Best Parenting World

Activity + Poor Food Choices = Non Healthy Lifestyle
 by: Sue DeFiore

One of the biggest misconceptions people have today is what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. Just because you exercise does not mean you are healthy. I hear much too often, oh, I can eat this because then I will work 30 or 40 minutes on the treadmill, jogging, walking, (fill in the blank with the exercise of choice). NO, NO, NO! Once in a while transgressions are one things, however, if you want to be healthy you need to eat healthy and exercise, the two go hand in hand.

Now, think about this, if you think this way as an adult, what are you teaching your children. Yep, that is it OK to eat junk food as long as you are active. Not only that, so many parents, say well my kids eat all this stuff but don’t gain any weight, so it is OK. NO IT IS NOT! While on the surface, you think it is, it is doing major damage to both yours and your child’s body. Think high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Dinnertime Chatter
 by: Sue DeFiore

One of the themes I see on the various internet boards I belong to is that children eat and run. First, whatever happened to manners. We were not allowed to leave the table without permission and unless it was an outright emergency we had to stay until everyone was done eating. Also, we used dinnertime to catch up on the day’s activities. When my dad wasn’t there, my mom would ask my sister, brother and I how our day was. Did everything go well, any problems? WE COMMUNICATED.

When my dad was home, he told us about his week and how things were in the city with our family and then we all got a chance to catch him up as to what we were doing (school, friends, after school activities). Even as we all got older, we still had to be home for Sunday dinner. It was mandatory. It was family time, my mom always tried to make the meal extra special.

There was always give and take in my family. We all had a voice and our parents always listened to us. They might not have agreed with us, but they always listened to us.

Don’t Make Fast and Furious Food Changes
 by: Sue DeFiore

OK, moms and dads out there, we hear you when you say, my children won’t eat healthy foods. If we even say the word, they tune out and already decide they don’t like it. Well, my first response to this is “who is running the house, you or the kids”. If you say the kids, you have more problems than I can help you with. Put your foot down, you and your husband, spouse, significant other, (fill in the blank) are the ones making the living and doing the providing. I fully realize that children don’t like the concept of healthy foods. However, most children don’t realize that many of the foods they do like are healthy for them. Most kids I know love peanut butter, well that is a good food for them. So try some peanut butter on that apple or celery they refuse to eat. Or try some low fat or fat free cheese sauce on the cauliflower or broccoli they turn their nose up at.

Fitness - It’s A Family Affair
 by: Sue DeFiore

OK, you are eating healthier meals and now you want to get your family to exercise together. First, sit down and talk about the different things you all like to do. Give everyone a turn to come up with a week’s worth of activities. Numerous studies have shown that if you exercise for 30 consecutive days it becomes a habit. So once you all get past the first month it will become routine and part of your lifestyle. Just remember to keep it fun and give everyone a chance to participate in coming up with different things to do. Everyone wants to give input, no one likes to be told over and over what to do!

One of my favorites is dancing. Everyone gets to pick their favorite music and you all get to dance to it. It is also fun for the younger generation to watch the older one dance.

Another favorite of mine is swimming. If you have a YMCA, community center, or if your school is lucky enough to have a pool see if you can get some swim time in. You can also get creative here also with different types of swimming, races, or water ballet. Another option if you have the pool to yourself is pool volleyball!

8 Simple Tips To Help Your Child Read
 by: Linda Ogier

Take away the skill of reading and not only books become a mysterious and foreign world, but reading train timetables, ordering from a menu, understanding bank statements, and any number of straightforward daily activities become virtually impossible.

If your child is struggling to read, the effects of their problem can reach into adulthood, be humiliating, and extremely limiting.

The world of a non reader is a mixed up place where only those who know the ‘secret code’ can decipher the strange symbols around them and fully participate.

A sad, lonely, and stressful place indeed.

The time to catch your child’s reading problems and support them in their quest to become a confident and capable life long reader is Primary School. Preferably before they reach Grade 3.

Your school will be monitoring your child’s progress and implementing a detailed plan to improve their reading skills and strategies. But, if you’re worried that the school is not, then an appointment with the teacher is a must to thoroughly explore your concerns and issues.

Do not put this off!

Ending Child Labor
 by: Rose DesRochers

Your Nike shoes that cost you 150 dollar and your 70 dollar pair of Levi Strauss jeans were most likely made by a young person from the age of 5-14 living in Indonesia, Honduras, China or Haiti. They are forced to work with no benefits, low wages, long hours, and unsanitary conditions. They are basically slaves. Some factory management assault, rape, and abuse the workers.

Children are the majority that dies from this immoral exploitation. According to http://www.solidaritycenter.org Children are forced to work up to 15 hours a day, seven days a week in factories and in fields. These children are deprived of schooling, beaten, sexually abused, engorged and forced to work in dangerous unsanitary conditions. The children are sold to employers who pay families for the use of their child.

211 million children from the ages of 5-14 work worldwide in sweatshops. The U.S. government estimated that, 50,000 to 100,000 each year women and children are trafficked in the United States, half of which are trafficked into domestic servitude and sweatshop labors from various countries. Trafficking is a slavery-like practice that must be eliminated. Trafficking in women and children is now considered the third largest source of profits for organized crime, behind only drugs and guns,” An estimated 200,000 Bangladeshi women have been trafficked to Pakistan over the last 10 years, the majority being young women.

Women, War, and Dating
 by: Ed Williams

I guess I should’ve figured something like this would happen one day. My son Will, who has just turned sixteen, is now dating, and was out on one this past Saturday night. I happened to be sitting in the den watching one of those high speed cop chase TV shows when he returned home from said date. He walked in, nodded, and then looked at me somewhat seriously and said,

“Dad, I need to ask you something. Tonight I took Candi to the movies, and I even let her pick out the movie. I bought our tickets and I even bought her some refreshments before we went into the theatre, even though I’ll be broke for the next two weeks. I did all that, and then when we sat down in our seats she looked over at me and asked if I liked her blouse? Dad, between us, it was this weird sort of orange looking deal, in fact, it looked just like someone had rubbed red clay all over it. I thought I’d at least be polite, so I told her that I liked it okay. She looked at me and said, “Just okay?” I agreed again that I liked it okay. Dad, she didn’t hardly even speak to me for the rest of the evening.”

Body Piercing, Is There Anything Wrong With It?
 by: David Kunstek

When you spend a day at the mall, you see people with body piercings. Perhaps you see someone with a nose ring. Another may have a belly button ring. In fact, you may see people with some really crazy body piercing. Is there any reason that people should not have so many body piercings? When it all comes down to it, it is everyone’s separate decision to be made, but we must ask, is there anything wrong with it, really?

Body piercing is popular, especially among teens. Something that once started as earrings led to the piercing of many other body parts. Do you have your ears pierced? Is there something wrong with people who have their ears pierced? Many teens find body piercing to be a way of self expression and a way to rebel. Today, people get their noses, tongues, eye brows, belly buttons and even other places pierced. You can go into any jewelry store at the mall and find belly button and eye brow rings. The jewelry itself is not tacky or ugly, but can be very regular pieces. So, what makes body piercing so bad, then?

Geomag Magnetic Toys
 by: Anton Komarov

There are many different types of magnetic toys that can be purchased for children. Most of these toys are extremely fun for children as well as adults. Many of these toys are also educational in addition to being fun, which is great for parents who enjoy educating their children in entertaining ways. Magnetic toys can be purchased from toy stores, educational stores, and online.

Educational magnetic toys can be very useful in the lives of children. They can teach children about geometrical shapes, building structures, magnetism, and the effects of gravity. Most of these magnetic toys are only recommended for children who are five years of age or older. Magnetic toy kits may contain small parts that could be hazardous to small children if swallowed. Therefore, it is best to purchase these toys for older children.

There are a few different types of magnetic toys that can be purchased. One of the most popular types is Geomag. Magz are also popular and are very similar to Geomag. Both of these products can be used to create magnetic structures. Frigits are an example of a different type of magnetic toy because they are used to construct marble courses on a magnetic surface instead of structures.

Boots! Boots! Boots!
 by: David Kunstek

Nothing feels the same as slipping into a pair of leather boots for a night on the town. The exact opposite is the feeling you get sliding on boots for the winter snow and slush mess outside. Boots come in many shapes and sizes. They are made for stylish events as well as a way to tame the outdoors. Are you thinking about purchasing a pair of boots? You could even check the online retailers to find some great deals!

First, what type of boot are you looking for? Do you want a stylish addition to your shoe wear collection? Then choose from the many designer labels. Perhaps leather is what you are thinking with a nice high heel? Or, are you looking for a nice, durable pair of hiking boots? Planning that hiking trip and need a quality pair of boots that will protect you ankles and toes? Is the winter snow creeping up and you just know you’re going to have to head on out there to shovel it up? You need a pair of durable, but waterproofed and warm boots then. Kids need the proper boots as well. They need boots that will tighten at the top to keep the snow out and the warmth in. There are so many more types of boots you might be considering.