Photo credit: malias
The cnn.com blog chose an interesting title for their article on overweight children. It was insensitive, not politically correct, and definitely attention grabbing. It certainly grabbed MY attention.
Although I disagree with the choice of title, I agree with the general advice that was given in the article.
Did you know that a third of American kids are overweight? This is serious, because it puts them at risk for serious conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. It’s also a big problem for us as a society, because managing these conditions is costly.
There are many discussions on what we can do as a society to solve the obesity epidemic, including taxes on fast food and other forms of government regulation. As an individual, you should be alert to any signs that your child is becoming heavy. Don’t rely on your pediatrician to alert you to the fact that your child is overweight. She won’t necessarily do it.
If your child is overweight, the best way to deal with it is to help her become more active by enrolling her in after school activities such as sports teams, gymnastics or self defense classes: anything that requires her to move. Packing healthy lunches and making sure the entire family eats healthy (so that you don’t just put the child on a “diet”) are very helpful too.
Remove soda, sugary cereal and candy from your shopping list. If it’s not in the house, your child is less likely to consume it. When eating out, it’s very important to manage food consumption by sharing dishes and by asking for sauces and salad dressing to be served on the side.
Online Groups For Parents
Posted in Health.
Tagged with Obesity, Overweight kids.
By Vered
November 20, 2008
Photo credit: miss pupik
I can’t say that this one surprised me.
Research shows that teens who regularly play violent video games are more likely to get into physical fights.
The problem is most likely that these games reinforce the idea that violence is a normal and acceptable way to react to everyday conflicts. They cause teens to perceive a violent reaction as normal.
I am raising two girls, who are not into video games and definitely not into violence. It worries me to think that as teens, they will be in contact with young boys whose perception of violence and of what’s appropriate and what’s not is distorted.
Roger Sinaohn of Parent Dish wonders if being exposed to violence in other types of media, such as television and movies, produces the same effect. I would venture a guess that yes, it most certainly does. Even for me, as an adult, being constantly exposed to violent scenes seems to raise my tolerance level towards violence. I can only imagine it has an even more profound effect on the growing brains of teenagers.
Online Groups For Parents
Posted in teens.
Tagged with teen agression, teens, video games.
By Vered
November 18, 2008
Photo credit: spud
Dry winter air can be tough on all of us, and is especially tough on young children. Heating our homes is a necessity in winter, but breathing the dry air can irritate nasal passages and throat and cause the skin to be dry and itchy.
The best way to handle dry air is to encourage your kids to drink a lot. Water is preferred, but milk and limited amounts of 100% fruit juice are also good options.
Using a humidifier in your kids’ bedroom at night is also a good idea, although you need to make sure that the air is not TOO humid, SINCE that Could encourage mold and fungi. To make sure the humidifier doesn’t become a source for germs and bacteria, use distilled water; empty the humidifier every morning and rinse well; and disinfect it weekly with bleach or vinegar.
If your child suffers from dry skin, have them use a mild soap when they bathe such as Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. Apply moisturizers while your child’s skin is still damp. Choose an alcohol and fragrance free moisturizer such as Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. For dry lips, apply a moisturizing, fragrance free lip balm.
Online Groups For Parents
Posted in Health.
Tagged with Dry skin.
By Vered
November 13, 2008
Photo credit: theritters
We do.
There’s no need to scare them, but kids need to know that the world is going through a major financial crises right now and that parents are trying to cut expenses. While we assured our children that they can expect their daily lives to continue pretty much as usual, we also emphasized that we are trying to spend less and make more responsible choices when it comes to our purchasing decisions.
Making the kids part of the decision process where appropriate (choosing which brand to but at the supermarket, for example and looking for items on sale) can help them feel in control and empowered.
I would say that kids at elementary school age are ready to learn a simple message such as “the entire world is trying to spend less and save more right now, and we are doing the same.”
Online Groups For Parents
Posted in Finance.
Tagged with kids and money.
By Vered
November 11, 2008
Photo credit: moritz
Research shows that middle school children who have a television or computer in their room sleep less during the school year, watch more TV, play more computer games and surf the net more than their peers who don’t.
COME ON. Don’t tell me this is surprising or actually requires research? I could have told you that.
While avoiding a TV in your kids’ room seems like a no brainer, computers are more tricky, since they are after all used for school as well. But experts seem to agree that the best strategy is to keep the computer in a public space, where you can supervise your child’s use of the computer.
For young kids, it’s also a good idea to install a “web nanny”, although older kids will likely find ways to bypass this type of software. With them, talking about internet safety is far more valuable. It’s also a good idea to discuss internet safety with younger kids. Check out these tips from the FBI.
I WAS surprised however by the study’s findings that middle school kids watch a daily average of almost 3 hours of TV and use their computer for almost 4 hours. That’s 7 daily hours of media - on top of school - this means they do not engage in sports or social activities at all.
That’s just scary. And sad.
Communities For Parents
Posted in Computers, Television.
Tagged with Computers, internet safety, Television.
By Vered
November 6, 2008
Photo credit: Old Shoe Woman
The CDC recently reported a 18% rise in kids’ food allergies. 3 million American children, or four out of every 100 kids, suffer from food allergies. While this may sound alarming, experts say that the high numbers could simply be a result of higher awareness: “what was previously considered as general symptoms of a “sickly child”, is now diagnosed as a food allergy.
Another theory says that kids are more allergic these days because we raise them in an almost-sterile environment that doesn’t give their immune sustem a chance to develop properly.
Food allergies are also believed to be hereditary, so if you or your partner suffer from them, there’s a higher chance that your kids will suffer from them too.
One of the best ways to prevent food allergies in children is to breastfeed, and to delay introduction of solid food until at least 6 months of age. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast-feeding of infants for at least the first 6 months of life. This is followed by the gradual introduction of solid foods from age 6-12 months, as well as continued breast-feeding for 12 months or longer.
When introducing solid foods, the most common causes of food allergies (cow’s milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish and shellfish)should be avoided. It is also a good idea to gradually introduce single-ingredient foods one at a time.
Even if your child suffers from a food allergy, your family can still manage it and lead a mostly normal life. Check out this article for helpful tips.
Communities For Parents
Posted in Health.
Tagged with Food allergies.
By Vered
November 4, 2008
Photo credit: Yives
Playing sports is good for kids in several ways. Organized sports offer a great opportunity to exercise. We all know how hard it is for kids these days to get enough exercise. While experts say that kids need a full hour of exercise each day, many kids hardly get any exercise at all, especially during the week. Television, computer games and even too much homework are the culprits.
Experts say that engaging in sports also enhances children’s self-esteem. But this is only true if the child is part of a youth sports program that promotes mutual respect and encouragement. Children’s sports teams that have a stressful, “win at all costs” atmosphere could in fact be damaging kids’ self-esteem.
Belonging to a sports team helps children develop physical skills. Children learn fundamental motor skills, such as running and throwing, as well as skills specific to their sports of choice. These skills will stay with them for life and help them be active as adults too.
Being part of a sports team is obviously a great way to make new friends. Most importantly, playing sports is FUN.
When deciding on a sports team, it’s important to allow the child to choose which sports to engage in. This is not about parents living vicariously through their children or making up for their own unfulfilled dreams. This is about the child and what works best for them.
It’s also important to remember that every child develops at a different rate and that not all sports are appropriate for every age. It’s always a good idea to consider your child’s maturity and skill level before signing them up.
Communities For Parents
Posted in Sports teams.
Tagged with Sports teams.
By Vered
October 30, 2008
Photo credit: clintjcl
Modern life is busy. One of the first thing families give up is family dinners. It just seems easier to let each family member heat a plate of food in the microwave when they get home.
But research shows that giving up family dinners is a mistake. For many busy families, dinner is the best time to get together, reconnect and discuss the day’s events. Research shows that teens who rarely have family dinners are three times more likely to abuse prescription drugs than teens who do have family sinners regularly. Girls who eat frequently with their families are less likely to develop unhealthy eating habits.
These are my tips for making family meals a reality:
1. Start slowly. Start with just one dinner per week, then slowly work your way to more dinners.
2. Don’t cook every night! A family dinner is still a family dinner if the family sits together to share takeout or pizza. I serve “breakfast for dinner” once a week - pancakes, crepes or eggs and toast. The kids LOVE these dinners.
3. Make it fun. Allow each child to decide what to eat once a week. If you don’t trust them to make healthy choices, let them pick from a pre-written list of options.
Communities For Parents
Posted in Parenting.
Tagged with Family Dinners, teens.
By Vered
October 28, 2008
Photo credit: talkingplant
The tragic story of Brenda Slaby, who forgot her child in a car for 8 hours, resulting in the child’s death from heatstroke, should be a reminder to all of us to slow down and always remember what’s truly important.
Excelling at your job, keeping the house tidy, cooking homemade dinner, running errands - these are all an integral part of moms’ lives and what makes up our days. But none of these is as important as the health and well-being of our children.
Too many moms feel that they must always be on top of things, that they can never say “no” to any demand made on their time. But it’s exactly this type of pressure that leads to unhappiness, to exhaustion and - in Brenda’s case - to fatal mistakes.
Give yourself permission to say “no”. Allow the house to be a little messy. Order take out. RELAX. Things are not going to be perfect regardless of how hard you try. The sooner you acknowledge that, the better off you and your family will be.
Communities For Parents
Posted in Parenting.
Tagged with pressure, Safety, supermoms.
By Vered
October 21, 2008
Photo credit: Max Sullivan
It was only a matter of time until software was created for managing kids’ activities online.
Think about it: it’s brilliant. There are so many organizing systems out there, so many web-based tools for managing everything, why neglect one of the population segments that needs it most: parents?
The UpToUs solution for managing classrooms, sports teams and kids’ activities helps parents by streamlining and keeping in one place all their kids’ activities.
It’s a great solution for classroom parents and sports team coaches, because they can use UpToUs for EVERYTHING, including managing the group’s calendar and schedule, sending out invitations to events and sharing photos.
It’s a great solution for individual parents, because they can view and organize all their kids’ activities in one place. In fact, the more communities they join, the better UpToUs will work for them.
Communities For Parents
Posted in Organizing, Parenting, UpToUs.
Tagged with kids activities.
By Vered
October 14, 2008
