Healthy Habits for Kids

By Terry Orr

Your child's habits start with you!

The most important thing to remember is that you are your child's role model. Your habits affect your children's habits.

If your habits are unhealthy—smoking, drinking too much alcohol, or always expecting the worst, for example—your child is more likely to get those habits.

If your habits are healthy—eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, looking forward to tomorrow, for example—your children are more likely to build those habits in their own lives.

Sounds simple?  It really is pretty straight forward and without all drama and tantrums - if done smartly.  Some folks pile on the food for a child and complain about them unwilling or unable to finish what’s on their plates. Think smaller portions – say a tablespoon – and if they want more – then allow it – providing they are also eating the other items.

After research the Internet on healthy habits for kids, I found that the article by Robin Madell to capture the true essence of habits we all should follow.

10 Healthy Habits Parents Should Teach Their Kids

Written by Robin Madell /Medically Reviewed on May 10, 2013 by George Krucik, MD, MBA http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/healthy-habits-mothers-should-teach-kids#1

• Habit 1: Make Eating Colorful – They are beautiful, healthy and good for you.
• Habit 2: Don’t Skip Breakfast – It really is the most important meal of the day.
• Habit 3: Pick Enjoyable Physical Activities – Sure makes it easier to do when you enjoy them.
• Habit 4: Don’t Be a Couch Potato – We need at least 60 minutes every day to be physically active!
• Habit 5: Ready Every Day – When you wake up – be grateful and thankful to be alive and have an opportunity to accomplish wonderful things.
• Habit 6: Drink Water, Not Soda – 8 glasses of water each and every day!
• Habit 7: Look at Labels (Food Labels, Not Designer) - Know and understand what those pesky items in what you are considering to eat.
• Habit 8:  Enjoy a Family Dinner – Too important to miss!
• Habit 9: Spent Time with Friends – Amen!
• Habit 10: Stay Positive – With a smile on your face and love in your heart and understanding in your mind.

 Following these healthy habits are a good starting point. Please let us know what other healthy habits you use.

References and Links:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/HealthierKids/HowtoMakeaHealthyHome/Help-Children-Develop-Healthy-Habits_UCM_303805_Article.jsp#

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/tv_habits.html

http://www.nourishinteractive.com/nutrition-education-printables/category/7-kids-healthy-habits-goals-tracking-sheets-charts-eating-healthy-foods-diary-cards-nutrition-physical-activity-goals-agreements

http://www.parents.com/health/hygiene/

http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/kb/content/special/aba5985.html

BEWARE OF STRANGERS

By Diane Forrest

 I love the move Kindergarten Cop.  I loved watching Arnold Swartzenagger trying to communicate with kindergarteners.  It didn’t take him long to realize it's not as easy as one might think.  One of the scenes at the end of the movie talks about strangers.  His partner, Phoebe, tells the children they must never talk to strangers.  But, it was ok to talk to dogs who are strangers. It wasn't long after that discussion that the bad guy shows up at the school and all the children point at him and yell stranger!!  They ended up getting the bad guy and living happily ever after.

When I was growing up I was taught don’t talk to strangers, don't take candy from a stranger, and tell a policeman if a stranger bothers you.  Kids today seem to be so much smarter than when I was going up.  They live in the electronic and information age and you may forget to teach them the basics, like stay away from strangers.  Here are some other examples to teach young children:

"Don't talk to strangers"

"Don't tell anyone your name"

"Don't let strangers touch your food or drink"

"Don't help strangers

"Don't let strangers touch your face"

"If someone acts too friendly in a theater, complain to an usher or the manager"

One thing to remember is too much constant warning is not a good thing either.  The child will then mistrust any adult, even those who will help them. In situations where the child is in danger for other reasons, avoiding strangers (who might help) could in fact be dangerous itself, such as in the case of an 11-year-old Boy Scout who avoided rescue searchers because he feared they might want to 'steal him.  The fear some parents have can cause them to keep the child indoors and then develop other issues such as nature deficit disorder.

Here is a quiz to share with your kids, or children in your life, to make them aware of strangers.

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/parentingquizzes/l/bl_strngdngr.htm

(Photos from Google)

National Home Safety Month – June 2013

By Nurse Diane

"I've fallen and I can't get up!"  I’m sure you all have seen this commercial from Life Support.  I recently saw a new one where the lady is saying, "I just started some new medicine and I feel dizzy.” The lady at the other end of the line asked if she needed an ambulance, then sent one right over.  Many of my friends and family are elderly, and I am always worried that they will fall and injure themselves.  Recently my aunt fell in her garage, hit her head on concrete and eventually passed away from her injuries.

Most of the home accidents occur with the elderly and children.  The home is the site of approximately 20% of all injury death. The top five leading causes of unintentional home injury death are falls, poisoning, fire/burn, choking/suffocation, and drowning; together these causes account for 90% of all unintentional home injury deaths. Yet the majority of unintentional home injuries do not result in death. For every home injury death there are approximately 650 nonfatal injuries. Children under age 5 and adults over age 70 are the highest risk groups for home injury, both fatal and nonfatal according to the Home Safety Council.

Falls continue to be the major reason for injury-related death, injury and hospital admission for older adults.

Follow these tips to prevent slips and falls in your home:

• Keep the floor clear. Reduce clutter and safely tuck telephone and electrical cords out of walkways.
• Keep the floor clean. Clean up grease, water and other liquids immediately. Don't wax floors.
• Use non-skid throw rugs to reduce your chance of slipping on linoleum.
• Install handrails in stairways. Have grab bars in the bathroom (by toilets and in tub/shower.)
• Make sure living areas are well lit. We can all trip and fall in the dark.
• Be aware that climbing and reaching high places will increase your chance of a fall. Use a sturdy step stool with handrails when these tasks are necessary.
• Follow medication dosages closely. Using medication incorrectly may lead to dizziness, weakness and other side effects. These can all lead to a dangerous fall.

Below are some tips that will help make your home more safe but I would suggest that you go to each room in your home, look around to see if there is any possible health hazard that could be lurking in any corner.

Have first-aid kit stocked with emergency items.

• Practice a home fire escape plan twice a year so everyone knows at least two exits out of every room and where to meet outside in case of an emergency
• Test your smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries yearly
• Stay in the kitchen when food is cooking on the stove
• Use nightlights to help light hallways and bathrooms during nighttime hours
• Use a sturdy step stool and not a chair when climbing
• Post the National Poison Control Hotline number (800-222-1222) along with other emergency numbers next to every phone

(Photos from Google) 

National Photography Day 2013

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By Terry Orr 

Which Photograph is your favorite?

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(All photographs from Google) 

Share a Story

By Diane Forrest

Last night I was talking with a friend of mine who was having trouble sleeping.  I asked him if he wanted me to tell him a bedtime story to help him sleep.  Then I started thinking of some of my favorite stories.  One of my favorite ones is about the 7 Chinese Brothers.  It is about these seven brothers, who all look alike.  They all have a special talent, and they help get each other out of a certain problem that would cause their death.  The story ends on a happy note, and everyone is saved.

May is National Share a Story Month.  The month is organized by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups. The charity was founded in 1965 with the aim to promote children’s interest in books and reading, getting involved with libraries, schools and playgroups.

The main aim though, is to form book groups for parents and children to meet, discuss books, hear from visiting authors and just enjoy some good old-fashioned story telling!

Words for life.org offers some suggestions on how to celebrate this month.  They include:

1.    Share your favorite childhood stories

Think back to when you were a child and the stories that have stayed with you throughout the years. One will probably have had a big impression on you, so why not share it with your child? It might be something completely new to them or it could be a book that they love too, a classic such as Where the Wild Things Are. You don’t need to have a copy to hand either; you could tell it from memory and have some fun making it exciting, funny, sad or intriguing.

2.    Ask your child what their favorites are

Most children have at least one book that will have made an impression on them, whether it was one particular story or a series involving the same character or even a non-fiction title. (You may know before you ask your child which is their favorite story if you have had to read it time and time again!) Discuss what makes the book so special and why they like it. This helps your child think about books in a more analytical way and helps them form opinions that they know you respect.

3.    Read a bedtime story

Most children love being read to. It’s not just about the story; it’s also about curling up and spending special quiet time with you, without interruptions. You can enjoy board books with babies and younger children, and longer stories with older kids. By taking ten minutes or more out of your busy day you are not only helping them with their literacy but are also telling them that you love them and that spending time together matters. What a lovely thought before going to sleep!

4.    Create your own story

For thousands of years there were no books and, even if there were, most people couldn’t read. Instead they gathered to listen to storytellers for entertainment. It’s still a popular way to spend an evening now – think of ghost stories around a campfire or listening to a stand-up comedian talk about their life – so why not have a go at making up your own story? If your child can talk, involve them in it too. This is a fun way of passing the time when travelling and on rainy days and is more interactive than solitary reading. If your child gets really involved, you could always write your story down together and illustrate it with pictures or photos.

5.    Visit your local library

One of the best ways of getting your children and yourself into reading is by joining your local library. They usually have all the latest bestsellers, as well as old favorites, and you don’t have to pay a penny to borrow them. Many libraries have special children’s sections, with regular story times and music sessions, so you can sit and relax without worrying about making noise. The only trouble you may have is when it’s time to leave!

So this month.... stop by your library and stock up on some good stories or make some up on your own.  Some of the best ones come from your own life.

(All images from Google)

Do You Remember Kindergarten?

Google Image

By Diane Forrest

It’s been a few years now since I was in Kindergarten, but I still remember some of the things I did.  Above is a picture of me dressed as a pregnant lady, and another of me on the stage.  I remember this was my first public solo, and I sang:

A-tisket a-tasket

A green and yellow basket

I wrote a letter to my love

And on the way I dropped it

I dropped it, I dropped it

Yes, on the way I dropped

A little girlie picked it up

And took it to the market

This was also the time I had my first boy friend.  His name was John, and he always wanted to sit by me during story time.  This is an important time in a young child's life.  Not only do they learn basic educational tools such as colors, shapes, and the alphabet, but they also learn how to interact with other children, sometimes even forming life long friendships.  My son went to the same school from kindergarten to high school, and spent most of his life with some of the same people he started with.

According to holidayinsites.com, Kindergarten Day is celebrated in honor of Friedrich Froebel. He was born on this day in 1782. In 1837, he started the first Kindergarten in Germany. It became popular quickly. Kindergartens were originally a 1/2-day to get children acclimated into learning, social interaction, and school, in a fun, yet educational manner. Kindergarten has evolved in most areas into a full time program. This is partly the result of increasing pressures on education, and partly due to the increase in working mothers in America.

Today is Kindergarten Day, why not pull out your old photo albums and look at your pictures to see how much you have changed, if you don’t have any, maybe you can color a picture or make a play-doh model!

National STD Month

By Nurse Diane

When I was in nursing school, I worked at the school's health clinic.  It was just starting up, so the clinic was a mobile nursing unit.  It was a big RV that had been converted to a traveling clinic complete with a classroom, exam room and waiting room. The nurse practitioner, myself, an office staff member, and driver would travel to different schools in a 100 mile radius once a week to perform various tasks such as checking blood pressure, doing simple blood tests the occasional physical exam, but mostly education.  The number one subject the kids wanted to learn about was sex related topics.  Not only did we instruct about disease and pregnancy, we also provided condoms, and instructions for using them.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are 20 million new cases of STD are a year with a cost of 19 billion dollars to treat them.  I also learned that one out of every two sexually active people will contract a sexually transmitted disease by the age of 25, and some may not even be aware that they have a disease.

The good news is that most STDs are treatable, and many are curable – early detection through testing is key. Yet, stigma, inconsistent or incorrect condom use, access to health care, and a combination of other factors contribute to high rates of STDs among teens and young adults.

Research has shown that most adolescents feel more comfortable discussing this problem with their primary care physician, an with the person who initiates the discussion, and is knowledgeable about the diseases, causes cures and prevention.

Sexually transmitted diseases are a real problem; if you have any young teens in your family, don't be afraid to bring up this discussion with them.  Don't judge them or show disproval, just provide them with answers, and the tools to prevent sexually transmitted disease.  If you or other parent doesn’t feel comfortable having this discussion, talk with their primary care physician about bringing up this matter to them.

Since I routinely had these discussions in the course of my job, I was comfortable having it with my son.  You want to make sure that you have the discussion in a non-threatening place.  I decided to take my son to the Dairy Queen and have banana splits.  The talk went well, until a catholic nun walked up to our table, and had been listening to our discussion.  This proved a little embarrassing, and put an end to our conversation, but makes for a funny story now.

The most important thing is to bring up the subject, don’t be afraid to answer any questions, and if you don't know the answer, you can find out together. Show your support to your kids, and help stop the spread of Sexually Transmitted Diseases!