My three youngest children participated in recreational soccer all through elementary school, and once they entered middle school, I was very excited to watch my son and middle girl finish out wrestling and field hockey season (respectively) with all of their body parts intact. My oldest girl, however, showed very little interest in sports. My husband and I insisted she try something and, although Holly enjoyed playing recreational volleyball in middle
Poor habits, busy schedules, lack of knowledge and fewer family meals can lead to less nutritious food choices and poor eating habits, including excess eating. This is happening at a time when obesity is at an all-time high…is this coincidence? The body functions on the basis of survival: when you take in excess energy (food), the body saves it for a time when nutrients may not be easily available (in
When you were a kid, you probably sat at the dinner table, facing the impossible plate of brussel sprouts and asparagus. “Eat them,” said Mom, “or you are not leaving this dinner table.” Oh, the memories of learning to eat nutritious foods. Are you facing the same thing with your kids, or do you have a better plan? We know our kids need to eat their fruits, vegetables, and whole
Teachers are often faced with difficulties keeping students engaged in the classroom throughout the day. Whether it is battling for kids’ attention or motivating them to continue learning, I noticed something could be done in my own classroom to keep my students from becoming restless. After being inspired by a fellow teacher who engaged her students through movement and whole brain activities, including using yoga balls as students’ chairs, I
There’s a funny scene from The Simpsons where Marge Simpson painstakingly creates a smiley face out of fruit and bacon on Homer’s pancakes, only to watch him eat everything without even looking at it. In real life, it’s not so funny. We’re more like Homer than we care to admit. Someone spends time shopping, chopping, preparing, cooking, setting the table and serving a meal, only to have it all disappear
Many children I talk to during my school visits as Miss Virginia admit to feeling like exercise is sometimes boring or too difficult. In our society, where the average child spends over seven hours a day on technology/media, it’s about time we get inventive about making sure they have every opportunity to live a long, healthful life. Living a more active lifestyle doesn’t have to be something dreadful or even something all
Have you ever bought fresh fruits and veggies only to have them go bad a few days later due to hectic schedules or picky eaters? If you’re anything like my family, this scenario happens quite regularly. For those who don’t know, March is National Frozen Foods Month, the perfect time to remember all the great reasons we love our frozen foods! As an ambassador for the Together CountsTM program, I’ll be
Family dinner is one of my favorite times of the day. As the Together CountsTM program mission states, it’s important to have a balance of family activities and meal time. It can be hard to carve out time for everyone to eat together, but the physical, mental and emotional benefits for your kids make it worth the effort. According to research from Medical Daily, “Kids who more frequently ate with
One of the tricks I use to get my kids involved in family dinners is to have them make crafts for special occasions. St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect holiday to bring out the green galore and get them involved in the fun. Even if you aren’t planning a big family meal on St. Patrick’s Day, you can still make these easy napkin rings with your kids for a fun
I have two picky eaters: William and Alexander. Ever since they were babies, they’ve been the most difficult little men to feed. These little guys have set standards of what they like to eat, making it a challenge to consistently fit balanced meals into the planning routine. They would (and could) eat PB&J every night of the week (and for lunch, too!). It’s been a way of life for me,
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