Healthy Children, Happy You

Flu season is upon us, and despite the beautiful weather Hawaii boasts even at this time of year, influenza outbreaks still occur. For children in particular, the flu is far more dangerous than the common cold. Nationwide, the 2013 flu season is shaping up to be one of the worst in the last decade, the Center for Disease Control reports, while in Hawaii, they “are actually reporting low or minimal levels of influenza.” That is good news, but precautions should still be taken to ensure your children remain healthy.

The CDC encourages you to take these simple steps to protect yourself and your family from the flu:

1. Get the flu vaccine. This is by far the best way to protect your children against influenza. “CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get a seasonal flu vaccine.”

2. Fight germs. Cover your cough and wash your hands often. Germs are everywhere, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do our best to protect against them.

Is there anything you do in particular to keep your children healthy? Please share with us!

Teaching Gratitude in the Holiday Season

The holiday season is a wonderful time to be with family and friends, and the perfect time to teach your child gratitude for all that your family is blessed with. Whether your family celebrates Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or all of the above, the holiday season is filled with joy, cheer and warmth and teaching your child to appreciate all they have is one of the best gifts you can give to them.

This holiday season, take time to stop with your children, and help them think about all they have to be thankful for. Family members, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents. Good food, friends, a roof over their heads, holiday traditions, and that new game or toy. And most importantly, be sure to tell your children how grateful you are for them! 

Merry Christmas from the Keiki Sitters Ohana!

Keiki Sitters owner hopes to send kids to college with OBAMA Hawaii license plate proceeds

Keiki Sitters owner Kathy Custer has come up with a creative way to help fund college educations for two students. She's auctioning off the world's only car with an OBAMA Hawaii license plate!

The world's only OBAMA Hawaii license plate.

As the owner of a babysitting business, helping children is always Kathy's first priority. The proceeds from the purchase of Kathy's Obama car will pay for the college education of brother and sister Katie Garren and Logan Garren.

Katie, 20 years old, is attending community college, working on a business degree and is an aspiring entrepreneur. Logan, 17 years old, is in his senior year of high school, looking forward to graduating in the spring. He aspires to be an electrical engineer, working for NASA JPL.

Kathy Custer

When Kathy heard that Katie, Logan and the Garren family are no longer able to afford their continuing education, she wanted to help. She had no intention of selling her OBAMA car, but other than her business, it's her most valuable asset, and she really wanted to help Katie and Logan. So she's auctioning her truck and transferring the world's only state of Hawaii OBAMA license plate to the highest bidder.

The highest bidder will win the car and the OBAMA Hawaii license plate. Kathy's starting the eBay auction at only 99 cents, but of course hopes to raise enough money to send Katie and Logan to college. The auction will go live on Sunday, Oct. 28 and will close on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6.

More photos and details about the car are available on www.obamacarhawaii.com.

Kathy's OBAMA car has been making headlines. Read the coverage in the local media:

• "Truck with world's only Hawaii OBAMA license plate to be sold at auction"
• "'OBAMA Hawaii Car' Up For Bids"
• "Obama car auctioned for scholarships"

Caring for keiki with patience and kindness

The sitters who work for Keiki Sitters know that each child is different in his or her own way, requiring special care and attention.

One of our sitters, Priscilla McClellan, learned a lot about this while nannying for the keiki of her childhood friend. The keiki required extra special care and attention; the boy, 4 years old at the time, is deaf and blind, and the girl, then 8 years old, is blind.

Priscilla McClellan

“It was a very challenging experience in the fact that I was constantly alert and that I had to use hands-on to teach the children,” Priscilla said, adding that it’s important to stay alert at all times when babysitting, but even more so when sitting for a child with disabilities.

She taught the girl a hula for a luau they were going to by holding her hands and body to help her understand. “She did well,” Priscilla said.

Priscilla, who has worked for Keiki Sitters for close to a year, has been caring for children since she was 6 years old. She helped out with her brother and sisters, giving her mother time to sew so she could put food on the table for her family.

“I take it all in stride. I’ve experienced anything and everything. There is no challenge I will not take,” Priscilla said.

Now a grandmother, Priscilla has years of experience caring for keiki, and it’s natural for her. She treats keiki as if they are her own.

“They respond in kind and before I’m done, it’s like we’re grandma and grandchild. I ask them to call me Tutu, which is the respectful Hawaiian way to address a grandmother,” she said.

Say aloha to Keiki Sitters at upcoming events

September was a busy month for Keiki Sitters, and October is off to an eventful start, as well! We have lots of exciting events coming up that we’d love to see you at. It’s always fun to meet new moms, sitters and families!

Keiki Sitters owner Kathy Custer at the air show on the Marine Corps Base in Kaneohe.

Keiki Sitters will have a booth at the Windward Community College Fair on Saturday, Oct. 6, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are 15,000 people expected to attend – be sure to be one of them! Stop by and say aloha to Kathy Custer, the owner of Keiki Sitters, and learn what makes our sitters qualified to care for your keiki. It’s going to be a fun-filled day at Windward Community College – the Windward Ho‘olaule‘a 2012 will be taking place, a homegrown celebration with food, entertainment and crafts. It’s a great cause, too, because all proceeds from the Ho‘olaule‘a are going to fund Windward Community College scholarships and programs.

Then on Sunday, Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Keiki Sitters will have a booth at Hawaii’s Children and Youth Day at the State Capitol! This free annual event honors keiki and the contributions they make to our community.

We hope to meet you at one of these events, and mahalo nui loa to all of those who have stopped by the Keiki Sitters booth at the September events and in the past. Be sure to connect with Keiki Sitters on Facebook and Twitter, as well as on our website, www.KeikiSitters.com. Aloha!

Hawaii state assistance for childcare costs

The cost of childcare can be very expensive and a large part of a family’s budget – especially for single working parents. There are programs offered by the state to help cover the cost of childcare to those who qualify.

Child Care Connection Hawaii, a program run by the State of Hawaii Department of Human Services, provides families with:

• Subsidies to help with childcare expenses
• Guidance in selecting a provider
• Information about programs
• Referrals to community resources

Child Care Connection Hawaii will pay a subsidy for childcare by providers approved by the Department of Human Services. By participating in the program, parents can remain working while an approved provider is looking after their keiki.

There are some requirements for eligibility in the program, unless the childcare is provided for protective reasons and the family is referred for assistance. The general eligibility requirements are:  

• Children must be up to 13 years old, or between 13 and 18 years old and can’t do self-care
• Parents or caregivers must be employed, in school, or in a job training program
• Gross monthly income can’t exceed 85 percent of the state median income for a family of the same size

For more information about Child Care Connection Hawaii, visit the state’s Department of Human Services website.

Keiki-friendly staycations on Oahu

Oahu is a playground for keiki and adults of all ages. Why travel when we can look no further than our own backyards for fun with the family?

If you’re here visiting Oahu on vacation, welcome! Be sure to visit Keiki Sitters’ sister company, Aloha Sitters, to have a sitter come to your hotel. Our sitters can talk with you ahead of time about bringing your keiki on one of these fun activities.

Whether you live here or are visiting, these activities are sure to provide a fun day for keiki!

Hit the beach

Oahu’s beautiful beaches provide us with an endless amount of fun activities for keiki. Whether you’re watching surfers catch a wave, building castles in the sand, looking for sea creatures in the ocean or splashing on the shoreline, keiki are sure to have a fun time. Just be sure to keep them safe by applying and reapplying sunscreen, and always stay with them when they’re near or in the water.

Hike a trail

There are numerous hiking trails on Oahu that are appropriate for keiki, whether they’re little and you’re carrying them on your back or they’re a little bigger and are hiking with you. When choosing a trail, check the conditions ahead of time. If it’s an area that’s had rain, the trail may become muddy and slippery, which is not ideal for children. Trails with paved walkways, such as Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse Trail and Diamond Head Summit Trail, may be better choices. Both provide spectacular views, too.

Visit a museum

Rainy day? No problem! Even if it’s sunny out, spend some time visiting one of the island’s many museums. They’re a goldmine of information about culture, history, the environment and much, much more. Many will provide kama‘aina admission rates, so be sure to ask before you buy your ticket.

What are your favorite ways to have a staycation on Oahu? Share your ideas with us in the comments section below. For more information about Keiki Sitters, visit www.KeikiSitters.com and for more information about Aloha Sitters, visit www.AlohaSitters.com.