Being Nice: Never Too Early to Start

By: Deborah Thorpe, PT, PhD

How many times through our childhoods did we hear our parents or other parents telling us to “be nice”? That phrase appears in parents’ vocabulary as pre-toddlers begin to discover mobility and creep over to snatch a binky from another child’s mouth or pull a toy from another child’s hands. The realization of the ability to have power over someone or something immerges very early in life. Though developmentally appropriate, this early realization of power can turn into something much fiercer called bullying if the child does not receive modeling of appropriate behaviors. Bullying has developed at epidemic proportions across the lifespan, permanently affecting the lives of victims.

My nine-year old daughter, Skylar, made an anti-bullying brochure in one of her classes to teach young children how to react if they are being bullied. Her simple language and to the point explanation reinforced to me that bullying, in any form, is a black and white issue. It simply should not be tolerated under any circumstances! When I asked her to describe to me how she would talk to young children about what to do if other children are not being nice to them, she did not hesitate in her response:

I would say, “Have you ever been pushed on purpose or been called a hurtful name? Have you ever been made fun of because of who you are or the way you act or look? Then you have been bullied! A bully tries to make other children feel bad about themselves, but really the bully must be the one who feels bad if they want to hurt someone else. If you are being bullied, it is important to tell your teachers and your parents. They can make the bully stop hurting you. Remember we are all special and being nice to one other is the right way to treat everyone."

A great activity in which to engage your child is to develop an art activity or community engagement project that emphasizes being nice to others. Children celebrating differences, and families and communities creating inclusive environments should become the norm. For younger children it might be a poster to hang in their room that reminds them to play nice when on a play date. For older children, an activity might be to design a t-shirt that they can have printed and wear to declare their positive views on inclusion and anti-bullying. Starting early to expose and celebrate the differences that exist among us will go a long way to foster tolerance and inclusion in years to come.

It is never too early to learn that being nice to others is a powerful feeling! For more resources on anti-bullying, please visit www.antibullying.net and http://nobullying.com/count-me-in/.

About the Author: Deborah Thorpe, PT, PhD, has been a pediatric physical therapist, academician and researcher for 25 years. Her research focuses on fitness, physical activity, and health promotion for persons with cerebral palsy (CP) across the lifecourse. 

Family Meals for Healthy Kids

By: Heather Dyson

We've all heard the saying, “a family that plays together, stays together,” but it also true that a family that eats together, stays healthy together! Studies show that kids who regularly sit down to meals with their parent(s) even as few as 3 times a week have better eating habits, do better in school and develop healthier social skills than kids who rarely have a family meal. Kids who eat with their family tend to eat a wider variety of food, mostly because they see others at the table eating different foods, including those pesky vegetables. The benefits of eating with our kids reach far beyond food, though. Sitting down to a meal encourages conversation, a rare opportunity for parents to hear what is going on in their children’s world. Frequent family meals are also associated with lower rates of smoking, alcohol and drug use among middle and high school aged kids. All from something as simple as sharing a meal!

If conflicting schedules make daily family dinners impossible, no need to worry! There are 21 meals each week, which means 21 opportunities for sharing a meal with your kids. Remember: you are only aiming for at least 3! Extracurricular activities got you running in the evenings? Focus on the weekends to share a family brunch. Try dedicating one morning a week to get up 15 minutes earlier to have a bowl of cereal with your youngster. Or plan one evening a week where the family can make a simple meal together, so mom or dad isn't solo in the kitchen while everyone roams off with their plates. A family pizza night is quick and easy and can be healthy if you make your own. Purchase pre-made whole grain crust, seasoned tomato or pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, turkey pepperoni and pre-chopped veggies for a meal that can be put together in minutes and cooked in even less time! Or try something new like these pizza sauces! At the ball field 4 nights a week? Pack sandwiches, raw veggies, fruit, baked chips and bottled water to eat as a picnic after practice.

Getting into the habit of eating family meals while your children are young will make the transition easier as they get older. Just be sure to keep it a priority and remember you don’t have to be perfect and sit down to a fancy meal every night. Kids will cherish and benefit from simply sharing any meal with the most important people in their lives!

About the Author: Heather Dyson is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian who currently focuses on counseling patients with a variety of health situations, and in ages ranging from infancy to elderly. Click here to learn more about Heather.

Choosy Kids Tshirt Sale!

It doesn't get any better that this!

Choosy Kids is offering tshirts for only $5!! 

Great for students, teachers, parents, gift bag gifts and many other things!

But this sale doesn't last forever...only until the end of January, and it is while supplies last. Make sure you swing on by the Choosy Kids store to pick up your tshirt today.

It's in You to Give

Guest Post By: Dr. Karen L. Dallas - Specialist Physician, Certified Personal Trainer, Nationally-Qualified Physique Competitor

Any of us who have ever donated blood can probably recall that feeling of satisfaction and reward that comes from doing something good for society – for a complete stranger in need of life-saving blood after bad car accident, after a stem cell transplant or after a complicated childbirth (post-partum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide).

As a physician, I actively encourage all who are able (check with your local Red Cross for your state’s requirements) to become blood donors if they are not already. In fact, you may not realize just how many life-saving treatments can come from your blood! It’s not just Red Blood Cells, Platelets and Plasma as many donation appeals would have us believe (“…you could save up to 3 lives!”). Rather, our plasma can be fractionated even further to produce special proteins used to treat patients with rare bleeding disorders, immune system disorders, and more!

Yet, while being or becoming a blood donor is great, we – especially we women – need to take precautions to keep ourselves healthy as donors. As donors, we should also share our experiences with others, even our own children, so that we can encourage future donors. If your children are of a mature age and are interested in the process of donating blood, contact your local donation center and ask if they are allowed to observe while you donate. I have even taken students on tour of a donation center and it really helped to encourage future donors.

If you are a blood donor, ensure you are taking a multivitamin which contains iron – not all of them do, so be sure to check the label – and eating a healthy, balanced diet. And next time you visit your family doctor, tell him/her that you are a blood donor, have been or have started taking multivitamins but want to ensure you are not iron deplete or deficient. A simple blood test can tell you about your level of Red Blood Cells and about your iron levels.

Certainly, if you feel you have signs and symptoms of anemia, you should see your doctor sooner.

Remember, taking better care of ourselves helps us to take better care of others! Have you donated blood? What was your experience like? Maybe we can help to encourage those who have not donated so they can become future donors.

PS - Just found this great website that can help you explain what blood is made of to your children! 

About the Author: Dr. Karen L. Dallas is a Specialist Physician, Certified Personal Trainer and Nationally-Qualified Physique Competitor. 

Brush Up On Dental Health Habits

By: Dr. Linda Carson

2x2 = not just 4 anymore. Now 2x2 is about healthy teeth. One of the messages that the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) would like to emphasize this year is the importance of brushing teeth for two minutes, two times a day.

In an effort to help parents better understand why ignoring dental health can have serious consequences, and to educate families about good dental health habits, the Ad Council and The Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives created new PSAs for the Kids’ Healthy Mouths campaign.

The new PSAs are humorous depictions of life lessons which make the point that while parenting can be tricky at times, getting kids to brush for two minutes, twice a day can be easier than most other things parents will try to teach their children. Watch one here http://adcouncil.org/Our-Campaigns/Health/Children-s-Oral-Health. Busy parents will relate the funny scenarios in the PSA’s.

One more great resource for you is Kids’ Healthy Mouths. Among other oral health themes, this website has very helpful resources for the 2min2x campaign. There are 2 minute videos, posters, incentive ideas for charting brushing behaviors and routines, and videos for informing parents about the importance of helping young children brush for two minutes, twice a day.

You can also watch Choosy’s two minute video below to see additional messages and reminders, or use the song sample from our store. Many children have been very willing to brush teeth until the two minute song stops playing. 

Tell us about the strategies you use in your home for brushing teeth with your young children.

About the Author: Linda Carson, Ed. D, is the founder and CEO of Choosy Kids, LLC, and the Ware Distinguished Professor Emerita at West Virginia University. An award winning, nationally recognized expert, Dr. Carson has devoted her career to promoting healthy preferences for young children and the adults who make decisions on their behalf. Click here to learn more about Linda.