GX-4 Camera

If you are like me, you have experienced that gut-wrenching feeling as you watched your camera head for the bottom of a stream or swimming pool after trying for that “Once-In-A-Lifetime” shot. Either that or you drive half way across the county and it is raining when you get to Mount Rushmore. Then you sit there and wonder if your camera will get too wet while you get that shot for the scrapbook.

I’ve always wished for a camera that is waterproof, dust proof, and semi-indestructible. But my dreams were always crushed when I went to the camera store and saw the prices of waterproof cameras. Now Minolta has introduced a new line of cameras for everything from skateboarding to mountain climbing to surfing. The new Xtreem GX series are designed for all types of outdoor use. The GX-4 model is even water proof down to 16.5 feet for snorkeling or surfing.

Even if you don’t plan on taking the camera snorkeling, the Minolta Xtreem camera is good for all around picture taking. When you are at the soccer or football field, you never have to worry about the camera getting wet or muddy. With the water resistant design, it is the type of camera that you don’t have to worry about. This way when your kid makes that impressive save in the rain, it can be captured for all the grand parents to marvel at! The camera uses the Advanced Photo System with easy drop-in loading, and three print formats. The three picture formats include the classic snapshot, high definition, and panoramic. A number of accessories are also available to improve usability. A belt/arm band, holster, or mini tripod make it easy to take those great shots. The prices vary on the cameras but are typically around $125-$140.

With questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 1998-2001 What’s a Kid 2 Do?, all rights reserved. Visit our web site Your child’s growth and development is always a concern for many parents. Is my child too big, too short, too thin, etc. etc. etc? To help answer that question, we have provided growth charts to help you monitor your child’s development.

What Are Growth Charts?

Doctors use growth charts to compare a child’s measurements with those of other children his age. This helps the doctors determine whether a child’s growth is adequate. Boys and girls are plotted on different charts because their growth rates and patterns differ. For both boys and girls there are two sets of standard charts: one for infants ages 0 to 36 months and another for children ages 2 to 18 years. The charts are a series of percentile curves that show the distribution of growth measurements of children from across the country.

The growth charts most commonly used in the United States were developed by the National Center for Health Statistics and were first released in 1977. Recently, the center revised the charts to update their data and reflect greater cultural and racial diversity. (The original infant charts were based on data from one study of mainly middle-class, formula-fed Caucasian infants from southwestern Ohio – not a very inclusive population sample. The data for the older children’s charts were collected in national health surveys from 1963 to 1974). Also, these new charts go up to age 20.

Looking at the Charts

The new charts represent the most recently published (June 2000) standards for U.S. children. By plotting your child’s measurements on these charts, doctors are able to compare your child’s growth patterns with data collected on thousands of U.S. children. Remember that only those measurements that are obtained in your child’s doctor’s office or taken by another properly skilled person should be plotted. Home measurements are frequently inaccurate and can lead to faulty data.