I’m so excited!  My daughter recently returned home with a flyer announcing this fantastic program being offered through her school!  It’s called, Girls on the Run!  Check out their website, philosophy, vision and plan!  It’s definitely an attitude of CAN that I want my own daughter to embrace.  The problem…my daughter hates to run!  I’m not surprised, my husband doesn’t prefer it either, I, however, love it!

Dilemma…my husband and I both think this is a fabulous opportunity for her.  Not only for skills, friendships, teamwork, but for self esteem. The program in not just about running.  It is goal oriented.  It is work oriented.  It is people oriented.  It is self awareness oriented and it is about a can do attitude. I often have found myself telling my kids that “can’t” isn’t in their vocabulary, that I think they can.  However, it is mind over body sometimes.  Just like the Little Engine that could.

From their website, they state this about their program:  “Girls on the Run® is a 501(c)3 positive youth development program which combines an interactive curriculum and running to inspire self-respect and healthy lifestyles in pre-teen girls. Our core curriculum addresses many aspects of girls’ development – their physical, emotional, mental and social well-being. Lessons provide girls with the tools to make positive decisions and to avoid risky adolescent behaviors.”
Vision

• To provide life-changing, high quality programs for girls
• To provide life-changing and high quality experiences to the women developing and delivering the programs
• To promote and provide an environment that allows girls and women to reach their full potential
• To positively transform how girls and women perceive themselves and their place in society

Editor’s note: Onslow is a proud community partner of Girls on the Run and recently sponsored one of the 5K events. For more information about GOTR, visit their website.

Is this program being offered at other local schools?  What do you think?  For it or against it?

Do you or your child suffer from the winter blues?  It is actually a seasonal affective disorder related to depression that occurs in the winter time due to shorter days, the cold and the stress of after holidays.  It is important to recognize the signs in yourself or your child and seek help if needed.  Also, remember if you the parent is suffering it can trickle down to your kids and impact them, so get help!  There are many fun ways we have found to beat the blues or the blahs!

Here are some indoor activities that can bring you together without making you lose your mind….

1.  Get crafty- get some projects done you have wanted to and involve your children, it’s a great time to teach life skills while getting projects done

2.  Write Letters- get those thank you cards written (hint to myself)

3. Play store- it teaches math, could organize your pantry and is fun!

4.  Play games and do puzzles, when’s the last time you took the time to play together in good old fashion fun

5.  Draw to Music, Dance to Music, Sing to Music

or…

Get out of the house and get busy….activity is good for beating the blues.  Jacksonville now has Jump N Jax, an indoor facility with bounce houses; go bowling; go for a walk; join a gym, enroll your child in gymnastics, dance or other activity.  Being cooped up in the house isn’t always ideal, especially when dealing with the blues.

The American Academy of Pediatrics states, “People with SAD may crave comfort foods, including simple carbs such as pasta, breads, and sugar. With excess unhealthy calories and a lack of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, fatigue often sets in. They may become depressed and irritable. Eventually, they are no longer able to maintain their regular lifestyle. They may withdrawal socially and no longer enjoy things that used to be fun. It’s as if a person’s batteries have just run down. For parents, SAD can obviously have a sharp impact on the ability to be an effective parent.

Children and adolescents can also suffer these symptoms. They may experience feelings of low self-worth and hopelessness. Children with depression struggle to concentrate on their schoolwork. Their grades may drop, worsening feelings of low self-esteem. Symptoms that last more than two weeks are cause for concern.”  Since there has been no known study on the effects of SAD in children or treatments, parents do need to be more mindful of their children’s behaviors.

How do you beat the blues during the winter months?  Do you think children suffer from the blues in winter?

I like to think of the holidays like a huge storm.  You know, the kind the news reporters hype up and tell us to prepare for.  We hurriedly go out and buy “emergency supplies” to be ready for it.  Then the storm comes and it is just that, a storm.  You either are prepared or not, but after it passes, it’s calm. The holidays really are like that: For months we try to select just the right gifts, decor, food menu, party plans, etc. Within hours it’s over. I feel like the calm after a storm.  However, it is a good feeling.

This year we tried not to get too caught up in hype.  We tried to focus on the reason for the celebration.  We tried to do more as a family.  We tried to serve and give more than receive. We were prepared.  Prepared not to listen to the hype, not to get caught in the holiday snares, not to forget how blessed we are as a nation, family and culture.

Even though the “big” gift giving holiday is over, the holidays still envelope us. We are still surrounded by our families, time, and gifts. My tween reminded me again of simplicity. We had gotten a MegaBall for the family for Christmas. It’s an ice cream maker that you roll around as a family…you can use it camping, as a game, it’s lightweight and doesn’t require electricity, etc. Weird gift, yes. However, when we asked our children what they would say was the best thing they did on holiday break so far, it was, “having a ‘ball’ making our own ice cream as a family.” It wasn’t all those expensive gifts, it wasn’t anything that anyone had asked for, it was an inexpensive gift and time together laughing, collecting snow since we ran out of ice for the outside and creating “the best ice cream Ben & Jerry’s ever saw.”

It made me realize that being calm, organized and prepared far outweighs all the hustle and bustle of not being prepared and stressed.  It was the quiet moments together reenacting the Christmas story, reading holiday books, drinking hot cocoa, watching films together and just the time spent, together.

What are some of your families favorite “after the storm” activities?

You’ve enrolled your tween in a sports program; you’re teaching them teamwork, leadership skills and they’re getting their exercise while they’re at it.  Right?  Well, while they might learn new skills and make new friends, they may not be reaping the health benefits you think.

Playing team sports does not guarantee that a child will get the U.S. government-recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per day, a new study reveals.

Using accelerometers, a type of sensor that measures physical activity, researchers studied activity levels of 200 children aged 7 to 14 while they took part in practices with their soccer, baseball or softball teams.

Overall, only 24 percent of the children met the 60-minute physical activity recommendation during practice. Less than 10 percent of participants aged 11 to 14 and less than 2 percent of female softball players reached the guideline, said Desiree Leek, of San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego, and colleagues.

Among the other findings:

• Practice lengths ranged from 40 to 130 minutes for soccer and 35 to 217 minutes for baseball/softball, and players were moderately to vigorously active for an average of 45 minutes (46 percent) of the practice time.
• Soccer players were active for an average 13.7 more minutes and active for 10.6 percent more of practice time than baseball or softball players.
• Boys were active an average of 10.7 more minutes and 7.8 percent more of practice time than girls.
• Players aged 7 to 10 were moderately to vigorously active for 7 more minutes and 5.8 percent more of practice time than players aged 11 to 14.
• Overall, the players spent an average of 30 minutes being inactive during each practice.

Continue Reading >

Fall weather has us exccited to exercise in a more comfortable temperature, wanting to play outside and take advantage of the fresh air, and enjoying mother nature’s gifts.  Leaves are turning colors, pumpkin picking is over and we sense winter coming.  This is a time of year that can become very busy and hectic, but it’s important to remember to slow down the pace and let our tweens have stress free fun outside!

Our kids are inside the majority of the day at school and have limited daylight when they come home.  We are trying to switch the schedule a little to play before homework so that they can take advantage of daylight.  We are enjoying our less scheduled time together and are playing outside, ALOT!

Here are some suggestions to get your tween outside and having fun:

Take a walk as a family

Play a hardy game of tag

Do yardwork together

Build something together…birdhouses or feeders are perfect this time of year.

Have a spontaneous outdoor marshmallow war as a family.

Have a cookout or Roast Marshmallows together and enjoy being outdoors telling stories.

There are many fall fun activities to do as a family to get you outside being active and building healthy relationships.

Why is fresh air important?  Fresh air produces a healthy mind, clean lungs, and a calmer constitution when we actively use it. Getting outdoors should not be a chore, but a privilege. Enjoy the earth and get your dose of fresh air.

The National Wildlife Federation urges parents to institute an outdoor “green hour” for kids. Start by suggesting just one more activity each weekend–a family bike ride or an after-dinner walk. Next, add a weekday event. Some other ideas (find more at greenhour.org)  By making outdoor play mandatory and being out with your kids, you are also taking advantage of the benefits of fresh air and living the example!

What are your family’s favorite fall activities?