fulfillment  The New York Times: When Resolutions Fail, the Exercise Enforcers Step In These documents are in Adobe PDF format and can be read using the free Adobe Acrobat reader. Click here to go to the Adobe site and download the reader if you do not already have it. http://checkmd.com/index.php/the-news/80-how-to-get-your-child-active.html  How to Get Your Child Active checkMD original content On average, today’s kids play over an hour of video games and watch approximately three hours of television every single day of the week , not to mention computer and Internet time. So where do they find time to exercise and be active? Unfortunately they don’t, which has led to nearly 1 in 3 kids being obese. Not overweight or a little pudgy, but OBESE. With the increased proliferation of activities that are sedentary, many studies and experts have called childhood obesity an epidemic. So how can we get kids active, moving and healthy again? 1. Set an example—Virtually every expert professes that parents have to be the primary examples for healthy choices and lifestyle. Exercise Physiologist and author Gabriella D. Filippi says, “Most children are visual learners, and mimic what they see. They learn to be active and happy by seeing those who care for them active and happy. Conversely, if children see lazy behavior, low energy and unhappiness, they will mimic or accept that.” Parent Sue-Ella Muller, a 40-year old mother of three from Houston, strongly agrees. “The best way for me to get my kids away from the sedentary activities is to put on workout clothes myself and get outside with them,” says Muller. “If I pull out my bike, they are more tempted to hop on theirs and go for a ride around the neighborhood with me. If I head outside with the soccer ball, they will grab a few friends and we can start up an impromptu game of soccer or kickball at the park.” 2. Sign Your Kids Up—These days, activities, clubs, and social groups abound so no matter what your child’s interest, there is a class or activity out there for them. If your immediate area doesn’t have the world’s best activity choices, there is probably a local Girl Scout or Boy Scout affiliation through the school, and today’s scouts are more active and educational than ever. For example, Eastern Pennsylvania’s Girl Scouts participate in activities like crime scene investigation and computer animation in partnerships with local colleges. If your child is sporty, be sure to ask what sport they like best. “Nine times out of ten, parents don’t ASK kids what sport they want to play,” says John Woods a young athlete advocate. “Instead, parents just put kids in little league. If you match kids with an activity that they enjoy, this will definitely get kids more active.” Also don’t sign your kids up for too many activities or sports as it may lead to burnout or rebellion. Robert Gotlin, author of Dr. Rob’s Guide to Raising Fit Kids, suggests that kids participate in no more than one team sport per season. 3. Turn off that screen!— As with setting a good example, nearly every expert maintains that parents must take control and simply shut off the media-screens. San Diego State University Exercise and Nutritional Sciences professor David Kahan says, “The numbers tell the story. In the four hours that a 100-pound child spends engaged in screen-based media, he or she burns 166 calories. Contrast that with the rate of swimming (666), walking the dog briskly (687), playing half-court basketball (937) or hiking (957). The math is simple.” Further, screen time should be treated as a reward, not accepted as part of normal life. Monica Vila, the “Chief Technology Mom” from theonlinemom.com, suggests using screen time as an incentive for both academic progress and the amount of physical activity your child puts in 4. Check if Your Local Organizations Have Resources—Today many organizations like libraries, community centers and non-profit organizations have resources for you to use to help your child remain active and healthy. For example, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America have introduced their “Triple Play Parents Game Plan” which provides parents with a structured guidebook outlining a program for childhood good health. It includes suggestions on fun activities to get children moving, guides to proper portion sizes and character strengthening exercises. There are also many useful online resources such as KaBoom!’s “play space finder;” sort of a Zagat’s for playgrounds that you can find at playspacefinder.kaboom.org. 5. Learn to Say No—Today, many parents simply don’t know how to say “no” says Susan Newman, Ph.D., social psychologist and author of The Book of NO: 250 Ways to Say It--and Mean It and Stop People-Pleasing Forever. “We have been living in a culture of yes-parenting—afraid to tell our children to turn off the TV, giving in to their computer game wants, and trying not to be the bad guy,” says Newman. “Sometimes as parents you need to say NO…and by doing so you do your child a service.” 6. Encourage Activities They Game or Watch—Does your child watch skateboarding shows or play Guitar Hero? Well, encourage them to do the “real life” version as they will likely already be interested due to their game playing or television watching. Filippi suggests an “unplugged night” where children participate in activities they normally play via video game or watch on TV. Set up regular days once or twice a week where you engage in the non-virtual version of their favorite shows and video games, and you’ll immediately increase physical activity. 7. Start Young—How many parents just plop their kid in front of the TV with a snack, a sugary juice drink and a movie all day? Too many. Stephen Virgilio, author of Active Start for Healthy Kids, places importance on physical activities for even the youngest of children. “Children aged 2 to 6 are in their formative years and are developing habits that will carry into adulthood,” says Virgilio. “Guide them to make physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices part of that habit. Also be sure to provide variety so that kids are developmentally stimulated through a variety of age-specific activities that will not only challenge them, but keep them physically active and interested.”

FINDING BALANCE: Maintaining Emotional & Mental Health © 2007-09 Gabriella D. Filippi                       Stress. High emotions. Strong opinions. Anger. Demands. We've all encountered these frustrated states. Perhaps they make up more of our day than we would like. And in order to cope, we may even try to walk the other way when confronted with stressors. While we are likely to resolve issues within our control, what about ones which are not? How do we handle frustrations that really push our buttons?             Researchers agree that a person in a state of mental well-being has the ability to develop1: -Psychologically -Emotionally -Socially -Intellectually, and -Spiritually             What triggers mental and emotional stress? Emotional stress is an individual's inability to utilize appropriate coping skills during life events, transitions, and/or illness, placing them at risk for mental and emotional ill health. According to research by Robert Emmerling, Psy.D. and Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., individuals with a positive state of mind find it easier to cope with messages containing bad news.2  Findings revealed that regular meditation aids in creating and maintaining sound emotional health.             In addition to meditation, here are suggestions on how to cope when the going gets tough. Coping Methods:        •     Recognize self-defeating talk. Boost your self-confidence and self-esteem with positive messages. Realize the glass is half-full, not half-empty. Your attitude will match this uplifted talk.  Feel good about yourself. Rule #1: Don't take it personal. Rule #2: Don't take it personal. Rule #3: Get up after you fall. Everyone has some down days from time to time and encounters obstacles. Channel them into opportunities. Feel valued - you are.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            •   Lessen your load. Prioritize items requiring your immediate attention and ones that can wait. Delegate where possible. Learn to say "no" to events that do not fit in to your 80/20 rule. Decelerate and truly enjoy your tasks at hand.  Journal. Write it down. Place your thoughts, emotions, and feelings on paper. Journaling directs your inner energy appropriately. Reread your writing later, when in a fresh frame of mind. Re-write to train positive thinking.  Listen; then communicate. Although voicemail and email complicate this theory, listening intently lessens the chance of missing important details and enhances our ability to see another's viewpoint. Effective communication and follow up decreases chances for misunderstandings, hence, frustration and stress.  Be assertive. Let your "yes" mean "yes" and your "no" mean "no" every day. Be proactive. Learn to ask for what you need. Take initiative. Be accountable.  Socialize. While there is a place for solitude, those who connect regularly with others are typically healthier and live more fulfilled lives. Social settings can consist of just you and a friend or a grand party. Sharing events with others defrays stress and places life in perspective.  Exercise. Enroll in a yoga class. Go for a walk during your lunch hour. Strength train with a friend. Sign up for a race or fun walk to set and keep training goals. Exercise decreases anxiety, increases muscular relaxation, and assists with healthy hormonal balance. The natural endorphin release during exercise triggers our psyches into a "feel good" state.  Meditate. Be in the moment, and turn inward at least 15-20 minutes daily. Peace and solitude allow us to slow down and regain an optimistic outlook.  Breathe. Recognize that you are stressed when breathing is short and shallow. Slow down and lengthen your breath, taking eight counts to inhale and eight to exhale.  Pray. God meets you where you are. He also has a plan for how He would like you to grow . . . in His timing, not ours.  We tackle milestones to get to the other side of the hill. Climbing hills oftentimes tests our patience and includes frustration, stress, anger, and emotional resistance.                              Finding balance for emotional and mental well-being requires practicing mastery over emotional reactivity. This generates positive emotions and sound health.      Matthew 11:28-30 encourages us to relinquish our burdens to God: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. ------------------------- 1The SCRE Centre, University of Glasgow, 2003. 2 Rutgers University, 2003, 2004. Scripture quotation taken from the Holy Bible, Today's New International Version TM TNIV®. Copyright © 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan.               © 2007-09 Gabriella D. Filippi

seasons journey™ e-inspiration™ Perspective "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson           Outcomes labeled as success or failure are steps in life, and often involve perception. Discern whether outlook denotes opinion or objectivity, and short-circuit disparagement and negativity.      While wars and elections wrestle with ethics and emotions, individual viewpoint remains the greater force. Collectively, constructive internal and external perspectives can positively alter focus and course of direction.      Lose labels and gain growth -- in mind, body, and spirit. Those lessons from the past allow us to anticipate a gratifying future. Copyright 2005-2009 Gabriella D. Filippi Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites