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Kids' Health
Vaccines.
HPV vaccine for tweens & teens

If you're scheduling pre-camp or summer checkups for your teens and tweens, chances are your pediatrician is going to talk to you about the HPV vaccine.

It helps prevent certain types of cancer that are caused by the human papillomavirus, including cervical, vulvar, vaginal, penile, anal, and some oral cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Because HPV is spread through sexual contact, the ideal time to get the vaccine is before kids become sexually active.

Because vaccines of any nature have been the topic of much anxiety for parents, BocaParent talked to a local pediatric infectious disease specialist, Dr. Jose R. Mateo, about why we should consider this one - for girls and boys.

Read all about it in the BocaParent blog.

Education
More parents home-schooling
In the midst of FCAT season in public school classrooms, angst against "the system" goes into high gear. Parents are looking for solutions - and more in Palm Beach County are opting out of schools altogether. See what it's like and find some resources in the BocaParent blog.

Swim lessons
Classes for all ages, skill levels
Girl swimming.
It's that time of year when pool safety is on parents' minds. There are plenty of programs around town to teach your child about water safety - from survival skills for infants to perfecting the breaststroke for older kids. Get the details, plus tips for making your pool and hot tub safer, in our guide.
Summer camps
Time to start planning
It's time to start making plans for summer. Local day camps are finalizing their schedules. There are so many options that fit a wide range of activities, schedules and prices. If you have little ones entering preschool in the fall, you might see whether the school offers a summer program. For older kids, there are options tailored to almost every interest. Find some options in our Summer Camp Guide.
  • Registration has also started for VPK for summer and fall. Read all about it and find local providers in the BocaParent blog.

Head's up


May 19: Registration for youth flag football and T-ball, 9 a.m.-noon, Boca Raton Community Center. Call 561-367-7001. ... Registration for tackle football and cheerleading, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., James Rutherford Community Center. Call 561-414-9770.

May 20: On-site registration for SABR soccer, 1 to 4 p.m., Patch Reef Park Community Center. Online registration opens soon at www.sabrsoccer.net.

May 28: Memorial Day.

June 7: Last day of school.

3-Minute Guru
Divorce: Take battle

out of child custody

 

Rosalind Sedacca.Custody issues are a huge challenge in every divorce involving children. Don't let the system decide them for you. Child-centered divorce expert Rosalind Sedacca has some tips for how parents can consciously work through the issues in the best interests of the kids, in 3-Minute Guru.

Girls painting.










Preschool Guide

A look at the many issues to consider when choosing a preschool and some of the different approaches offered around Boca Raton in Choosing a Preschool.
School locker. Middle School Guide
A look at the offerings for middle school around Boca Raton, including in-depth information on the public school choice programs and links to all the private schools in Choosing a Middle School.