Ok. It's the dead of winter and there are way more indoor days than I would like. Thankfully here in Georgia we are blessed with more 60 degree winter days than many places- but that hasn't been happening much. It can be a challenge to keep your child from sitting like a zombie doing mindless things such as TV or video games. I know!
And folks playing isn't rocket science. Many of the ideas I share are classics or a spin on a classic. Just seems many make it more complicated than it needs to be.
So if the weather has you down, bring the the game HORSE inside. It's a quick set up, minimal equipment, and it's something your child will be able organize on his/her own once you've taught them.
Equipment:
A ball or something soft OK for throwing inside (I like aluminum foil balls)
A goal of some sort- empty trash can or box
Guidelines for two players:
The first player takes a shot at the goal from anywhere in the play area. If the first shooter misses, the shot goes to the next player. They also may shoot from anywhere one time. This continues until someone makes a shot. Once a person makes a shot, the next shooter must make an identical shot from the same spot. If they don't, they get an "H". The first player would again get to shoot from anywhere. Play continues in this way until someone has completed the word "HORSE" by matching the opponents made shots.
Have fun. Later y'all-
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Explore
Learning by doing. Overcoming fears by trying. Experiencing rather than just watching. That is what childhood is for. (Or life!)
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Just Sharing
https://www.facebook.com/becomingminimalist
I recently found the page Becoming Minimalist on Facebook after looking at a picture an old friend shared. I'm so glad I followed the link and hope you will take a look too. This is where I am in life. I crave a simpler life so that I may actually enjoy life. Later y'all-
Friday, February 22, 2013
Rainy Day Play
Looks like it will be raining again tomorrow...sigh. Oh well. I do love sunny Saturdays, but rainy days have their own charm. I hope little dude is better tomorrow after having a fever all evening. He rarely gets sick, but has been fighting something all week and it came to a head tonight. I can't even remember the last time he had a fever- Maybe November before last?
So, what's it like at your house on a rainy weekend day? We live in a rural area so outsourced entertainment isn't always convenient. Bowling alleys, malls, indoor playgrounds, and such are at least a 30 minute drive from our home. My husband and I are closet geeks in that we enjoy reading every chance we get. He's read more spy and tough guy, hero books than I can imagine possible plots to. I've read more health books and articles than, I'm sure, he can imagine being interesting. I also cook way more food than we can eat. It feels productive. So, there's lots of nerdom going on. Meanwhile, our son can be found playing Legos, pirates, and grocery store in 30 minute shifts. He also watches some TV, plays a little Xbox Kinnect, and usually demands a somewhat friendly game of cards. He's into the game War right now. Having an ace is a sign of supreme power in his world.
Pretty low key, low energy stuff. Days like that are awesome. True rest is overlooked sometimes in our hectic lives and we suffer for it. But honestly, it's just in me and I have to pull out an active game even on days like that. My favorite indoor game we do is balloon tennis. Yeah, I'm pretty lax about rough housing- I guess I encourage it. If you'd like to quieten your "Mamma Voice" and have ten minutes of fun with your kids, check out this game.
You're gonna need 3 things: a balloon, 2 spatulas
Find an open space and serve it up. Hit the balloon back and forth. Make up your own rules as you go to fit your kid and situation. Just don't make too many rules. Have fun and laugh.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
"Sugared" Vegetables and Watered Down Parenting
Let me begin by saying that my intent here isn't to be "preachy" or to look down on others. I do try to look at both sides of every story, but I also call B.S. on a lot too. I know parenting is hard. I know children show resistance to our guidance. It's natural. It's also natural to want was is best for children in the long run. Parenting along the path of least resistance really isn't parenting. It sets the standard for all future interactions between parent and child. Unfortunately, this standard usually means the child doesn't learn self control or the process of thoughtful choice. Immediate gratification becomes the means to an end. Making excuses doesn't help anyone.
The article I came upon today describing a new sugar spray for vegetables set me off on this tangent. How many times have I heard a fellow mother say her child refuses to eat anything besides chicken nuggets, french fries, and pizza. I'm calling B.S. Our tastes develop and mature according to tastes we are exposed to. The truth is, the parents have not taken the time to expose the child to different foods. Truth is, you don't want to deal with the emotional outburst of a child who doesn't want to do something outside his/her comfort zone. Truth is, you don't value the importance of nutrition.
Now, to soften my tone a bit. I have not achieved perfect parent status and I never shall. Parenting is a never ending process fueled by love and a drive for making your child's life the best it can be. Many of our mistakes in parenting come from that love and desire to make Junior happy. Here's the thing...you can't make your child happy. Happiness and a good life come from within. It comes from a place of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. All of these things requiring thoughtful, quality choices on a regular basis.
Here's the thing: you have to have a set of guiding principles and beliefs in order to consistently parent. I'll share mine concerning nutrition.
1. Real foods that are close to their most natural state should make up the majority of my family's diet.
2. I believe in buying the best quality foods we can reasonably afford.
3. Eating at home or food from home should happen as much as possible so we know what we're getting.
4. Vegetables, fruits, and naturally grown protein are central to the majority of our meals.
5. Added sugar will be avoided when possible.
6. Life is too short to not have treats and living by the rules 24-7 is almost impossible.
Agree or disagree with our family's nutrition principles, not the point. The point is, we know where we stand and what we believe in. So, when my son asks for a Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie for breakfast and I go along with it once in a blue moon, I know where we stand the rest of the day. He won't get another sweet until much later in the day after getting quality foods down the hatch. (Am I the only person left that calls things sweets?) And here's the kicker...he knows it too. He might try for another, but my "no" comes with little resistance because he never really thought it was going to happen.
Our little guy (I still think of him as little, but he's 5) eats a pretty wide variety of things. He stonewalls on different foods weekly and we roll with it according to the situation. Is he holding out for a snack later? Is it a food we haven't had in a while and he doesn't remember it? Or does he think it's a tomato? Because, dude will not touch a raw tomato with a ten foot pole just like his father. As the parents, we usually make him try the food. We ask him if he liked it and listen. If he does, he eats it of course. If he says he doesn't like it today, we usually require him to eat at least some of it for nutrition sake and so he knows everything doesn't have to be a culinary field day.
Take a look at the hissy fit inducing article for yourself if you like.
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/02/18/sugar-mist-makes-veggies-more-palatable-to-kids/
It's time to make dinner and since I won't be spraying any sugar on the stir fry, I'll need to give it my full attention.
Later-
The article I came upon today describing a new sugar spray for vegetables set me off on this tangent. How many times have I heard a fellow mother say her child refuses to eat anything besides chicken nuggets, french fries, and pizza. I'm calling B.S. Our tastes develop and mature according to tastes we are exposed to. The truth is, the parents have not taken the time to expose the child to different foods. Truth is, you don't want to deal with the emotional outburst of a child who doesn't want to do something outside his/her comfort zone. Truth is, you don't value the importance of nutrition.
Now, to soften my tone a bit. I have not achieved perfect parent status and I never shall. Parenting is a never ending process fueled by love and a drive for making your child's life the best it can be. Many of our mistakes in parenting come from that love and desire to make Junior happy. Here's the thing...you can't make your child happy. Happiness and a good life come from within. It comes from a place of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. All of these things requiring thoughtful, quality choices on a regular basis.
Here's the thing: you have to have a set of guiding principles and beliefs in order to consistently parent. I'll share mine concerning nutrition.
1. Real foods that are close to their most natural state should make up the majority of my family's diet.
2. I believe in buying the best quality foods we can reasonably afford.
3. Eating at home or food from home should happen as much as possible so we know what we're getting.
4. Vegetables, fruits, and naturally grown protein are central to the majority of our meals.
5. Added sugar will be avoided when possible.
6. Life is too short to not have treats and living by the rules 24-7 is almost impossible.
Agree or disagree with our family's nutrition principles, not the point. The point is, we know where we stand and what we believe in. So, when my son asks for a Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie for breakfast and I go along with it once in a blue moon, I know where we stand the rest of the day. He won't get another sweet until much later in the day after getting quality foods down the hatch. (Am I the only person left that calls things sweets?) And here's the kicker...he knows it too. He might try for another, but my "no" comes with little resistance because he never really thought it was going to happen.
Our little guy (I still think of him as little, but he's 5) eats a pretty wide variety of things. He stonewalls on different foods weekly and we roll with it according to the situation. Is he holding out for a snack later? Is it a food we haven't had in a while and he doesn't remember it? Or does he think it's a tomato? Because, dude will not touch a raw tomato with a ten foot pole just like his father. As the parents, we usually make him try the food. We ask him if he liked it and listen. If he does, he eats it of course. If he says he doesn't like it today, we usually require him to eat at least some of it for nutrition sake and so he knows everything doesn't have to be a culinary field day.
Take a look at the hissy fit inducing article for yourself if you like.
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/02/18/sugar-mist-makes-veggies-more-palatable-to-kids/
It's time to make dinner and since I won't be spraying any sugar on the stir fry, I'll need to give it my full attention.
Later-
The Multi-purpose Tennis Ball
It's a beautiful day in February. Where is your child? Mine is stuck in the car for the next hour as we continue home from a two night camping trip. But we have an appointment with a tennis ball after we unpack.
A good strategy for encouraging your child to play actively outdoors is to have an outdoor play box. The box should have simple toys in it for quick and easy game play. My favorite choice is a tennis ball. You can do so much with it.
The most obvious activity to play is catch. You can spice it up by throwing high flys, rolling it, bouncing it, awarding points for good catches, etc. My personal favorite version is throwing the ball on the roof and trying to catch it once it rolls off.
Hey, I know these aren't groundbreaking ideas! But believe me, lots of kids no longer think this way. You give them a ball and they have no clue what to do with it. They need some guidance at first of how to play without the Wii giving them specific guidelines.
You have the power to teach your child the joy of free play while acquiring a basic level of fitness. Your life could probably use a little more fun and activity as well.
So go grab a ball and get to it. Enjoy your child today.
A good strategy for encouraging your child to play actively outdoors is to have an outdoor play box. The box should have simple toys in it for quick and easy game play. My favorite choice is a tennis ball. You can do so much with it.
The most obvious activity to play is catch. You can spice it up by throwing high flys, rolling it, bouncing it, awarding points for good catches, etc. My personal favorite version is throwing the ball on the roof and trying to catch it once it rolls off.
Hey, I know these aren't groundbreaking ideas! But believe me, lots of kids no longer think this way. You give them a ball and they have no clue what to do with it. They need some guidance at first of how to play without the Wii giving them specific guidelines.
You have the power to teach your child the joy of free play while acquiring a basic level of fitness. Your life could probably use a little more fun and activity as well.
So go grab a ball and get to it. Enjoy your child today.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Cavemen Didn't Need Dentists
Last week, the Tooth Fairy in all her glory visited the students at my school to remind them of the essentials of dental care:
1. Brush at least twice a day
2. Floss daily
3. Visit the dentist twice a year
4. Eat and drink dairy products
Sound and solid advice according to conventional wisdom. Pretty much the same things I was told as a child and into my graduate studies.
How many of you were raised in a rural area without public water and did the monthly flouride mouthwash at school? Definitely a memory for me; not a good one either.
This evening I was looking through health articles and came across one that mentioned prehistoric populations had better teeth than we do. As a fan of the Paleo/Primal lifestyle, I had heard such claims before. Just not something I followed up on researching, but after reading the article, I am going to further examine the evidence.
The archaelogical evidence seems to suggest that in general, pre-agricultural humans had perfectly spaced teeth and no cavities. What?!? You mean those dirty, grunting, no Crest having, much less a toothbrush primitives had a leg up on oral health? How could that be true? I'll respect your intelligence and ability to read for yourself, but the answer seems to be diet. According to archaeological record, human remains didn't show evidence of tooth decay until after agriculture became established.
So, what might this imply in the big picture? Possibly that eating large amounts of processed grain and sugary foods created a less favorable oral environment.
Here's the article. Study Finds Historic Root of Tooth Decay
What do you think? Combine this evidence with claims of the Weston A. Price Foundation concerning hunter gatherer populations and oral health. I'm pretty sure I will continue to require my son to brush his teeth, but the mouth rinse may need to go.
I hope you all have a wonderful week. Later y'all.
1. Brush at least twice a day
2. Floss daily
3. Visit the dentist twice a year
4. Eat and drink dairy products
Sound and solid advice according to conventional wisdom. Pretty much the same things I was told as a child and into my graduate studies.
How many of you were raised in a rural area without public water and did the monthly flouride mouthwash at school? Definitely a memory for me; not a good one either.
This evening I was looking through health articles and came across one that mentioned prehistoric populations had better teeth than we do. As a fan of the Paleo/Primal lifestyle, I had heard such claims before. Just not something I followed up on researching, but after reading the article, I am going to further examine the evidence.
The archaelogical evidence seems to suggest that in general, pre-agricultural humans had perfectly spaced teeth and no cavities. What?!? You mean those dirty, grunting, no Crest having, much less a toothbrush primitives had a leg up on oral health? How could that be true? I'll respect your intelligence and ability to read for yourself, but the answer seems to be diet. According to archaeological record, human remains didn't show evidence of tooth decay until after agriculture became established.
So, what might this imply in the big picture? Possibly that eating large amounts of processed grain and sugary foods created a less favorable oral environment.
Here's the article. Study Finds Historic Root of Tooth Decay
What do you think? Combine this evidence with claims of the Weston A. Price Foundation concerning hunter gatherer populations and oral health. I'm pretty sure I will continue to require my son to brush his teeth, but the mouth rinse may need to go.
I hope you all have a wonderful week. Later y'all.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
A Healthy Child is a Happy Child
Welcome and thank you for reading the inaugural post of The Healthy, Happy Child Project. The aim of this blog is to share ideas and information concerning the health and wellness of children in your life. I am both a Physical Education teacher and a mother, so the topic is close to my heart.
There is much discussion in the media and health industry about the current state of our youth's health. You've got obesity, depression, ADHD, diabetes, violence, and the list truly could go on for an hour I'm sure. Although we will certainly discuss the looming problems along the way, my intention is to primarily focus on solutions. Problems, we've got those covered. Solutions, we need'em.
I have my theories and personal beliefs about why many children (and many former children, now adults ) are in a less than happy, healthy place in life. We will explore those ideas, discredit some, and try again. I'm okay with being wrong. I love being right. And I'm all for learning new points of view. I may not adopt the point of view, then again, I just might.
I hope that this blog will evolve into a well rounded source for the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of children. However, to begin with I will likely concentrate on physical activity and nutrition.
Later y'all
There is much discussion in the media and health industry about the current state of our youth's health. You've got obesity, depression, ADHD, diabetes, violence, and the list truly could go on for an hour I'm sure. Although we will certainly discuss the looming problems along the way, my intention is to primarily focus on solutions. Problems, we've got those covered. Solutions, we need'em.
I have my theories and personal beliefs about why many children (and many former children, now adults ) are in a less than happy, healthy place in life. We will explore those ideas, discredit some, and try again. I'm okay with being wrong. I love being right. And I'm all for learning new points of view. I may not adopt the point of view, then again, I just might.
I hope that this blog will evolve into a well rounded source for the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of children. However, to begin with I will likely concentrate on physical activity and nutrition.
Later y'all
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)