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THURSDAY. DECEMBER 25. 2014 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 11A
Dr. Austin honored at retirement party
Dr. Austin, third from left, stands with his co-workers from Piedmont Mountainside.
By Laiken Owens
Intern Reporter
Dr. Kenneth Austin has
worked in Jasper since 2004.
He celebrated his retirement on
December 16 with a well-at
tended party at Piedmont
Mountainside Hospital.
"I was very overwhelmed to
see that many people," said the
doctor.
Dr. Austin graduated from
the Medical School of Georgia
in 1977. "I've enjoyed my time
here and will miss my pa
tients," he said.
At right - Dr. Austin talks
with a longtime patient at his
celebration. "I love my pa
tients, they’re like my friends,"
said the doctor.
Communication key when hosting
people with food allergies
By Merritt Melancon
University of Georgia
Almost 50 million Americans
live with a food allergy, so
there’s a good chance that a large
holiday guest list might mean
that you’re cooking for someone
with dietary restrictions.
While it seems odd to ask
about some one’s medical condi
tion when you’re inviting them
to a celebration, communication
is the key to this modem
dilemma for hosts and guests.
“People with food allergies
must avoid whatever food or in
gredient they are allergic to in
order to be safe, so they will ap
preciate a host or hostess who is
concerned,” said Judy Harrison,
a food safety Extension specialist
with the University of Georgia
Cooperative Extension.
The most common food aller
gens are peanuts, tree nuts (such
as almonds, pecans and walnuts),
milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish and
shellfish. People who live with
allergies on a daily basis will tell
you that these allergens can be in
many foods and sometimes in
foods where one might not ex
pect them.
Two-way communication is
the key to keeping guests safe
and hosts relaxed during holiday
meals. Here are few tips that will
allow guests to celebrate without
having to worry:
• It’s good policy to check
with family and friends to see if
they or their children have food
allergies when you invite when
them to dinner. No one expects
you to rewrite your whole menu
in light of their allergy, but mak
ing a few dishes without the of
fending ingredients will make
your guests feel welcome.
• If the party is going to in
clude guests that you don’t know
very well or unexpected guests,
consider serving a variety of
foods so that even those with
food allergies will have some
items they can eat.
• The store-bought soups,
sauces and stuffing and dip
mixes that go into many holiday
recipes may contain ingredients
that some people are allergic to.
Be sure to check the ingredient
labels for allergens. Just a small
amount of an allergen can cause
life-threatening health problems
for some.
• If you make a dish that con
tains ingredients that are com
mon allergens, make festive
labels for each dish that lets peo
ple know it contains the ingredi
ent. For instance, if a dish
contains wheat and eggs, have a
label that says, “This dish con
tains wheat and eggs!” If it con
tains almonds, have a label that
says, “This dish contains al
monds!” One easy way to do this
is to print the messages on festive
paper labels and tape them to
toothpicks or wooden popsicle
sticks that can be inserted into
the dish.
• Take extra precautions in the
kitchen to separate foods con
taining allergens from other
foods to prevent cross-contami
nation. Thoroughly clean equip
ment, utensils and work surfaces
between uses to prevent allergens
from being transferred from one
dish into another.
• If you know that one of your
guests has a severe allergy to a
particular food like nuts or
peanuts, choose snacks that do
not contain nuts.
Following these tips will
make sure that everyone feels
welcome and safe during this
holiday entertaining season.
Merritt Melancon is a news
editor with the University of
Georgia College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences.
Community Bulletin Board
Parenting expert o ffers advice
Going backwards with toilet training
By John Rosemond
Copyright 2014, John K. Rosemond
Q: My 31-month-old has been out of diapers for
at least 8 months during the day. She has been very
good with toilet training until recently. Now she
goes for a while without accidents and then a pe
riod of a week or so with at least one accident a
day. I can see she needs to go, but when I ask her
she says no. At this point, if I try to get her to go
she begins screaming and crying and resisting. If
I’m able to get her to the bathroom she wets herself
as I’m taking off her pants. I can’t help but get
angry with her because I have tried to prevent the
accident. She seems to be going backward with toi
leting. How do you suggest I deal with this?
A: There are three obvious problems here: First,
you are asking her if she needs to use the toilet
when she obviously needs to use the toilet. That
question is provoking a negative response and
things begin to cascade from there. Many of
today’s parents, I notice, have a habit of asking a
question when they want a child to do something.
“How about let’s pick up these toys now, okay?”
actually means “I want you to pick up these toys
now.” If that’s what the parent actually means, then
that is what the parent should say. The question, be
cause it implies that the child has a choice in the
matter, is likely to result in push-back. Why would
a child say he wants to pick up his toys if he has a
say in the matter?
The same is true of “Do you have to use the
potty?” What you actually mean is “It’s time for
you to use the potty.” Therefore, that is what you
should say. Or, you can simply walk over to her,
take her hand, say “Come with me” and take her to
the potty. Or - and this is my preferred recommen
dation - you simply say, “You need to use the
potty” and walk away. This approach would begin
to defuse the power struggle you’ve created con
cerning this issue.
The second problem is that you have to remove
her clothing for her. A child who is having acci
dents (more accurately called “on-purposes”) dur
ing the day should be wearing clothes she can
remove without your help, and the fewer articles
of clothing your daughter has to remove or pull
down, the better. Make this as simple as possible
for her.
The third problem is your anger, which is fuel
ing the power struggle and contributing to the
downward spiral that you and your daughter are
caught up in. You need some anger management,
so here goes: When she has an “accident,” tell her
that her doctor says she has to remain in the bath
room until she uses the potty correctly. Give her a
cup full of water to hasten the process. Assigning
the authority in the situation to a third party whose
authority is already accepted by the child is a very
strategic way of defusing a parent-child power
struggle and getting things back on track.
Family psychologist John Rosemond: jolmrose-
mond.com and parentguru.com
The origin of Baby New Year
People from around the world
celebrate to mark the arrival of
the new year. One New Year tra
dition that has survived through
the centuries is that of Baby New
Year and its image of a toddler
wearing only a diaper, sash and
top hat.
Baby New Year can be traced
to 600 B.C. in Greece and Egypt.
Historians note that Greeks be
lieved Dionysus, their God of
fertility and wine, was reborn
every New Year as a spirit of fer
tility and luck. Greeks would cel
ebrate with parades featuring a
baby in a cradle to represent the
birth of Dionysus.
Ancient Egyptians used a
baby as a symbol to represent re
birth as well. The child symbol
ized the birth of the new year and
the passing of the old one.
Over the years, the tradition
of Baby New Year has taken on
another meaning as well. Some
people believe the baby begins as
an infant in January and then
quickly ages until he is elderly at
the end of December. Some sto
ries even suggest Baby New Year
ages until he becomes Father
Time.
Early Christians did not like
the tradition of Baby New Year,
feeling it was a pagan celebra
tion. However, the Church even
tually revised its standing when
it saw how much people stood
behind the imagery of a baby
representing rebirth. The Chris
tian Church allowed members to
celebrate the new year with a
baby, and it was believed the
practice symbolized the birth and
hope offered by baby Jesus.
Baby New Year symbolism
has even been used for marketing
purposes. Retailers realized the
cherubic image would attract
consumers, which is why it is
now used to promote New Year’s
sales.
But Baby New Year is more
than just a successful marketing
tool. Each year, many cities and
villages name their own Baby
New Year, which is the first child
bom on January 1.
Some attempts to name a
Baby New Year for an entire
country have been made, but
there have been no official pro
nouncements, as so many chil
dren have been born around
midnight on New Year’s Eve that
it has been too close to call which
baby arrived first.
Get a New You this New Year
with Certified fitness instructor Karen Dobson
From beginner to advanced Karen can help you reach your goals
• Functional Fitness Class - Incorporates cardio and toning
One-hour classes offered Mondays and Thursdays @ 5:30 p.m.
• Yoga - Enhance flexibility and tone with a practice that meets
you where you’re at. One-hour classes offered Tuesdays @5:30
p.m. and Saturdays @ 8:00 a.m.
Classes held at the Pickens County Community Center
1329 Camp Road, Jasper
Call Karen at 770-893-7405 for more information
Peking Garden
Fine Dining Chinese Restaurant
28 Bill Wigington Parkway
Suite 103
Jasper, Ga 30143
(Kroger Shopping Center)
Tel: 706-253-6828 Fax: 706-253-6808
If CLOSED ON MONDAYS ^
- JASPER, GA -
WOODBRIDCf
<l firm
North Georgia Airborne Association
Monthly meetings! Field trips, outings, military
events. Contact Gary Weller 678-943-1935;
garysweller@gmail.com
Anyone who is currently serving on active duty
on jump status or has ever served in any of the uni
formed services on either jump or glider status and
was honorably discharged are welcome.
Go to www.nga-airbome-assoc.org for the next
meeting time, location and date.
Senior Center
The Pickens County Senior Center needs volun
teers to deliver Meals-on-Wheels. Mileage is paid
at 500 a mile. Please call 706-692-6133 or e-mail
Kbolt@NGCAinc.com
North Georgia Pregnancy Center
The North Georgia Pregnancy Center can be
reached online at www.ngapregnancy.org
The Pregnancy Center is located in Jasper and
has contact, events, services and other information
listed on the site. The Center offers free
pregnancy tests, parenting and birthing courses,
maternity and baby clothes, counseling and more.
Notice
The Appalachian Beekeepers Association is
made up of northwestern Georgians willing and
able to share knowledge of, support for and excite
ment about beekeeping. Young and old, experi
enced and new, all are welcome; all will gain from
their participation in our efforts. We offer seminars,
training and events that will both enhance your bee
keeping experience, and give you the opportunity
to leam and grow in this all important endeavor.
Come meet us. Let’s explore what we can do to
gether. We meet every second Thursday, 7 p.m., at
the Senior Center in Jasper (400 Stegall Dr.). Cof
fee and snacks are on us. Questions? You can call
me (Laura Chumley) anytime at 678-314-3057.
Notice
The Georgia Mountain Chapter, Military Offi
cers Association of America, serving Cherokee,
Dawson, Forsyth, Gilmer, Hall, Lumpkin, Pickens,
White and North Fulton counties meets at 7 p.m.
the third Thursday of each month at Ryan’s Steak
House, Dawsonville. All current, former and retired
military officers are invited. Please call 678-779-
2584 for more information.
Invest in Pickens County - Volunteer at the Boys
& Girls Clubs!
The Boys & Girls Clubs provide safe places
where children can find learning, recreation and
companionship in the afternoons and evenings. We
are seeking volunteers to share their time and ex
periences with our members. We’re open Monday-
Friday, 2:30-6:30 p.m., serving children in grades
1-8. Do you have an hour a week to spare? Do you
have an interesting hobby, skill set or travel adven
ture you’d like to share? We’re searching for vol
unteers to help with literacy, general supervision of
youth and teach special skills/projects. Please con
tact Michele Brackin at mbrackin@ bgcng.org or
call 706-253-2582.
SINCE 1BBD
Make the Woodbridge Inn your
Neva Year’s Eve Celebration Destination
Lodging a short walk across the
famous Wood Bridge to the
Jasper New Year’s Eve Celebration downtown
New Year '*/ Special
4 course meal and wine pairing $85 per person
(without wine $60 per person)
Seatings available at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Call for details.
Make your Lodge reservations early.
44 Chambers Street • Jasper, GA 30143
706-253-8500