Puberty Belly Fat. Healthy Food Swaps to Burn Tummy Bulge

I've lost 97 pounds and dropped from size 20 to size 3/ 4. (Left photo is then, right photo is now). Belly fat has always been my nemesis--being apple-shaped.

Parents, is your once-slim tot sprouting a belly in puberty? Don't worry too much, if he's active and mostly eating right, it'll trim down in adolescence. But if you have family history of obesity, or if that belly is staying past 15-16, it's time to tone it. Here are healthy food swaps to help everyone from a menopausal 50-year old like me to a preteen, burn belly fat. These are healthy diet tweaks, not crash dieting. Don't, for heaven's sake, put your child on a too-restrictive diet. He needs to eat a lot while growing. The trick? Avoid saturated fat, highly-inflammatory food, sugary, salty and bloating foods. Then boost MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids), metabolism-boosters, omega-3 fatty acids, flavonoids, fermented foods, vitamin C. Here's an A-Z guide of foods that add and subtract to tummy bulge.  Belly Fat or Flat, Foods That Boost and Burn Stomach Bulge

Dinner Tweaks to Help Overweight Kids

The holiday season is notoriously the most difficult time to be on a diet. I can follow my weight loss plan just fine until mid-November. When the stores start touting Thanksgiving and Christmas treats, my resolution dims. For overweight kids, the holidays are especially difficult to navigate. Here are dinner tweaks to help your child stay the course and still enjoy the feasting. Use these food swaps for any dinner time meal preparation. Kids won't even notice the difference! Food Swaps to Help Fat Kids Diet

Parenting Kids With Low Self Esteem

 Have you ever wondered what goes on inside the head of a person with low self-esteem? If you're experiencing low self-esteem for the first time, it can be pretty scary. If you've not experienced negative self-image, it's hard to imagine why those of us who have behave as we do. If you're parenting a child with self esteem issues, it's even more challenging. Kids struggle with communication as it is. To explain negative emotions to a parent can be overwhelming. Here are coping tips. Read more

Sandy Hook Elementary, Conn. School Shooting Prompts Kids' Emotional Health Concerns

School shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut on December 14, 2012  have claimed the lives of 27 people, including 18 children. A gunman, reportedly a parent, opened fire killing many little ones, mostly of kindergarten age. Along with child safety concerns, I worry, as always, about the emotional toll such an incident has on kids. This article was written on the anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007 when 32 students and faculty were killed. I've listed a few resources for parents. Mister Rogers always said, in times of crisis, to "Look for the helpers. There will always be helpers." Let kids know you love them and will help them. Follow the example of this brave woman in the picture to the left. She's comforting kids and keeping them together. She must be terrified, yet she's  staying calm for the little ones. Kids need to be reminded that you will do your best to keep them safe. As a praying mom, I advise parents to call upon their higher power and teach kids to do likewise. Recognizing a higher power helps kids feel they're not alone. Read more

Parent coping tips for teen anger and mood swings

Clinical teen depression is relatively uncommon, but tell that to parents of teens and they may not agree. I certainly wouldn't have. Bouts of moodiness are hallmarks of teen behavior and one of the most worrisome for parents. Here's a parent survival kit for dealing with teen mood swings.  Parent coping tips for teen anger and mood swings

Parenting Overweight Kids and Maintaining Healthy Weight-- Don't Let Them Get Too Hungry

This article gives tips for parenting kids with eating disorders, obesity or weight problems. It also helps moms and dads maintain good nutrition habits. One of the biggest mistakes dieters (and parents) make is to lets themselves (or their kids) get too hungry. Either by intentional fasting or simply by not taking time to eat, being over hungry is a diet and weight loss disaster. Eat small meals regularly. When the body is not given enough fuel to sustain activity, the blood sugar level drops. Tiredness, lethargy, confusion and extreme hunger take over.  Diet and Weight Loss Tips: Don't Let Yourself Get Too Hungry

How to treat mono symptoms in kids, teens

Your teen is cranky and tired. She sleeps all the time and complains of a sore throat, fever, achy muscles and belly pains. It could be the flu, but there's a good chance that she has mononucleosis, usually shortened to "mono." We've been through three bouts of it in our family, with one child getting a reinfection a few years later. Here are some tips to prevent mono infections and care for a teenager who has it. Read more at How to treat mono symptoms in teens

Parents Post Breastfeeding Photos Online, Deemed Obscene - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com

This is a two-part series on the breastfeeding moms vs. Facebook fracas. Moms from around the world gathered at Facebook offices and in large cities to protest by doing what they do, aka nursing babies. Why the protest? Facebook won't let them share photos of themselves breastfeeding their children (but it will allow people to spray the f-bomb all over the place, to post highly sexualized images of themselves and to tell the world every time they use the bathroom).

I wrote these pieces from a straight news (no opinion) basis, but I feel very strongly that breastfeeding in public is healthy, positive and very much NOT obscene. Breastfed is best-fed for baby. It's good for other moms to see others in solidarity. And anyone who gets their knickers in a twist over the sight of a lovely mommy using her God-given breasts (for the purpose God intended) to feed her lovely baby, needs to get therapy. Don't want to see it? Go sit under a blanket. That and never leave the house, turn on the television or go online. So rock on breastfeeding mamas. I miss those days so much. Okay here endeth the rant (temporarily, anyway. This really incenses me) and here is the nurse-in article. Moms Protest Facebook for Banned Breastfeeding Photos. And this is one about the Leaky B@@b and Express Yourself Mums that got the ball rolling. Read more at Parents Post Breastfeeding Photos Online, Deemed Obscene. 

Parent Smoking Increases Risk of Ear Infection, Surgery in Kids

Parent Smoking Increases Risk of Ear Infection, Surgery in Kids Children's exposure to secondhand smoke has long been a health concern. A study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine adds increased risk of middle ear disease to the list of SHTS-related issues. Here are details about ear infections, household smoking and resources for parents. Read more...

School Limits Student Bathroom Visits; Health Concerns, Tips for Parents

School Limits Student Bathroom Visits; Health Concerns, Tips for Parents Evergreen Park High School in Illinois is limiting bathroom privileges. Students can use the restroom during classes three times per semester and have to carry a signed pass. Read on...

Spring is Mini-Flu Season; Dress for the Weather

Spring is Mini-Flu Season; Dress for the Weather As a mom of four, I know all about kids and spring fever. At the first melting of snow off from Lake Michigan, they want to get the bathing suits out. In their warm weather zeal, they forget that they can still catch a chill. Just because the weather is getting nicer, doesn't mean you won't get sick if you don't dress properly. Winter is the official flu season, but spring can be a mini flu season."

How to Prevent Childhood Tooth Decay - Associated Content from Yahoo!

Dental care is a commonly overlooked health concern in children. If proper dental hygiene is initiated early in childhood, many problems with tooth decay and gum disease can be prevented. Here are some ways to prevent childhood tooth decay. Read on...

Free Printable Food Safety Activities and Recipes

The holidays can be a time for sharing and family bonding. The holiday season also poses certain safety and health risks. Health risks are associated with some holiday foods. Here is a free food safety guide with free printable activities, lessons, recipes, games and coloring pages. This was written for Christmas, but is just as useful for Valentine's Day school parties, candy give-aways, treats exchanges,  birthday parties and more. Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents. Read on...

No More Free Toys for Happy Meals Without Healthy Choices

Free McDonald's Happy Meal Toys Illegal in California; New Measure to Make Kids Eat Healthy
McDonald's has been including free toys in Happy Meals for several decades, but now according to California law McDonald's can only give free toys with healthy choice meals. The measure in intended to encourage healthy eating and reduce childhood obesity.
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First Aid and Wound Care for Parents

Injury, Wound, and Skin Infection Care: Moist Healing Vs. Dry Healing
You know that keeping a wound clean will help it heal. But did you know that keeping the wound clean, moist and covered as opposed to open and dry helps wounds heal more quickly and efficiently?
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Discipline and Kids: Respond vs React

Relationships and Communication: Proactive Response Vs Reactionary Behavior
In psychology, we use the terms 'reactive' and 'proactive' to define different types of response to stimulus. This article defines reactive vs. proactive behavior.  It also explores the affect that reactionary behavior vs. proactive response. The key is to learn self discipline and self care.
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Free Printable Health, Human Body Lessons Plans

Free Printable Health and Hygiene Activities GHealth is one of the most important subjects we can teach children. We need to start young educating them on nutrition, hygiene, human body, mental health concepts. Here are free printable coloring pages, lesson plans, games and activities to explore. Read More

School Fundraisers and Childrens' Safety

School Fundraisers Pyramid Marketing Schemes that Exploit Children
School fundraisers are 'pyramid marketing schemes'? School fundraisers exploit children? Call me a conspiracy theorist, a reactionary, an alarmist, yes. School fundraisers legalized racketeering. And here's what I propose that parents do about it.
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DailyStrength.org Online Support Groups for Parents

DailyStrength.Org Online Self-Help Support Groups
I write many articles on self-help, emotional health, physical health, relationship issues and 12 Step programs. In exploring these issues, I always want to provide support resources. DailyStrength.org is one such resource. Great for busy SAHM, WAHM and parents with no time or childcare for a support group.
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Getting Babies and Children to Sleep: The Bedtime Rituals

How to Get Babies and Children to Sleep; The Bedtime Rituals
Having trouble getting Junior Barnes to go to sleep at night? Is Little Miss fussy and hard to get to bed? The secret to getting children to rest well and night and want to go to bed? Establish Bedtime Ritual: reasonable bedtime, bath, prayer, story/song.
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