By Karen Armstrong, Human
Development Extension Agent
Rolette County
Play Time! The Power of Fathers and Play
Fathers are great play companions for children. Dads like to tickle, make faces, play games, wrestle, and engage kids in all kinds of play. This is what children need. In fact, play is perhaps the most important way that children explore and learn about the world around them. Play is fundamental to a child’s growth and development.
Sometimes men have been challenged as too often being the “play” parent, but “play time” is actually learning time for parents and children. Children enjoy toys like trucks, blocks, dolls, balls, dress-up clothes, and puzzles, the tools of play. Toys and play activities provide children with opportunities for learning. It has been said that “play is a child’s work.” Fathers who play often with children are doing one of the most important things a parent can do to help growth and learning.
Research on children’s learning shows that play is not just the way children entertain themselves. Instead, play is the primary way that kids learn about themselves, others, and the world around them. Play helps to develop physical, mental, social and creative abilities in children.
Most fathers naturally make good play partners for children. Fathers tend to focus on play interaction more than mothers or other caregivers. Children often prefer fathers a play companions because fathers are usually more active and stimulating in their play activity.
Young children whose fathers are involved with them in play regularly tend to perform better in areas of problem solving, cognitive skills, and exploration of the world around them.
Fathers feel most connected to children through play. This happens as they engage in interactive activities such as playing tag or ball, recreational time such as sports activities or going to the park, and educational activities such as games or puzzles.
Play with fathers is great practice for play with peers. Fathers who engage in high levels of physical play with their children, especially if their kids are having fun, tend to have children who are more popular with their peers. Why? Because it helps children to learn the give-and-take of interaction in different play activities.
Children also learn a lot from fathers and father figures about their own emotions and the feelings of others through play. Research shows that because there is a lot of excitement and emotional ups and downs during play, children become more aware of their own and others’ emotions. Fathers engaged in play with children can help kids to recognize if someone is getting upset or angry.
“Play time” is learning time for children, and fathers are often the partners who help such learning take place. So, break out the toys this Father’s Day, and be reminded of the power of fathers and play.
Pet and Pest Deterrents
Every year we get very frustrated with the different animals that raid our gardens, flowers and trees. There are many different repellents available for use by the homeowner with some working better for some cases and others not so well. Listed below are some repellents that might work. Some are manufactured repellents and others are homemade repellents. “Remember repellents are not a poison but simply a repellent”.
Three commercial products have been shown to be effective in deterring deer activity. The products are Plantskydd, Hinder and Liquid Fence.
Liquid Fence can be used to repel deer and rabbits from landscaping, garden areas, flowers, shrubs, plants, trees and vines. This easy to use product is environmentally safe and completely biodegradable. Safe for both pets and people, it won’t harm the animals you’re trying to keep away or the plants that you are trying to protect.
There are also some home brew repellents that also might work for you.
Pepper Repellent:
One gallon of water
4. tablespoons of finely ground Cayenne or Habanero peppers
5. 2-4 tablespoons of Tabasco sauce
6. 2-4 tablespoons of Elmer’s Glue
Blend together and spray or sprinkle on the foliage and/or stems of vulnerable plants
Homemade Deer Repellent with Eggs
In a blender, mix two eggs to one cup of water. Blend well then add one cup of skim milk and any type of sticker such as soap. Put this mixture into a sprayer and spray a light mist over the plant. There will be very little odor but deer will not find it appetizing. This recipe is over one hundred years old and is suppose to be very effective. Re-apply after heavy rains.
Other repellents and Deterrents
· Talc
· Thiram Fungicide- do not use on edible plant parts
· Commercial brands of deer and rabbit repellent
· Bars of Irish Spring soap tied to the branches is suppose to deter deer
· Electric fence
· Sprinkle cayenne peppers in the garden to deter cats and dogs.
· Wrapping the trees with either a fence, burlap or aluminum foil
I have issues with domestic cats turning my flower beds into their personal litter boxes. This recipe was shared by a local client as a feline deterrent. I am going to give it a try.
Feline Deterrent
4 Tablespoons dry mustard
5 Tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoon Chili powder
2 Tablespoons cloves
1 Tablespoon Tabasco
2 quarts warm water
Mix and sprinkle in wherever there are cats.
A good rabbit repellent is a mixture of 85% raw linseed oil, 5% household detergent and 10% water. This can be applied with either a paintbrush or small sprayer.
Wood peckers are pesky birds that are very habitual and will attack the same location daily. They are looking for insects that are feeding on the sap of the tree. They are most active in the spring. Woodpeckers will not only attack trees but will also attack the wood siding on a home. Spruce, Pine and Birch are the favored trees but they will also attack other trees as well.
Persistence of these birds makes them an unfavorable foe. Sticky repellents such as Tanglefoot and Bird stop can be effective but application of the products can be difficult because of the location or height of the bird activity. Visual aids such as owls and pie tins can be effective in certain situations.
Several rodents can cause problems for trees. Damages are often severe and often will the kill the tree. Some rodents feed on the bark and others like beaver feed on the wood.
Wrapping the trees with a mesh hardware cloth would be a good start. Do not use cloth or burlap, as this would be an invitation for the rodents to chew on and live with/by. Rabbits could be held at bay with a fence around the garden area. The most effective repellent for rodents are those containing Thiram, a common fungicide. Be aware that these products give off an odor that you too will smell. Products that contain Thiram include: Chaperone, Science Deer and Rabbit Repellent, Bonide Rabbit and Deer Repellent, Nott Chew-Not and Gustafson 42S.
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Updated 6-26-07 Carleen Jeannotte