Parents and Treats

I have recently been informed that treats are not allowed in a certain class that I help with. I will not mention the class. We usually offer healthy treats like raisins, pretzels, fruit or crackers. ONE day a parent brought in a treat for their child’s birthday to share with the class. Another parent got super upset because they did not want their child eating a sugary treat because they are overweight. I know a lot of schools have rules about this. I understand the dilemma we have about over weight children. But once again as I feel with discipline. Doesn’t this go back to the home? Isn’t it the parent’s responsibility to control what their child eats and their physical activity so they do not get over weight or help them to lose weight? Why is it that so many parents place blame on everybody else?

I understand they can’t control what their child eats outside of the home, and some parents do try. But with even us adults we do not get overweight from one treat with friends. It is a lifestyle habit that made us that way. Why deprive the kids the one treat with their friends and make a huge deal about it. Especially in front of your child, who I’m sure is already embarrassed by their mom pointing out they are over weight and cannot have that treat.

Sorry this is just a short little thought I had. I’m sure some will disagree. But I truly feel it is the parent’s responsibility to handle their child’s weight issues and not the schools and other adults. Schools can educate and teach children healthy living and how to make healthy choices but it is important for the parents to enforce it at home and teach the children how to eat properly and have healthy choices in the home.

Pregnancy Without The Pounds

Just a few questions most pregnant moms ask.

• How much weight "should" I gain? Am I gaining weight too fast?



• What exercises are safe for pregnancy and what can I do to stay toned?



• Which foods should I eat? Which do I need to avoid?



• How can I prevent stretch marks, sagging breasts and cellulite? 



• What do I need to do to have an easy delivery?



• What should I be doing now to speed up my weight loss after?

Most New Moms Let Themselves Go...

They indulge in their cravings, stop exercising and use pregnancy as an excuse to eat the house – I've got to admit even as health conscious as I was, chocolate sundaes we're just too tempting!

Do you find yourself making excuses like "Well if I'm craving it, then it may have something in it that the baby needs." While sometimes this is true - but it can also be dead wrong. I decided to crack the craving puzzle. I found that while there are some cravings that are GOOD and do tell you what you are lacking in your diet. Others are a sign of a poor diet or overindulgence. For instance if you're craving foods with a lot of sodium, it's probably a sign that you are eating too many foods that are high in sugar. Once I learned the code, it was SO MUCH EASIER to handle the cravings and deal with them in the right way.

Nutrition plays a big role in how you feel during pregnancy. There’s no denying it, when you have a big belly, feel nauseous and have aches and pains – the last thing you feel like doing is getting up off the couch to cook a healthy meal or even think about what you should be eating. And really that’s why most pregnant women gain more weight than they should and feel downright miserable during pregnancy. They don't take care of themselves!

The facts show that the baby will take what it needs from the mother, even if that means taking calcium from their bones or depleting their iron reserves making them anemic. So really if you want to take care of yourself, you must get all the nutrients you need to grow your baby from the food you eat and not your body reserves. If you do this you will feel GREAT during pregnancy and possibly even avoid morning sickness, hair loss, and other negative pregnancy side effects.

Sounds great doesn't it, but you may be thinking. Great, now I have to spend a ton of time figuring out what to eat and start eating foods that I don't like. That's NOT true. I've done the research and can show you simple changes to your diet that will make you feel incredible.

It's true that...most pregnancy books are all about the BABY. They will tell you to eat an extra 300 calories and to exercise – but that’s about it. It took me a long time to find information about exactly WHAT I could or should do with any detail.

Even though I was an “expert” in non-pregnancy fitness, I had TONS to learn about “pregnancy + fitness”. I remember trying to find out HOW I should modify my exercise routine for my pregnancy – what was safe to do and what I needed to AVOID.

Wow, you think it would be easy to find simple tips like - don’t lift over your head or lie on your back after the first trimester, but no one seemed to give you an easy routine to follow.

And what about abdominal muscles? I knew how to work them, but I didn’t know EXACTLY what I could or couldn’t do now that I was exercising for two.

I can remember my confusion. Questions kept popping into my head.

And it wasn’t just around exercise - I remember having questions about herbal teas, fish, left-overs, hair dye.... I often couldn’t find straight answers. 


The answer Pregnancy Without Pounds™

Who said staying in shape and looking good during pregnancy has to be HARD?

This proven program will get you through your pregnancy in better shape than most other women in as little as 27 minutes a day and with minimal effort. It contains all the information that I believe will HELP you to look and feel like I did – barefoot and beautiful!

Inside Pregnancy with our the pounds you will learn EXACTLY how to avoid unwanted pounds, overcome your food cravings, care for your skin, dress to kill and look like one Hot Mama. I’ve also put together FIFTY simple, yet extremely effective "pregnancy-friendly" exercises and stretches to keep you and your body looking and feeling GREAT (includes 3 different fitness programs depending on YOUR fitness level)!

For more info on Pregnancy Without The Pounds Click Here!

Work From Home - Earn a Real Income

As 2010 rolls into full swing, millions of Americans have found themselves out of work and for many, unemployment benefits are nearing an end. As well as a major baby boom happening many moms are concidering their options of going back to work or staying at home with their new baby. For most people, a weekly paycheck is security that they would not want to do without, but in uncertain times, like now, it’s best to have a backup plan. That’s why millions of people are researching and starting to make an income from home.

Starting a home business is an essential ingredient for job security. It will provide the backup you need if you are still working or provides needed income for those without a job.

Remember one thing: you have the ability to create your own job – and it’s easier than you think.

If you own a computer, then you can create your own job. You don’t need any special talents to work from home, just a computer, the Internet, and a few hours a week.

 

Watch out for scams. I have tried everything out there to make money from home. Many people/companies are out to get your money and than they do not deliver on their promises. Watch out for the “Get Rich Quick” programs. That is not realistic. If it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is not worth your money.After years of searching and spending lots of money, I have found a program that works for me. This is not a get rich program. You will have to do work just like any other business.

I have never found a program that offers so much for so little. It is called The Internet Toolkit also known as ITK Offer They train you to be successful. They give you tools to be successful. They have REAL people that want to help you be successful.You get 14 days to try the program and if you are not happy you get a full refund but get to keep the tools. I have learned so much from the training videos. The live webinars and the ebooks. I would recommend this program. Visit the ITKOffer website and see for yourself all the extras you get. Watch the video and see how it works.

    

Can you predict how big your child will be just by the birth weight and height?

Just like adults, newborns come in a range of healthy sizes. Most full-term babies (born between 37 and 40 weeks) weigh somewhere between 6 pounds, 2 ounces and 9 pounds, 2 ounces. Their average length ranges from 19 to 21 inches. But does this birth weight say anything to how they will grow.

I was curious about this so I asked a few friends that had babies. I asked about all their children, how big were they at birth and how big are they now.

It was all over the charts. Some people that had big babies their kids are small now. Ones that had little babies have big kids now.

For example, One friend had a 6 pound 3 ounce, 19 inches long boy. As a child he was usually between the 50^th to 75^th percentile for height and weight. Seems a little small but he is now 20 years old and 6 feet 2 inches tall and thinks he weighs about 190 pounds. Now in the 89^th percentile for weight and 94^th for height.

Another friend had a 8 pound 9 ounce, 20 inches long girl. By the time she was two she didn’t even make the charts for percentile because she was so little. She is now in her twenties and is 5 feet tall and 95 pounds.

Another baby was 7 pounds 13 ounces 19 inches she is now 3 years old and is 35 pounds and 3 feet tall. At the 75th percentile for weight and at the 10th percentile for height. Her brother 7 pounds 12 ounces and 18 inches long. He is now two years old weighing 26 pounds and is 2 feet 9 inches. He is at the 35th percentile for weight and at the 24th percentile for height.

My oldest daughter was 6 pounds 10 ounces 19 inches long.She was usually in the 5^th percentile for weight and height. She is now 6 years old and about 46 inches tall and weighs 40 pounds. She is at the 10th percentile for weight and
at the 38th percentile for height.

My son was 7 pounds 4 ounces, 19.5 inches long. He was usually in the 50^th percentile for weight and height. He is now 4 and about 36 pounds and 40 inches tall. He is at the 44th percentile for weight and at the 31st percentile for height.

My baby 7 pounds 4 ounces 19 inches she is now 4 months old and 11 pounds 5 ounces and 24.5 inches. She is at less than the 3rd percentile for weight at less than the 3rd percentile for height.

So as it appears from the few that responded to my question being small or large at birth doesn't necessarily mean a baby will be small or large later in childhood or as an adult. There are lots teenagers that began life as small babies, and the biggest baby can grow up to be a petite adult.

Some factors that can influence the size of your baby at birth is:
kidshealth.org

Parents Size. Tall parents may have larger-than-average newborns; short parents may have smaller-than-average newborns.

Multiple births. If you're having twins, triplets, or more, you can count on your babies being relatively small. Multiples not only have to share their growing space in the uterus, they also are often born early, which leads to small size at birth.

Birth order. First babies are sometimes smaller than brothers or sisters born later.

Gender. Girls tend to be smaller, boys larger, but the differences are slight at birth.

Mother's health during pregnancy. Factors that can lead to a lower birth weight include a mother's highblood pressure, heart problems, or use of cigarettes, alcohol, or illegal drugs during the pregnancy. If the mother has diabetes, the baby may have a higher birth weight. All conditions that can affect a baby's weight should be closely monitored by the mother's doctor. In addition, women should not smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs during pregnancy.

Nutrition during pregnancy. Proper nutrition is essential for a baby's growth in the uterus and beyond. A poor diet during pregnancy can affect how much a newborn weighs and how the infant grows.

Baby's health. Medical problems, including some birth defects and certain infections acquired during the pregnancy, can affect a child's birth weight and later growth.

TIRED OF BEING PREGNANT-TRY ACUPRESSURE TO NATURALLY INDUCE LABOR

Stranger Danger

Recently we had an attempted child abduction. Our town has been on alert again since the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard. She was kidnapped here in our town. It is odd that since she was found people are being extra careful as if they should not have been being careful for the past 18 years. But two weeks ago a ten year boy was almost kidnapped by a man driving a white truck. He jumped out and try to grab the boy. He road his bike away very fast and got away from the stranger. My kids have been having stranger danger classes in school and learning about self defense. I think it is great that the schools teach this. But I also think that it needs to be taught at home. (Same with sex education) Parents need to talk to there children about being safe and what the family plan is at all times. Here is a nice article just going over the basics by a man named Frank Skellington.

STOPPING CHILD ABDUCTIONS Stopping child abductions is something every parent takes interest in. This article has been written to share seven things you can do to help reduce your risk. They're simple things people don't think about sometimes.

Do you have a lawn or gardening service? Some sort of yard service? After workers leave for the day check all openings to the home. Windows, doors maybe even dog doors when you go to bed.

If you are parents, or a parent who works late have a code word. A word your children and you know in case someone else has to pick them up. Make sure they know, unless someone uses the code word not to leave with them.

You don't want to put your children's names on their clothes. As much as it burns to lose a jacket, it's always worse to lose your child. Jackets will always cost less.

Often if a child screams as loud as they can abductors will flee. Teach your child if anyone tries to grab them scream "KIDNAPPER" or "FIRE" as they are always sure to get attention.

This one can never be shared enough. Know their friends. Know their hangouts. Try and know or even coordinate with parents of your childs friends.

Try and have an after school program with other parents in the neighborhood. Maybe a safe house the children can go to after school. Maybe offer to provide snacks and drinks. Or maybe a movie.

Find out about the security program in place at the school or daycare your child attends. Make sure you are familiar with the outlines. If you see something you think can be better, speak up! Parent's input is usually appreciated if it's constructive. So there ya have it. Seven simple tips you can start practicing today. Sometimes the simplest measures have the biggest impact.

I also think it is very important to teach your kids about people they do know. That they should never go into a neighbors house without permission. Never go with a grown up that they know unless they were told that it is okay. Using the code word as suggested in the article. As we have seen on the news it is not always strangers we need to be cautious of.

PARENTING POTENTIALS - NEED EXTRA HELP WITH PARENTING