5 Ways to Get Your Kids To Eat Healthier
September 26, 2008
Are you having trouble getting your kids to eat their vegetables and fruit? Do they constantly beg for junk food and juice packed with sugar? Here are five super ways to get your kids to eat healthier without all the whining:
1. Cut fruit into fun shapes. Most kids love fruit once they try it. Getting them to try it can be a problem, though. If this is the case with your children, try cutting the fruit into fun shapes. Cut star fruit or pineapple into the shape of a star. Cut strawberries into heart slices. Use a melon-baller to scoop out “marbles” of cantaloupe and honeydew.
2. Trade one junk food for a fruit. If your kids are accustomed to eating junk food a lot, then it is probably best not to take it all away from them at once. Gradually trade one for one until you’ve succeeded in ridding your kitchen of junk food altogether.
3. Encourage your kids to drink water. While most kids won’t drink tap water, they will drink cold bottled water. Simply recycle and reuse old water bottles. Or, purchase each kid a cool water bottle that they can refill themselves and store in the fridge for a quick grab and go cold drink.
4. Get your kids involved in the kitchen. Most kids love to help out in the kitchen. Let your kids help make meals or snacks. By getting them involved, they’ll become more proactive in their own health and might even start coming up with ideas of their own.
5. Make healthy eating fun. If you try to force healthier foods on your kids, they’re going to balk. Instead, make it fun. Plan fun dinner parties for the family or let the kids fix an entire meal on their own.
Simple Ways to Show Your Teen You Care
June 11, 2008
Teenagers go through quite a bit of physical and emotional changes. If you are the parent of a teen, it is crucial that you make sure they know how much you care about them. Many parents fear of pushing their teens away from them if they show interest in their lives. The truth is, teens need to know their parents care.
Here are some ways you can show your teen that you care… Read more
Stress Management in the Classroom
May 7, 2008
It’s back to school time for many children. If your children have suffered from stress in the classroom, you are probably dreading the start of the new school year. There are some things you can do, though, to help alleviate some of that stress.
First, teach your child a simple deep breathing technique. This will help calm her down faster than just about anything. Here are some simple instructions that you can use to teach deep-breathing to your child:
· Take a deep breath in through your nose.
· Hold and count to 5.
· Slowly breathe out through your mouth.
· Repeat 4-5 times.
This simple exercise will help calm down your child when he or she is feeling pressure in the classroom.
It is important to also remind your child to never resort to rude comments or speaking out of turn. Stress is commonly what leads to disruptive behavior in a classroom. Remind your child that these disruptive behaviors will only lead to punishment for them.
School is a stressful situation for most kids. The best thing for any parent to do is to reach out and work with your child’s teacher to ensure the safest, most productive classroom environment possible for all the children.
