Get instruction on proper techni...

Slay the Summer Chores and Set Down the Screens! by guest mom blogger from Racine, Amanda DeSonia We could talk all day about the things we are slacking on or failing at as Mothers. Let’s not. We have made it just 6 days into Summer Vacation and already I am watching my kids slip away into screen oblivion. It’s not always their fault, really. Sometimes I just ENJOY the solitude and quiet that comes with kids who enter the vegetative state of passive ipad and Netflix watching. There. I said it. Then comes the challenge of chores. I’m pretty sure I was helping more around the house at my daughters’ ages. I almost would bet money on it because I remember many years of eye-rolling and sighing when I was given chores. I also went through a phase where I called myself “Manderella” because I felt like the over-worked, unappreciated daughter. I didn’t have any ugly step-sisters, just one biological one who was awesome at avoiding chores by playing the diarrhea card. This week I stained and glu...

In A Pool, At the Beach...  Summer Cool. All Within Reach! by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER! And while we've just had a tease of summer-like weather, you know it'll only be a matter of days that the balminess of the season will be upon us. I. CANNOT. WAIT!! Bring on the upper 70's/low 80's. Okay, so that's my comfort zone! Read more... Here at Just Add Kids, we're sharing with you this timely compiled list of water fun destinations by county... Kenosha County: Anderson Park Swimming Pool (located at 8730 - 22nd Avenue in Kenosha) has two pools with a tot pool with small children's slide, 2 water slides, all ages splash pad, and a diving board. Lockers, lounge chairs and umbrella tables are available.  Life guard on duty.  Fee for entrance. Washington Park Swimming Pool (located at 1821 Washington Road in Kenosha) is a zero-depth entrance pool with interactive water features, 3 waterslides, and a diving board.  Lounge ch...

Library Summer Reading Programs of Heroic Proportions! by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann Reading over the summer months can make a huge difference for kids when they get back to school in the fall. With a lack of summer reading, children can actually loose up to three months in reading skill. Summer reading loss is cumulative, leaving some kids years behind as they get older. By the end of 6th grade, kids who lose reading skills over the summer may end up being two years behind their classmates. Wow! I know, you don't want your kid to end up on the low end of the reading spectrum. Don't let your kiddo's reading skills take a blow this summer. Read more... Our area libraries have once again come to the rescue in offering summer reading program incentives under "Every Hero Has a Story" and/or "Escape the Ordinary",  this years themes for a nationwide summer reading program collaborative of public libraries. POW! P retty O utstanding W ins for th...

Allergies! Sponsored by Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare- All Saints It’s spring in Wisconsin and for many of us that means allergies. And with seasonal allergies comes sniffing, sneezing, and watery eyes… which can mean months of misery.   Allergies are not only annoying; they can affect your quality of life. At All Saints, our allergy/immunology physicians work with patients of all ages who are suffering from allergies and other immune system diseases. Allergies are the leading chronic disease in the United States. Often allergy symptoms develop gradually over a period of time, so sufferers may become so accustomed to these chronic symptoms that they don’t consider their symptoms to be unusual.  Read more... Allergists can help prevent or control a variety of chronic symptoms including: Sneezing Nasal congestion Wheezing Coughing Asthma Difficulty breathing Eye irritation Skin irritation How is an allergy diagnosed? This begins with a clinical examination and taking a me...

With Miracle Whip: The Sandwich Generation by Just Add Kids Founder, Paula Herrmann That's the life I'm being served up, at this time. That of the "sandwich generation".  I've recently stepped into the role of caring for my aging parents while supporting my own children. Wowza, did that happen fast! Thank God I have siblings that are pitching in. To recap... (Read more....) 2 weeks ago ..."Then finally, on the path to back surgery, my dad's health has significantly diminished. Not sure what exactly has happened here. But he surely isn't the same man he was only a short month ago. So with this intro, I've gotta run. It's back to my parents place to help my mom navigate through this strange, unwanted new world as we work with professionals to figure out....what the heck is going on?"    Last week ..."Above was the introduction to last week's JAK Happenings weekly e-newsletter. That next day, Friday, May 1st, my dad was taken to the...

Human Trafficking is not a “Crime du Jour” by JAK's guest mom blogger from Racine, Karri Hemmig Human Trafficking is not a “Crime du Jour” Recent sentencing in the Riverside case has caused human trafficking in Racine County to once again be in the news. Mr. Richards, Weatherspoon’s attorney, referred to it as the “crime du jour”, and dismissed it as a passing phase. The sentence handed down was 6 years in prison with 10 years probation. Four of those years were due to possession of a weapon with a felony, again supporting the idea that illegally possessing a gun is a more severe punishment than selling another human.   Read more...   We understand that these cases can be very difficult to prosecute and commend the DA’s office and the Judge for the harshest sentence given to date on human trafficking crimes in Racine County. The juvenile trafficking charge was dropped in a plea agreement and carries a much harsher sentence.   Simply put: If you sell yourself and keep 100% of the p...