Five Healthy Snacks

Not to pump a dry well, but to follow up on the theme of childhood obesity I wanted to offer some healthy snacks. Snacking is one of the biggest problems when it comes to weight control; both the frequency and quality of the snack need to be regulated. Ideally we should eat five small meals a day, 3 full course meals and two smaller snack-type meals. Now what to do about the two:

1. Fruit. It's so easy, but we often forget about the fruit. We want a sweet snack and we reach for thirty other things with terrible things in them. Next time you want a cookie, eat some grapes, it'll curb your sugar appetite and it will make you feel better as well.

2. Ants on a Log. Celery + Peanut Butter + Raisins. It doesn't get better or tastier in my opinion. If you want to take the snack from an A to an A+ use natural peanut butter. If your child is used to regular peanut butter the difference can be jarring, but if they're not then you're good to go.

3. Chocolate milk. Keeping with the theme of sweet, healthy snacks because (lets face it) kids love sweet snacks. Chocolate milk is delicious, provides vitamins and is the perfect blend of good and bad.

4. PB and Jelly. This sandwich is a classic. And it's easy, you can even have your child make it. You could buy the Smucker's brand that is loaded with preservatives and God knows what else. I prefer to make it myself. Also, not a bad idea to buy some kind of jelly that isn't pure sugar, something that is natural and organic. Peanut butter is already sweet enough.

5. Yogurt. 1 in 4 kids do not get enough calcium. Give them yogurt and some chocolate milk and you've successfully combated the problem.

I think I'm going to make some ants on a log. Enjoy!

Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is a serious problem in America. A child that is obese has, most of the time, learned bad eating habits that will be carried into adulthood and that can lead to a plethora of diseases. More people die of heart disease than lung cancer and both are self-inflicted wounds (genetic predispositions aside). One of the things I noticed as an adult is that bad food is addictive. It has been argued that refined sugar is the most addictive substance on the planet. Fast foods have chemicals in them that the body begins to crave; these can be hard habits to break on a chemical level. That is why it is imperative to train the body to enjoy healthy eating habits.

The causes of childhood obesity are easily defined: low activity levels, poor nutrition and a lax attitude towards what is being eaten. Perhaps the saddest part of this epidemic is that the families being affected are actually malnourished and spending more money than need be. Eating healthy can be affordable; you do not have to spend hundreds of dollars at a health food store to eat right. So how do we stop this problem? This article at helpguide.org gives you some easy tips to follow that have been listed below.

• Get the whole family involved - This the number one rule in childhood development, do as YOU say and they will, in turn, do as YOU do
• Encourage healthy eating habits
• Be smart about snacks and sweets - These are a reward that should be given only for special and significant reasons.
• Watch portion sizes
• Get your kid moving
• Reduce screen time
• Get involved

I would encourage you to read the entire article as it goes into greater detail and provides specific examples of how to improve eating habits. If you are skeptical, as I was, that this is a problem I would encourage you to go here and read a scholarly article about the growing problem.

Thanksgiving Recipes

I was worried that I was going to mess up and miss the deadline to post Thanksgiving recipes, but then I realized that nobody cooks before Thanksgiving (not to mention the limited number of readers and the fact that everyone has their own recipes for Thanksgiving...). So I've compiled some recipes from around the worldwide web that I've found over the last year and have never made before. They are not Thanksgiving specific, but they are definitely things most people serve on Thanksgiving, so without further ado (click the name of the item for recipes):

1. Green Chile Macaroni - I know that as a kid, and sadly as an adult, I ate an inordinate amount of macaroni and cheese. The same old recipe can get tiring, even if it is homemade, so try this recipe which adds a Southwestern kick to an old favorite. If you insist on the original, however, this recipe claims (and looks) to be perfect.

2. The Bird - Everyone hates a dry bird, and everyone hates the ridicule that comes from making said dry bird. The people at the food network know best, though I'm not sure they need an entire network...

3. Dressing, stuffing, what have you - Now you can go and find yourself any number of variations on a classic and I know that given my words earlier concerning macaroni you may expect me to venture out into different waters when it comes to dressing, but you would be mistaken. Nothing is better than classic dressing. If I knew my mom's own recipe, I would post it here. Alas, I do not, and I don't want to give away the secret anyway, but I have left you in the capable hands of the food network.

4. Dessert - There is only one desert in my mind: the one, the only, pecan pie. The people at myhomecooking.net bring you through the 3 step process to perfect this, the most important of traditions.

Now go forth and eat. Have a happy bird day!

The Cult of Mine

We've seen it before. A child plays with a toy, another child approaches and suddenly the first child proclaims ownership of the toy in a decisive manner (MINE!). It's a common and embarrassing problem for any parent: when they see that their child does not know how to share. What is the cause of this selfish behavior and how can it be corrected?

According to Lynne Namka, Doctor of Education, selfish behavior can be a phase that children grow out of when they get older. It is natural for a 2-3 year old to be selfish because they get attention by crying and they see the world as a place that provides for them whenever they need something. This behavior can carry over into the teenage years if not addressed early on in childhood.

David Foster Wallace, PhD, posits that as humans we are "hard-wired" to think of ourselves as being at the center of the universe; every experience we have happens to us and it it because of this that are feelings seem more real and urgent. Wallace argues that the term "well-adjusted" is not accidental, that are default hard wiring is too be self-centered. It is up to parents to make this adjustment.

One solution is to lead by example: share with your child and when they refuse to share do the same to them so they understand how it feels to be left out. It's not a fun experience for either parent or child, but it is necessary. Another answer is to make sure your child has an appropriate level of attention, too little can create an inferiority complex that morphs into narcissistic behavior. If your child feels constantly neglected he/she can feel that they are owed something. Lynne Namka recommends counseling a self-absorbed child in these areas:

• Learning to follow directions and take in information instead of going to instant debate
• Delaying gratification and learning to inhibit impulsive actions
• Learning to separate the big deals from the little deals and let go of the small injustices of life.
• Learning to state boundaries and allow others their boundaries
• Dealing with frustrations in socially acceptable ways
• Reinforcing his own self when behavior is appropriate
• Becoming his own coach and cheerleader for making good choices
• Viewing others with empathy and seeing things from their point of view
• Develop a healthy type of narcissism based on the balance between giving and receiving

For Lynne's full article, go here.

The Importance of Thanksgiving

Did you know that Canada celebrates Thanksgiving? Did you know that the first Thanksgiving celebrated in the United States is a matter of some dispute? Did you know that Thanksgiving was modeled after the Harvest Festivals of Europe?

You may or may not know the answers to these questions, depending on how thoroughly you research your holidays, but I can almost guarantee your child does not. For American children Thanksgiving is about "hand" Turkeys, Pilgrims and Native Americans. The original holiday was created as a religous ceremony to give thanks to God for providing food for another winter, but in this country it's easy to forget that food is still a commodity in many places; including several places in our own backyards.

The point is that school and a cursory/periphery education of Thanksgiving leaves a child with the gist of the holiday: family, football and a general warm feeling. None of these things are wrong or out of place and they certainly come to my mind when I think of Thanksgiving, but what about "giving thanks." One tradition is to go around the table and say something we all were thankful for this year. Usually the parents take this more seriously, but mostly everyone offers up the usual empty, banal statements of thanks. So here is my suggestion: mean it.

Take a second to truthfully instill the importance of this holiday. Yes it's great to see family and eat ourselves senseless, but it's also great that we get to be alive. A child is never to young to realize this. This year, maybe take your child to a soup kitchen in the morning, let them see what it's like for other people. Or maybe have a serious conversation with them and explain the holiday. It has become increasingly easy to make light of our American traditions as chances for unbridled consumerism and economic stimulation, but it doesn't have to be. Personalize Thanksgiving this year and next year, and for years to come, we will all have reason to be thankful.

VOLUNTEER:

http://www.westsidethanksgiving.org/turkey2004/pages/volunteer.html

http://www.unionstationhs.org/dinners_in_the_park.html

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/guide/thanksgiving-volunteer-opportunities/

Upcoming Kid Friendly Events

October was a hectic halloween over it does not get easier, however, because Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. While I'm sure you have plenty of things on the old holiday itinerary, I thought it might be a good idea to jam your schedule with even more stuff! Here are some cool(?) events around the city of Los Angeles that you and your child can do around Los Angeles:

Dia De Los Muertos
If you've never been to a DDLM celebration and you live in Los Angeles than you're doing something wrong. The Echo Park Branch Library has a tradition of placing flowers, photographs and mementos on altars to honor the memory of family members and friends. Definitely worth checking out.

The GRAMMY Museum - John Lennon Songwriter
Before Justin Beiber there was this guy named John Lennon and a little group called The Beatles. Now I know you know this, but your child doesn't. Take them and show them.

A Christmas Carol at the El Capitan Theater
It's a little early, but everyone loves this movie. It is inexplicably playing from 11/7 until 11/21. Nevertheless, get them in the Christmas spirit early, you know?

These are 3 of my favorite events, but there are several more here:

http://gocitykids.parentsconnect.com/calendar/los-angeles-ca-usa/2010-11-06?page=2&endDate=&resultsPerPage=10&categoryIds=&costTexts=&ageRanges=.