Extended Day Child Care (EDCC)

7 Ways to maximize your child’s health

Dr. Cheryl McElhany — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:04:24 +0000

From confessions of a Dr. Mom by Dr. Melissa Arca, M.D.

When discussing the health of our children, the big picture perspective is hugely important. We often (I included) get side-tracked or preoccupied with specific symptoms or worrisome habits in our children. We want to know why those pesky ear infections keep coming back or why our kindergartener can’t seem to sit still for more than three minutes. Read more>>>

Cell Phones and Children

Dr. Cheryl McElhany — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 18:08:58 +0000

Cell Phones………………what did we ever do without them? Well, many of us can remember very well, what we did without them. Everyone had a land line phone, and even a few of my more affluent friends had an additional line or two, which their parents… Read More >>

2012 EDCC Annual Report

Dr. Cheryl McElhany — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:13:19 +0000

The EDCC Annual Report addresses the status of EDCC as we celebrate our 25 years in business serving the school-age child care needs for the Dublin elementary schools and Walnut Grove Elementary in Pleasanton. If you are curious about how EDCC compares to other child care providers or EDCC plans for the future take a look at our Annual Report.

2012 Annual Report-Rev.-pdf

The making of a bully

Dr. Cheryl McElhany — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:51:31 +0000

Last week, I addressed a concerning issue from one of my readers about helping her children deal with a neighborhood bully. In discussing this very important topic, the heart of the issue cannot be overlooked…how does a child become a bully and why? Today, I’m so very pleased to have Katie from Practical Parenting here to answer this very question and provide invaluable tips on how we can raise empathetic children. Katie is a child, adolescent, and family psychotherapist who I regularly turn to for sage advice and wisdom on child development and parenting. She’s also a fabulous mom of two and regularly shares practical tips, advice, and kid-friendly activities on her blog. Read more>>>

Is it ever OK to spank your child?

Dr. Cheryl McElhany — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 22:08:05 +0000

Discipline seems to be a constant challenge for parents as they go though the different growth stages of children. There is a line between discipline and punishment, and far too often parents do not understand the difference or why appropriate discipline is so important to raising children. So anytime I see a good article about discipline, or in this case, problematic discipline, such as spanking, I feel it is a good time to share it. Here is what Dr. Mom had to say on her website.

……….This was a question posed to me by a mom in clinic recently. She had her hands full with a very active and independent toddler (aren’t they all?) and was wondering how I felt about spanking……Read more>>

The Neighborhood Bully

Dr. Cheryl McElhany — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:59:01 +0000

I recently received a message from a friend and reader regarding bullies. She has some very legitimate concerns about a certain young bully in her neighborhood that is making life very stressful for her two young boys and the rest of the kids on her block…..Read more>>

Is Your Carpool Safe?

Dr. Cheryl McElhany — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:54:51 +0000

Now that I have school age kids, carpooling and play dates after school are common occurrences. I’ve run into a few snags when trying to arrange pick-ups and drop offs among our friends, and they consistently center around one item… Read More >>

State Physical Fitness of Students on Decline

Dr. Cheryl McElhany — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 23:24:05 +0000

California tests the physical fitness of students in grades 5, 7, and 9. The latest Physical Fitness Test results show only 31% of our state’s students reaching healthy levels. The 2011 Physical Fitness Test was administered to 1.34 million students. There are three categories of fitness: The Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ), Needs Improvement, and Needs Improvement-High Risk. Standards in aerobic capacity and body composition fitness… Read More >>

Overweight Children- Are Parents Concerned?

Dr. Cheryl McElhany — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:28:12 +0000

Parade Magazine recently published an article, Weight and Kids: The Hardest Conversation? , Nov. 6, 2011 addressing the issue of children and weight. According to a recent survey, it was “found that parents are more uncomfortable talking to their kids about weight than about sex, drugs, or alcohol.” Parenting psychologist, Susan Bartell, offers information and suggestions… Read More >>