November 16, 2015
7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Kids Can Learn This
My
son and I have started a Sunday morning ritual – cuddle time and the 7 Habits
of Highly Effective People.
It
all started because of a conversation I had with him. He had a day off from
school and he seemed only interested in two activities – playing with Lego or
playing video games. I know he is capable of so much more than that, but he
shies away from doing difficult things. We had a conversation about what he
wanted to become and what he wanted for his future. Trying to avoid a lecture,
I suggested to him that we both work on creating personal mission statements
for ourselves. And thus entered the 7 Habits. I had purchased a used copy of
this book in the summer and here was the perfect opportunity to immerse myself
in it and work on it with a willing adorable person!
I
read the book during the week, mark it up, highlight and make notes, and then
on Sundays I share with him what I learned. We talk about it and, when needed, work
on something until our next 7 Habits discussion and cuddle time. I feel a sense
of importance, almost urgency, that we all need to stretch ourselves to become
more than we are, and teach our children the same habit of doing new things,
expecting more of themselves, and learning what they’re capable of.
I’m
highly cognizant of the fact that if I don’t continue what we’ve started I’ll
be teaching him that it’s OK to give up, which would be reinforcing what he
already struggles with. So preserve we shall!
“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact,
it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what
you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” - Maya Angelou
P.S.
If you’re thinking that the 7 Habits is too advanced for a 12 year old, think
again! He overhead a conversation I was having with my teenage daughter and he
was able to define paradigm shift to her and explain that she needed to shift
her paradigm in order to change her habits! Huh…!
P.S.S. How is your 72-hour pack coming along? Visit our Facebook page to download your free copy of what to pack!
November 9, 2015
The Cost of Disunity in Business and Family
As I was reflecting on the similarities between a business organization and a family unit, I began to reflect on companies whose management philosophy is as a taskmaster - to essentially work the employee to “udder” (J) fatigue as if they were cattle, with little to no verbal or monetary acknowledgement for good work, and invoke fear of job loss to reduce errors. This way of managing employees, to put it plainly, really stinks. It creates an atmosphere of discontentment, disloyalty, disengagement, and every other kind of “dis” you can think of. And it’s costly on more levels than just the bottom line.
Let’s compare this method of interaction to a family unit.
Do we often find ourselves pushing our children or spouses/partners to get what we want? Oh, oh. When we do this, we’re essentially saying that our wants and needs are more important than theirs. Family unity cannot have a hope of growth in this kind of an environment. Rather, it would be better to be like a sports team with coaches, cheerleaders, fans and team players where each plays a crucial supportive role for a common goal. And as our seasons of life change so do our roles, but never the common goal.
How about withholding or not expressing gratitude, acknowledgement or affection? Are we trying to establish who’s the boss, who’s the controller of operations? Or maybe we express our love only when the other person does what we want them to. (Ugh. Even typing that sentence was gross.) Selfishness does not breed selflessness. We cannot expect support when the chips are down if we haven’t cultivated family unity.
And finally, do our family members feel that, even if they mess up, they’re still wanted and loved? We all mess up every single day. To expect perfection is like removing the tires on your Lamborghini Huracan Spyder (excuuuuuse me!) and still expecting it to go 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds – no matter what you want it just ain’t gonna happen. So just own up, ‘fess up, hug and make up, and move forward. Why? Because family needs the power of forgiveness in order to be united.
Unity. Unity. Unity.
There is a quote by Winston Churchill that goes: “When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.” I would slightly change the wording to this: “When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot conquer you.”
So whether you’re in the corporate world or in the family world or both, if you want happy, creative, hardworking and loyal members then cultivate unity no matter what.
November 2, 2015
FoodShare: Engaging Youth in Healthy Eating Habits and Self-Reliance
November is CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) Awareness month. I wanted to bring attention to a non-profit organization that is doing amazing things for youth, encouraging healthy habits, and the rewards of a job well done.
FoodShare works with communities and schools to deliver healthy food and food education. (Do you see a connection yet to CPR and FoodShare?) One of the ways they accomplish this is with a hands-on approach through a program called School Grown. Through this program, students are able to earn school credits; learn how to grow food for themselves and their families; cook from scratch; and learn about nutrient-dense food choices. By growing the food, they also learn valuable skills that will help them with employment. As youth share in these experiences, they bring healthy food programming home to their families, are making healthier food choices, and this in turn creates a healthier community and society.
To help sustain this program, food is sold at farmers’ markets and restaurants and the revenue is used to hire high school students during the summer and other costs that are not covered by grants.
Now I have tried several times, unsuccessfully mostly, to grow vegetables and fruits, but I keep trying every year. This year I managed to eat a couple of strawberries from my garden! Woo hoo! What an incredible opportunity FoodShare is providing to youth; they won’t have to go through the pangs of shame when their zucchini looks like some weird alien creature from the planet Zorklesaurus, and tell everyone that the dandelions are intentional – you like them in a salad!
Interested in supporting the program? They sell their food at the Bloor-Borden & East Lynn Park Farmers’ Markets during the months of June to October. Or you can donate.
Oh, and did you figure out the connection between CPR Awareness month and FoodShare? I knew you would ;)
October 26, 2015
Emergency Preparedness: Surviving When Things Are Out of Your Control
News reports come in that there was an explosion at a nuclear power plant and you must evacuate your home, or an out of control wildfire threatens your home and you’re forced to leave. Maybe it’s a widespread power outage. Perhaps an earthquake compels you to the streets. Or worse – maybe it’s a zombie apocalypse! Whatever the emergency, there’s very little time, if any, to pack the essentials. Besides, it’s unlikely that you’ll be thinking clearly enough to recall anything more than your name and birthdate. If you don’t have a 72-hour backpack ready by the time the emergency occurs, it’s too late.
I bring this topic up because we’re in the process of getting our 72-hour packs, or emergency survival kit, ready for the colder weather. We (try to!) rotate the supplies twice a year – once for the warmer seasons and the other for the colder seasons. We just went out today and invested in hardier backpacks. Tonight we’ll be gathering our children together, going through our old packs and restocking with fresh supplies. (By the way, the reason it’s called a 72-hour pack is because that’s about the time it takes for emergency personnel to reach you and get the help you need.)
It can be daunting to know where to start. First, I would suggest checking to see if your local municipality or government has an emergency preparedness site. They can hold valuable information, such as what natural disasters are more likely to occur in your area, how to prepare for certain situations, how to stay informed of potential disasters, and much more. Having this information can help you modify your backpack according to disasters that are more relevant to the area you live.
Second, start with the basic essentials (see suggestions below).
Third, in the words of Nike, “Just Do It”.
- Laminated picture of our family with phone numbers of family members and friends and locations of several meeting places in case we get separated
- Calling card
- Rolls of change
- Copies of legal documents
- Refillable water bottle that can clean contaminated water
- Dehydrated food
- Vitamin C pills
- Duct tape (which reminded me of) Toilet Paper (and toilet paper reminded me of…) Gloves!
- Needle and thread
- Sunblock
- Rope
- Fire starter
- Scriptures
This link from the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services makes suggestions about what to include in your emergency kit. We include a few more things in our kits:
I have friends that also include things like an axe, machete, ham radio, and tent. They’re ready for anything from a power outage to the Armageddon!
Check out the Wee Wigglers Facebook page on November 1st where we’ll be posting a list of suggestions for your 72-hour pack, meeting place plan, as well as ideas to educate yourself.
In the meantime, don’t delay! Schedule time to work on it and have it completed by a certain day, work on it bit by bit, include your family, and just get it done!
October 19, 2015
Family Meals: An Easy Place to Start
“Some of the most important conversations I’ve ever had occurred at my family dinner table.” – Bob Ehrlich
When was the last time you sat at a table, ate a meal with your family and talked with each other? (And just to clarify – by talk, I mean requiring the use of your mouth, not thumbs.) If you’re counting backwards to remember the number of days, then it’s been too long.
At my parents’ home, we always sat at the table together for dinner. I remember many laughs and funny anecdotes being shared over black-eyed bean stew or spinach quiche (neither of which were my favourite dishes – funny how those were the ones that came to mind first!). I also remember learning the Heimlich maneuver when a sibling was choking, being taught political and social views by my father, having discussions about life events, and learning how to cook from my mother. Sunday was the only day of the week that we ate in the living room together to watch the Disney show at 6 o’clock in the evening. I didn’t see the benefits of consistently eating together then, but I understand the importance of it now.
- Not one of us (and there were 5 children) ever had alcohol or drug problems.
- We all graduated from high school and did well (or well enough!) academically.
- None of us had problems with the law.
- There was no teen pregnancy.
- We had positive family interactions and still do.
Is it too naïve and misguided to contribute all of this simply to eating meals as a family? Perhaps. It’s difficult to identify, categorize and quantify all aspects of family life. However, there is research that supports benefits to consistent family meal times.
So if you would like more unity and kindness in your family, the easiest place to start might be making family meals a priority. The family memories waiting to be created could be some of your happiest ones!
P.S. For meal and activity ideas, as well as conversation starters, check out the Family Dinner Project.org.
P.S.S. Consider becoming a Wee Wigglers coach, especially if you love kids, a healthy lifestyle and would like a flexible schedule around your family time (and family meal time)!
October 12, 2015
World Food Day: Teach Them Compassion
World Food Day (WFD) was founded by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945. It’s a day to increase awareness about food hunger and poverty and to inspire solutions for world change since 1981. October 16 is the day that Canada recognizes WFD. The Food For Famine Society in Langley, British Columbia organizes the largest WFD event with speakers, exhibitors and education on topics such as breakthroughs in agriculture to addressing world hunger and poverty issues.
The mission of Food For Famine (FFF) Society is to provide ready-to-use therapeutic food for malnourished children in developing countries, more specifically for children under the age of five suffering from severe acute malnourishment. To date, FFF Society has helped over 17,000 children.
At Wee Wigglers Corp., one of our missions is to encourage teaching children healthy habits, including healthy food choices, while they are still young because that’s when it’s easiest to mold them. You might compare instilling good habits in children to a young tree – it’s easier to grow a straight tree by supporting it when it’s young than trying to straighten the trunk when it’s already matured.
We are so fortunate to have an abundant of food choices in Canada. But it’s crazy that in North America we have a growing population of malnourished children. Not because of a lack of food choices, but because of consuming foods that are high in caloric intake and low in nourishment. (Even as I write this blog, I’m munching on the leftovers of Thanksgiving – turkey, fresh veggies and fruit, chocolate, cake and a pop! Wha…?) To get into the whys of our poor food choices is a whole other topic. For the purposes of this blog, let’s agree on this… we clearly have more than enough to eat and many do not.
In addition to teaching children healthy food choices, we can also teach them humanity and compassion. There is an opportunity to help feed a severely hungry and malnourished child. Food For Famine has a goal of $50,000 for October to fill a shipping container of food to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The campaign ends October 31, 2015.
My “wee” challenge – donate to FFF’s campaign today and involve those you love.
P.S. In support of Walk to School month, we’re at Peel Children’s Safety Village on The Wee Show all this week with Officer Michelle to learn about pedestrian safety!
P.S.S. Visit our Facebook page to see our “wee” challenge to walk, run, or roll to school – download your free copy today!
October 5, 2015
How Often Do You Sincerely Say Thank You?
With the onset of Thanksgiving approaching, hopefully we’re preparing this coming week to think of our many blessings; people, places, events, and circumstances in our lives that perhaps we’ve forgotten or haven’t really acknowledged. It’s time to dust off those memories and open the gates of gratitude. In the words sung by Josh Groban, “There’s so much to be thankful for”.
As we’re reflecting and expressing gratitude this coming week, we might consider asking ourselves if we have a mindset of thankfulness throughout the year, and if our children also count their blessings on a regular basis. As Andrea Reiser indicated in her article in the Huffington Post, “Gratitude goes beyond good manners – it’s a mindset and a lifestyle.”
There are physical health benefits to having a grateful attitude, both for children and adults, such as improved immune systems, improved sleep, and increased energy. Additionally, children who have an attitude of gratitude have improved grades, are less likely to make selfish demands, will focus less on what they don’t have and appreciate what they do have, have an increased sense of well-being, and are likely to be a better friend.
Here are a few tips to help instil gratitude in your personal life, as well as in the life of your family:
- Keep a journal. There are a myriad of gratitude journals on the market. Or get creative and make your own with your children. Write it in once weekly.
- Thank you notes. Schedule time on your calendar regularly to write thank you notes to people who have blessed your life. Involve your children.
- Talk about it. At the dinner table, start a discussion about the things you’re grateful for. Or when something pops into your mind, just say it; don’t wait for the “perfect” time to tell someone how you feel.
- Manners. Make a point of saying thank you to people who serve you – at the checkout, the gas station, the restaurant, the dry cleaners. And when you’re home, thank your spouse and children for their efforts – meals, cleaning, doing homework, or even for sharing a smile.
So share a smile and hug, say thank you, and enjoy your Thanksgiving surrounded by those you love.
P.S. In support of Fire Prevention Week, check out The Wee Show episodes this week with your child to learn about stop, drop and roll, family escape planning, smoke alarms and more.
P.S.S. Interested in getting active with your preschooler? Check out our DVD for only $9.99!
September 28, 2015
Do You Want Your Child to Have Your Future? No? Read on…
Just exactly what is needed to so that children, at a very young age, are physically active as they mature into adulthood? Loads of money? No. A huge backyard? No. They need active parents. In fact, according to Designed To Move, which is a community of public, private and civil sector organizations dedicated to ending the growing epidemic of physical inactivity, indicates that children of active moms are twice as likely to be active. And the best time, the “critical window”, is within the first 10 years of their life. Children who are active during those years are more likely to grow up to be active adults.
I’m not going to spew out yet again all the adverse effects of obesity, childhood or otherwise. Instead, let’s look at the compounding benefits over a lifetime of an active lifestyle:
- 1/10 as likely to be obese
- up to 40% higher test scores
- less likely to smoke, be engaged in drug use or risky sex, and less teen pregnancies
- 15% more likely to attend college
- 7-8% higher annual earnings
- lower health costs
- more productive at work
- reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes
- improvements in satisfaction, self esteem, self efficacy, body image mood, time management, goal setting, initiative and leadership, enthusiasm, self-discipline, assertiveness, courage, social and life skills, honesty and integrity
I
don’t know about you, but the last point alone motivates me to ensure that I’m
setting the example for my kids. I want them to develop those attributes. I
want them to have an edge in this ever-growing, fast-paced whirlwind of a world
we live in.
So, parents, the buck stops here. If you want a better future for your child, start working on a better future for yourself. Get active and involve your kids.
P.S. Get active with your kids - check out our Family Fun Friday Episodes on The Wee Show and dance along with your young child!
P.S.S. Starting the first week of October new episodes of The Wee Show start! We’ll be at a brand new Brampton Fire Station to support Fire Prevention Week! Learn about fire prevention, fire escape plans, and stop, drop and roll – remember that? Be prepared and teach your child fire safety. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
September 14, 2015
Strong Evidence that Physical Exercise Boosts Students' Learning
There’s an excellent article in the Globe and Mail from August 2014 “How physical exercise helps to get students intellectually fit” by Erin Anderssen.
There is strong evidence that fitness-based exercise during classroom time raises test scores. It promotes more developed brain structure, and improves focus and retention. But it’s not only for young minds – there is growing evidence that exercise benefits the brain at all stages of life.
A month later in a September 2014 article “Catholic school board launches exercise program aims to boost students' learning”, Andrea Gordon reports on the launching of the Build Our Kids Success (BOKS) program in Canada because of a partnership formed between the Public Health Agency of Canada, Reebok Canada, and the Canadian Football League. The federal government and Reebok are investing 5 million dollars each over the next five years so that 450 schools across 9 cities in Canada will benefit from this program. And students’ participation and academic results will be tracked, measured and assessed by researchers at the University of Waterloo’s Propel Centre for Population Health Impact.
Although it’s very encouraging and inspiring to see these programs being brought into Canadian schools, in Ontario alone there are approximately 3,980 elementary schools and 917 secondary schools (as of 2013-2014 according to the Ontario Ministry of Education). It could be several years before the program is available to all Canadian schools.
So, should we sit and wait in the meantime? Absolutely not!
Just as the BOKS program was founded by a Boston mom, Kathleen Tullie, who was inspired when she saw kids running around while waiting for the school bus, any willing and able-bodied individual or group can do the same. Silken Laumann spoke of a similar concept in her book “Child’s Play” of inviting families and children to get together to play.
Organizing activity in your child’s school or neighbourhood can be incredibly rewarding. I voluntarily ran a djembe club for grades 3 to 5 at a local elementary school during lunch. It was extremely satisfying to bond with the children and see them work together to create some awesome music! And the parents absolutely loved it!
With Canadian children increasingly sitting behind a desk and while gaming and TV viewing, programs like BOKS are needed. But we don’t need to wait for it to come to our school to encourage physical activity – we can be proactive in our own circle of influence.
And hey – here’s a great video to get your body and brain fit (especially if you have little ones)!
September 7, 2015
September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
Did you know that in the United States it’s National Childhood Obesity Awareness month for September? Well, if you didn’t you do now! :)
It’s frightening how little physical activity children are engaging in. According to the Government of Canada in a post from 2014 only 4% - YES 4% - of Canadian children take part in enough physical activity. Yikes!
What is “enough physical activity” you ask?
They recommend at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily for children and youth. The CSEP (Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology) breaks
it down it down even further according to age range, frequency, duration and type.
Even though we’re a Canadian company, we want to support National Childhood Obesity Awareness by issuing a “wee” challenge. We’ve created a downloadable chart to encourage families, especially those with young children, to
eat more fruits and veggies, increase their physical activity daily, and make healthier choices.
eat more fruits and veggies, increase their physical activity daily, and make healthier choices.
So here’s our challenge to you – download our chart, take up the challenge, and tell us how your wee ones are doing on our Facebook page. Miguel Martinez (CEO of Wee Wigglers) and myself are taking up the challenge – you can see how we’re doing on the wee ones are doing on our Facebook page. Miguel Martinez (CEO of Wee Wigglers) and myself are taking up the challenge – you can see how we’re doing on the Wee Wigglers Facebook page.
P.S. Look at game ideas and challenges to engage your family in physical activity on The Wee Show.
August 17, 2015
What Motivates You to do Something Scary?
Last week I purposely did something that scares me quite a bit – twice! I did it to stretch myself outside my comfort zone. It was also important to me that my kids be part of it by cheering me on and seeing their mama not allow fear to hold her back. I was also hoping that it might have a positive effect on them.
Well, after I did the scary thing (twice!!), I talked with them and asked if they had any thoughts or feelings to share about the experience. One child, who has the same fear, said it helped motivate him to complete something he had started. The other child, who does not share the same fear, said it didn’t have any effect on her and she didn’t have any particular thoughts or feelings to share.
I have to admit, I was disappointed at first.
But then again, does it really matter?
I was happy for myself and it’s given me a lot of confidence to seek for new experiences and to have success in things that I've struggled with for far too long. Perhaps later in life she will pause and appreciate the significance of the event. But if not, I’m okay with that, too.
What motivates you to do something that you're scared to do?
August 10, 2015
Choice: When Taking is Giving
Like many other parents, I struggle with striking a balance between when to give my children the opportunity to choose for themselves so that they will learn, and when it’s time for me to step in because things have gotten out of hand.
There’s a quote uttered by Vivian Banks in Fresh Prince of Bel Air that I was reminded of this morning:
“Sometimes I think we work so hard to give our kids what we didn’t have. Sometimes we forget to give them what we did have.”
A friend used this quote to teach me something that I think is really important. Basically, by giving my children more free time (i.e., by significantly reducing their time on any electronic device) I am in essence giving them the opportunity to choose to develop their own talents and skills. No doubt my kids will think I’m the reincarnated Wicked Witch of the West! But I believe I would be providing them with something that I had – the opportunity to explore things in the REAL WORLD. To learn things about themselves. To develop their talents. To understand the value of work. To grow in responsibility and maturity. How can they possibly be working on themselves when they’re filling their precious time with watching other people work on themselves?
I think it’s time to step in.
P.S. Wanna know what the guidelines are for your child's age? Here's a link to screen time and activity guidelines produced by Canadian Society Exercise Physiology:
http://www.csep.ca/english/view.asp?x=949
August 3, 2015
It’s Not Just About a Clean Room – Giving Kids the Tools to Manage Projects
My husband and I have been trying diligently to “get” the kids to clean their rooms and keep it neat, but to no avail.
I’ve since relearned that in order to get someone to change THEY have to want to change! But how can I apply this to getting the kids to clean their rooms? Money doesn’t motivate them – we’ve tried this by offering an allowance.
So I decided to delve into this deeper.
This is what we did yesterday as a family:
1. I first asked them how they feel when they walk into their rooms. (Note: I discovered that they really don’t like the state of their rooms. Hooray!)
2. Then we made a list of the pros and cons of an organized room. (Note: I researched ahead of time the disadvantages, physiologically, mentally and emotionally, of a disordered room and the benefits of an organized room. When I made this list, I looked for specific things that might appeal to the kids individually. For example, they both love to create. But a disorganized room can actually diminish creativity, and orderly rooms can increase creativity!)
3. Next, I asked them if there was anything on the lists we made that resonated with them, i.e. touched their heart, got them thinking a bit more, or if they learned something new. (Note: The purpose of this was not only insightful for myself, but it gave them an opportunity to verbalize their feelings.)
4. Next they made a goal of how they wanted their room to look like by a certain date. (Stephen R. Covey, Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind.)
5. Then they broke up the “project” into manageable chunks and decided what they would accomplish each day in order to reach their goal. (Note: Now the project is less daunting and more likely to be completed.)
I had them journal the last two points and asked that they journal their progress at the end of each day. (Note: In journaling it’s a way for them to look back on what they want and to make themselves accountable for their progress.)
I explained that this wasn’t just a lesson on cleaning their rooms. The things they learned (or at least I hoped they learned!) can be applied to everything in their life – from how to manage large projects, to the importance of being organized because it helps you to be a dependable and responsible person.
Now, they probably aren’t concerned very much about being dependable and responsible at this stage in their lives. However, I’m hoping that as they apply these tools they will them use again and again, and that in the application of the tools they will become more dependable and responsible.
Remember – it’s never too late to make a wee change today!
P.S. Check out The Wee Show on Youtube where we talk about child development, nutrition, and physical activity, and participate in games and dancing to children’s songs!
July 25, 2015
Teaching Children Resourcefulness
I’m reading a classic right now – “How To Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. He shares an inspiring story about a boy named Edward Bok (google him!) who was a Dutch immigrant in the 19th century. He didn’t have more than 6 years of schooling and he was very poor, but he ended up becoming one of the most successful magazine editors of his time. He did so by educating himself.
But how he did so was extremely intriguing.
When he was 13 and working for Western Union, he sacrificed lunch and fares so that he could buy an encyclopedia of American biography to study the lives of famous people. He then wrote to them asking for additional information about their childhood and posed questions that invited them to tell him more about themselves. People responded and often invited him to visit and stay with them. He met many successful people like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Mrs. Abraham Lincoln, Louisa May Alcott and many more. And while he conversed with them he listened and learned. They helped inspire a vision and ambition that greatly influenced his life and were key to his later success.
There are so many life lessons to learn from this – delayed gratification (so difficult to teach our children, yet so extremely important!); persistence; hope; a love for learning; excellent social skills. The education he received was deeper and more diverse than anything he could have obtained in school.
I was so fascinated by his story that I shared it with my family and particularly my children. No matter our circumstances we can be resourceful when we desire something profoundly.
What life lessons do you desire your child to learn?
July 20, 2015
Teaching Children Money Management
How important is it to teach kids about money management?
According to a report (2013) by researchers at the University of Cambridge commissioned by the United Kingdom’s Money Advice Service, children’s money habits are formed by age 7. Yes, 7!
We’ve strongly encouraged the kids to do chores in exchange for an allowance, but this hasn’t been as successful as we would like. So, this past weekend we had a yard sale and the kids ran it – they talked to people and handled the cash (no calculators allowed!). They also helped in the preparation and the closing down processes. In the end, we sat down with them and figured out how much money they made per hour.
They weren’t impressed.
What successes have you had in teaching your children money management?
July 13, 2015
Applying Risky Play
So, what did my husband and I decide to do you wonder?
For our older child who wants to spend a lot more time with her friends and less with her family, we’re going to get her a phone, a map of our local area and the transit system, and bus pass so she can get around to see her friends on her own. (And encourage more baby-sitting opportunities so she can fund some of the expenses.J)
For my younger child who would prefer to stay at home and play electronic games, we’re going to first bike around our area and familiarize him with the street names and key landmarks. Then we’re going to create a kind of Dungeons and Dragons character for him, send him off on scavenger hunts to collect certain items by bike, and return home again in exchange for points. He can then redeem his points for things that interest him – like more game time or a date night with mom to name a few. J
P.S. And in case you’re wondering what happened with the summer schedule – it was a bust. We tried it for a week. One child felt it was too confining; the other went along with it, but didn’t enjoy it. After one week, we had a family council about the experience. We presented three rules that we wanted them to follow in exchange for canning the schedule. They agreed. It was one of the best family councils we had. We start our new agreement next week. Fingers crossed!!
July 6, 2015
Children Need Risky Play
Are you the kind of parent that tends to hover over your child, wanting to be sure they don’t get hurt? (Guilty!) Do you feel the need to supervise 24/7 it seems so that they’re safe?
According to an article published by Psychology Today Risky Play: Why Children Love It and
Need It, by doing this we’re causing more harm than good. According to research, free play, even risky play, is the primary means whereby children develop emotional resilience, and learn to get along with their peers, solve problems, and control their lives.
Consider this quote from the article by Peter Gray:
“Briefly, the evidence is this. Over the pat 60 years we have witnessed, in our culture, a continuous, gradual, but ultimately dramatic decline in children’s opportunities to play freely, without adult control, and especially in their opportunities to play in risky ways. Over the same 60 years we have also witnessed a continuous, gradual, but ultimately dramatic increase in all sorts of childhood mental disorders, especially emotional disorders.”
Huh.
After reading this article it had me seriously considering, not only how I’ve parented my children’s play time, but also the importance of free play to their psychology, maturity and emotional response to life’s challenges.
To read more click here.
There's comfort in knowing that we can always start by taking "wee step" - you know, letting them climb the monkey bars all by themselves before we start letting them climb the ladder to the roof!
P.S. This summer's episodes of The Wee Show are all about baby signing! Check out our first episode here.
June 27, 2015
Summer Schedule
School is out and summer is upon us! Now what? Maybe you’re like me and you already have plans made for the summer. Maybe you’re more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of person. With having to work through the summer, I’m concerned that my kids won’t be as active or get outdoors much unless I’m present to (ahem) encourage them! So I put together a chart for my children to decide the specific activities that they want to do, but that also ensures they aren’t indoors on their devices for hours on end – a big no-no!
Sandra
Click here for Kids Activity Summer Schedule
June 22, 2015
Habit Formation in Children
The purpose of the field experiment in “Habit Formation in Children: Evidence from Incentives for Healthy Eating” was to see if short-run incentives (3 weeks and 5 weeks) can create habit formation in children. The good news: they discovered that short-run incentives (3 weeks) can produce changes in behavior that continue even after incentives are removed and that longer interventions (5 weeks) produce more persistent habits.
June 15, 2015
Childhood Cancer on the Rise
I’ve tried writing the first two blogs with some humour (I really am funnier in person once I get to know you!) and keep it informative for parents who really want to make some “wee” changes in the lives of their families. However, I feel this post needs to be on more of a serious note.
Childhood cancer is rising since 1975.
Cure Search for Children’s Cancer statistics indicates that in 1975, 13 children per 100,000 were diagnosed. In 2014, an estimated 21 per 100,000 were diagnosed. In the United States, cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease in children.
In some circumstances, perhaps many, cancer could not have been avoided no matter what positive changes were made for a healthier lifestyle. However, if you knew there was any chance at all to avoid certain childhood diseases, wouldn’t you try everything you could?
I know it’s challenging, sometimes very(!), to encourage children to eat healthy and be active. But it starts with our example and consistency and instilling a healthy lifestyle when our children are young. See our June 9th post for an eye-opening, thought-provoking video about the affects of decisions in a child’s early years: https://www.facebook.com/weewigglers?fref=ts
In the meantime, I hope that as parents we’ll all take our own health and the health of our children much more seriously. It only takes one person to start a change for good. Make a change! Be the change!
June 8, 2015
Barley
There are different types of refined barley. The most nutritious is hulled barley because the bran and endosperm layers remain intact, which is where the vast majority of the nutrients are. Pot or scotch barley is the next most nutritious as the processing leaves the grain mostly intact. Pearl barley removes not only the hull (shell) of the barley, but the process of polishing the barley removes the bran layer and parts of the endosperm layer; thus, the nutritional value is decreased significantly. So, for the most nutrient and fibre-dense type, eat hulled barley.
1 cup finely chopped dried apples
1/3 cup each: wheatberries; steel cut oats; and barley
6 cups of water
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
Our Wee Challenge: Have your children help you make this recipe! And keep wiggling :)
P.S. And remember that new episodes of The Wee Show start July 6th!
June 1, 2015
Quinoa Condensed
So, here’s a quick Quinoa over-view:
TASTE: The coating has a bitter soapy taste, but it’s easily removed by rinsing the quinoa well before cooking. Most store-packaged quinoa comes pre-rinsed, but you may choose to rinse it just to be sure. When cooked, some have described the flavor as nutty and similar to brown rice.
HOW TO INTEGRATE INTO EATING: Quinoa is extremely versatile. Try cooking some up and storing in your fridge for up to 6-7 days, or freeze for 8-12 months. It can then be added to anything from shakes to hot cereals, breads to salads, or as a main dish.
One Wee Wigglers coach, Jodi from South Hampton, Ontario shared this recipe (modify to your family’s taste buds):
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup tomato, sliced
1 cup cucumber, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup kalamata olives
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons lemon juice (~1 lemon) or red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 clove garlic, grated
salt and pepper to taste
Bring the quinoa and water to a boil, reduce the temperature to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes, and let sit covered for 5 minutes before letting it cool. Then, mix the quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, feta and chickpeas and toss in the mixture of the lemon juice, oil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper.
Our “Wee” Challenge:
Serve and chow down with a smile J
My family tried it this weekend and it tastes great!
Thanks for sharing this recipe, Jodi!
P.S. New episode of The Wee Show start up July 6th!
