How To Enjoy Disney on Ice

Last night, I took my two kids to Worlds of Fantasy, a Disney on Ice show: http://ow.ly/1evcY. One of the reasons I took my son and daughter to a Disney on Ice (finally!) is because this particular show has programming that appeals to both genders. Not to force stereotypes, but as expected, my son really enjoyed the Cars and Lion King performances, while my daughter loved the Little Mermaid and Tinkerbell.

For those of you who have children that love the Disney Princesses (we're not there yet), the Tinkerbell program was the entire second half...so you get your full dose of fairies. The premise of the Tink portion was that she needed to deliver Spring to the world. The fairy dusted rink was full of flittering fairies and butterflies floating through life-size Spring blossoms.

Classic Disney fans will enjoy the intros by Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy (by "classic" I mean anyone that's not a Pixar or Princess freak). The first half of the show includes Cars, Little Mermaid and the Lion King, and the segments seem to get progressively longer as the night goes on (which is fine because the Lion King has more substance than Cars anyhow...though my 3 year old would disagree). The lighting and special effects were really cool, especially during the Little Mermaid and Lion King. There was a part during Lion King where the Buffalo are chasing Simba and his Dad, and the animals look nearly real...moving quickly across the ice in multi-dimensions.

Overall, this show is great for boys and girls alike and children starting at 18 months through tweens. My kids (nearly 4 and 2) thoroughly enjoyed it, and only became fidgety during the intermission. Bring snacks to keep them occupied, and awake...after all, they can sleep in the car on the way home.

And don't be surprised if Tinkerbell is so infectious that even your 3 year old boy is screaming for a Tink toy on the way out!

How To Make Sense of the Vaccine Craze

National Influenza Vaccination Month is coming up: January 10-16. This year it will continue its focus on the importance of performing flu vaccinations even after the holiday season, but also making sure everyone receives the H1N1 vaccine specifically.

Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has just released the 2010 Pediatric Vaccination schedule. And guess who made her debut? If you shouted "H1N1," you got it! Find the most up-to-date guidelines on the AAP's new parenting website: http://www.healthychildren.org/.

Over the Holidays some new literature surfaced on "best practices" of childhood vaccinations. There was discussion on whether or not you should decline combo doses, and many medical professionals believe #1 that there is no increased risk with combo doses and #2 that it is much more comfortable for your child to receive less "pokes." Keep in mind, many of the physicians would benefit from your return visit and the extra $15 co-pay, so I'm pretty sure if they felt differently, they'd promote their own business and have you back.

Also, if your first inclination is to use pain relievers prophylactically when your child is scheduled for immunizations, you might reconsider. New research suggests that using fever-reducers such as acetaminophen before or soon after a vaccination may actually reduce its effectiveness. Researchers maintain that the low-grade fever may be a sign of your child developing antibodies and building a proper immune response to the jab. However, if your child gets a spiking fever following certain immunizations, you should always call your Pediatrician. If you are unsure what to expect following shots, ask your doctor.