County Health gearing for COVID vaccinations for ages 5-11

The Chester County Health Department is gearing up to deliver Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations to children ages 5-11 now that the Centers for Disease Control has issued final recommendations. The vaccine dose for the younger children is one-third of that given to anyone age 12 and over and the vaccine is administered in a series of two shots, 21 days apart. The vaccine is being delivered in new vials,...

County Health reminds parents to catch kids up on vaccines

WEST CHESTER — As Chester County begins to experience life without COVID restrictions, summer vacations, summer camps, and other activities are well underway! According to the Chester County Health Department, a key lesson learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is the effectiveness of vaccines. “We all saw first-hand how proper vaccination levels across our county mitigate the spread of viruses,”...

Could Wolf’s call on HS sports help reelect Trump?

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa It’s probably not Gov. Tom’s Wolf’s intention, but if his actions this week prevent fall high school sports, he may have unwittingly helped reelect President Donald Trump. Before you lose your — well, you know — hear me out. Generally speaking, I’ve been pretty consistent in my praise of Wolf’s actions regarding COVID-19. His aggressive...

On Your Table: Easy grab-n’ go foods for kids

By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times Nutritious, individual portioned ham and egg “muffins” are easy to prepare ahead of time and just perfect for grab-n-go meals or snacks. Now that the kids are back to school, packing an appetizing, healthy meal for them is an easy way to improve their day, even if they don’t feel quite so enthusiastic about the early mornings and hectic...

The awful truth: sometimes we’re all ‘Bad Moms’

New comedy film hits way too close to home  By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times I rarely (if ever) go to see a movie in the theater. It isn’t that I don’t enjoy it, I just never seem to make it a priority. Plus, with On Demand and Netflix, I feel like I will get around to watching, eventually. However, I really, really want to make a night of it and see the new movie “Bad Moms”...

The hardest part about parenting: letting go

My oldest will be off to college in a few short months, hard to believe By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times You know what is so hard about being a parent? It’s that you can’t possibly know how difficult it is until you are already knee­-deep in it. There is nothing that can prepare you for the amount of blood, sweat, tears, and unimaginable joy you will experience as a result of bringing...

Do’s and don’ts for preparing your child for a dental visit

By Dr. Stephanie McGann, DMD FAGD, Columnist, The Times As a parent, I always want to make things easier for my kids. However, as a dentist, sometimes I see very well-intentioned moms and dads inadvertently make things more difficult. Here’s what you should know. Don’t promise a reward for good behavior. Most kids have dental visits that are completely free of discomfort and by promising them...

A mother’s note to her sons on Mothers Day

Reflections on raising two teen boys, the fears, the joys By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times My dearest sons, Even though everyday is a joy with you little cherubs, I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you just how much you have changed my life for the better. The funny thing about parenthood (that no one tells you in advance) is how hard it is, ALL THE TIME. Not necessarily hard...

Are we ‘prepping’ our kids for too much stress?

A few thoughts on navigating today’s increased anxiety-filled world By Kim Chiomento, Staff Writer, The Times As a teen in the 1980’s, the terms “prep, prepper, and preppy” evoke strong memories of a serious fashion statement: Tretorn tennis shoes, gravity-defying, up-turned collars, going sockless and the syrupy scent of Ralph Lauren’s Lauren perfume.  The above was often tied...

Kids are surprisingly expensive

It’s a bit shocking when you think how much we spend on our kids, but it’s worth it By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times I read a really interesting article on one of my favorite websites, Refinery 29, about the cost of raising children (read it here: http://r29.co/1sA1VcH). While they were focused on the necessities like food and shelter, I was thinking this: