Kidding Eating Veggies

By Jackie Morgan MacDougall
Jan. 9, 2009

Sit down for dinner with my kids, and the table will be covered with foods you can only get off a kids’ menu at an overpriced chain restaurant. I know, it’s totally my fault and I beat myself up constantly.

So after five years of kicking, screaming, crying and moping — all by me — I finally had enough and decided that the food issues in this house were going to be addressed — once and for all.

Ask any mom, doctor or pretty much anyone who consumes food, and everyone has their own opinion.

Pediatrician Dr. Christine Wood, author of How to Get Kids to Eat Great and Love It [Griffin Publishing Group 15.95], suggests the one-bite rule, recommending, with preschoolers especially, that after trying the food, they do not need to actually finish it.

Others swear that if you include kids in the shopping and preparation process, they’ll be thrilled to throw back the healthy stuff.

Instead of following one school of thought, I incorporated tiny bites of advice from various sources (along with my own stubborn need to win) to create a little experiment I like to call, “Operation Eat Your Veggies.”

 

Day 1: Broccoli. I put a tiny piece of the green veggie on the kids’ plates along with small bites of other foods they like.

Suggested by a former babysitter and longtime kindergarten teacher, she said it was the best way to introduce yet not overwhelm with mounds of strange-looking vegetables.

My three kids (2, 4, and 5) ate the other two foods quickly and the broccoli sat there.
 
“Eat your broccoli and you’ll get more,” I enlightened them.
 
My almost 3-year-old daughter gobbles it up. My 4- and 5-year-old boys’ plates remain on the table. I just happened to have a sitter that night so I could get some errands done, so I instructed the sitter (also a mom) that they were to eat nothing else.

Before I even got out of the car at errand #1, I had a text that my preschool boy had eaten his broccoli.
 
I swear I cried.
 
The next morning, the kindergartner came skipping down for breakfast.
 
“Do you want your breakfast warm or cold,” I asked. He looked up to see the broccoli sitting on the plate from the night before and looked completely dejected.
 
“Warm,” he muttered.
 
After dousing it in syrup and squishing his face up until he was unrecognizable, he ate it.
 
Sweet victory.
 

Day 2: Apple Slices. I know. You’re probably scratching your head wondering why my boys won’t even eat apples.

They love apple sauce and Jacob ate three juicy red apples while apple picking in New England over the fall, but apples have sat night after night in my house, turning brown as adamant cries of refusal pierce my ears.
 
This time, I tried a new technique. “Just put it on your tongue,” I instructed. (It is the gateway to eating, ya know.)
 
With a small amount of discussion and the threat of never eating anything they like ever again, apples were eaten.
 

Day 3: Green Beans. We were invited to dinner at a friend’s house, something that normally sends me into the fetal position, thinking about how my kids will react to actual food. But I was determined to use the experience as a teachable moment.

Grilled chicken, Mac and cheese and green beans were served. Grilled chicken, Mac and cheese and green beans came home with us that night. Grilled chicken, Mac and cheese and green beans were served for breakfast the next day.

That’s when one child was smart enough to know that a fight was pointless and eventually was satisfied that I covered his green beans in peanut butter (don’t judge) and ate it. The other pulled out a 3-part trick of his own…
 
Eat… swallow… throw up.
 
He sings “I threw up… ha ha!”
 
Doha. I can’t compete with that.                                
 

Days 4-7: The tortured veggie-eating life got easier and easier with each passing day. We enjoyed pancakes with blended blueberries and flaxseed, pureed spinach in homemade pizza, watermelon slices, carrots, even tried Chinese food.

The trick there was telling my kindergartner’s friend that they could play video games once he ate it. Suddenly, I had a 5-year-old powerhouse trying to get my kid to eat – SCORE.
 

Week 2: I made their favorite box of crap macaroni and cheese, mixed with a substantial amount of cauliflower.

It was devoured in seconds. Speaking of seconds, they even wanted more. Could they actually be acquiring a taste for the good stuff?
 
Week 3: Can you say grilled chicken parmesan and carrots? I actually made a meal that required no boxes or ingredients with a shelf life of seven decades. Life around here is changing for the better.

And while I know we’re just at the beginning of a very long road, with determination, consistency, and a massive amount of patience on my part, my kids might actually eat like normal little human beings.
 
How do you get your kids to eat their vegetables?

 

Source: Family

 

Editor’s Note: Jackie Morgan MacDougall, on the never-ending quest for balance, enjoys life in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeff, and their three small kids. Read more of her take on parenting, kids and everything else on The Silver Whining.

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

More Than Time-Out

By: Lawrence Kutner, Ph.D.
Jan. 9, 2010

 

Catch Your Child Being Good

Frankly, this is probably the simplest and most powerful thing you can do to improve your child’s behavior.

Yet many parents spend most of their time and energy focusing on the behaviors they don’t want in their child instead of what they do want.

Children love extra attention. A verbal compliment, a quick hug, or a pat on the back can work wonders in only a second or two.

Praise your child when she uses a fork at the dinner table; don’t just become upset when she spatters spaghetti sauce all over her shirt. Be enthusiastic without going overboard. (Even young children can tell when you’re insincere.)

This type of positive reinforcement is especially helpful when a child is feeling stressed since it relieves tension instead of adding to it. Nonverbal gestures are as good as verbal ones.

If your daughter is playing quietly by herself, go over and gently stroke her hair once or twice (if that’s something she likes). At first she may stop when you do this. But after a few days she’ll keep on playing quietly as she basks in the extra attention.

If you reward a child’s appropriate behavior (“I love it when you say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’!”), she’s likely to repeat it.

In fact, if you ignore a child’s good behavior, she’s more likely to act inappropriately next time, because she knows that will get her some extra attention from you. So try to focus on the good stuff, not the bad.

Reinforce the Positive

Remember that positive reinforcement (adding good things) is more powerful than either negative reinforcement (removing good things) or punishment (adding bad things).

Paradoxically, small rewards, such as a bit of extra attention or a special meal, can be more powerful than big rewards, such as a promise of a bicycle. Children will often stop trying if they feel they cannot earn the big reward that’s been offered.

Pay careful attention to the words you use when you praise your preschooler. Some researchers have found that the parents of boys tend to talk about the child’s specific accomplishment when they offer praise (“Wow, what a tall tower you’ve built out of those blocks!”).

The parents of girls, however, are likely to offer more general praise (“You’re such a smart girl!”).

Specific praise enables a child to evaluate his own achievements (“That’s a tall tower. I’m proud.”). General praise, on the other hand, leaves a child dependent upon others to evaluate her behavior (“Am I still smart?”).

So try to make your praise specific and focused on behaviors.

Use Natural Consequences When Safe and Appropriate

Ideally, a logical connection should exist between an act and the reward or punishment that follows.

For example, a preschooler who teases a cat will most likely get scratched—a good reminder not to do it again.

The punishment is small, immediate, and strongly associated with the cat, which makes the lesson easier to remember.

Similarly, if your 5-year-old can’t find a toy that he’s supposed to keep in his toy chest, don’t rush out to buy a replacement. If you do, the lesson you’re teaching is that forgetfulness doesn’t have consequences.

Better to let him live without the toy for a while. (No matter what, you can expect preschoolers and early school-age children to lose things and to be forgetful. That’s a matter of brain development. But the lesson is still important.)

 

Don’t Expect Perfection

It’s unrealistic to expect a child to be perfectly behaved. In fact, if you do, it will make a child feel so much stress that she’ll probably misbehave simply to break the tension.

Set realistic goals so that both you and your child can succeed. For example, don’t expect your preschooler to share all of her toys when a friend comes to visit.

Arrange with her to set the most precious toys aside before the friend arrives. That will help her feel more comfortable sharing her other toys.

Present Alternatives

Show your child alternative behaviors to the ones you want to change. For example, if she’s yelling and you want her to stop, demonstrate to your child how she can speak quietly and still get people’s attention.

One of the reasons spanking a child is ineffective as a punishment over the long term is that it doesn’t teach the child what she should be doing.

Set Specific, Limited Goals

Decide what’s really important to you. Safety, of course, should be your first concern. But how important is politeness at this age? What about cleanliness? Friendliness? Paying attention?

Don’t try to focus on too many things at once or you’ll constantly be correcting your child and you’ll both be miserable.

Remember that you have plenty of time to help your child master new social skills.

Let’s say you want your 4-year-old to go to bed without kicking up a fuss. If you define your goals in terms as general and absolute as that, compliance will be difficult to measure and difficult to achieve. Instead, make your goal more specific and realistic.

You should be satisfied, for example, if five days out of the week she gets under the covers in less than 15 minutes after you tell her it’s bedtime. Don’t expect perfection, either from her or from yourself.

When you do correct your child, keep your words simple so that they’re understood. Sarcasm and mockery don’t work with young children; kids this age simply don’t get it.

Instead, focus on one thing at a time (“Please don’t talk with your mouth full of food. First swallow, then talk.”).

Remember That Discipline Is Not the Same As Punishment

Sometimes it’s hard not to equate the two, but try to keep in mind that they’re different. Discipline has to do with teaching.

Ask yourself if your own behaviors are teaching your child the types of things you want her to learn. Setting a good example is one of the most effective discipline techniques of all.

 

Source: Pampers

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Games to Get Kids Having Fun

By Felisa Billet
Jan. 9, 2010 

With the New Year in full bloom, add a fresh dimension to your exercise routine. You don’t have to join a gym, train for a 5K, or buy expensive gear. 

A great way to motivate you is to team up with a fitness buddy. What better buddy than your grandchild!

“Children learn from role models,” says Liz Donnelly, a family fitness specialist from Cleveland, who blogs at Family Fitness Guru. “Grandparents are in a perfect position to [be that] role model” by stressing the importance of an active lifestyle.

“If the older generation takes the younger generation by the hand and engages in little bits of activity together, they are doing an extraordinary service to the health and well-being of their grandchildren,” says Michael Feigin, owner of The Fitness Guru, a multigenerational exercise studio in Brooklyn.

Walking or biking to a destination instead of driving, or even playing Wii instead of watching TV encourages kids to be active.

Next time you are with the grandkids, use playtime as a way to get the heart pumping.

“Don’t get caught up in technique,” says Donnelly. “Just be goofy and encourage movement. Before you know it, your grandchildren will have so much fun they won’t even realize they’re exercising.”

Try playing these games with the kids. Besides getting a workout, you’ll all get a wealth of laughs.

 

Play a Game of Hot Lava

Kids love this game of imaginary adventure where players pretend they are escaping an active volcano. Randomly place sheets of paper on the floor (you can substitute pillow cases, towels, or any mats).

Work your way across the room jumping and leaping from paper to paper, making sure not to touch the “hot lava” (the floor). You will increase your heart rate as you challenge the kids to see who can cross the room first.

This game helps kids develop spatial awareness as they learn to control their body tempo and movement.

 

Skip, Hop

Helping young grandkids learn how to skip and hop improves their coordination while providing you with a cardiovascular workout.

Jumping and hopping, movements that create an impact on the skeleton, increase bone density. To make it fun, designate a finish line and have the kids hop forward and then backward as they make their way across the room.

 

Hang Ten

Head outdoors with the grandkids to work on upper-body strength. Give your arms and shoulders a workout by clutching onto tree branches or monkey bars.

See who can cling the longest, or count how long you can hang on and try to beat your score next time. Pick branches or bars that aren’t too high, so the kids can jump down on their own. If you can do chin-ups, show off your strength and technique.

 

Run Wheelbarrow Races

A wheelbarrow race, in which one player “walks” on his hands, while a partner holds his legs, provides multigenerational exercise fun.

This classic game offers an upper-body workout for the person “walking” on the ground and challenges the total body strength of the player holding the feet.

 

Crawl like a Crab

Pretend to be a crab: Walk sideways on your hands and feet with your torso and head facing up. As you and the grandkids crab-crawl around the room, you’ll tone your arms and backs.

Once you get the hang of it, have a race! To increase the challenge, find out who can crab-crawl the longest, using only one foot, an exercise game that strengthens the backs of the hips and legs.

 

Walk like a Spider

Position yourself on all fours, with your head facing the floor. Walk on your hands and on the balls of your feet, keeping your backside up. This exercise builds strength in the body’s core area.

Pretend you are spiders or prehistoric animals, or just have a funny race around the house.

 

Stride like a Giant

Also known as walking lunges, a popular exercise for adults, this activity really works the hamstrings and gluts. Position your hands on your hips and bend your knees as you take a giant step forward.

For each step, bring the next foot forward with the knees bent. Play tag, but instead of running, players lunge as they try not to get caught.

If all else fails: “Get outside and play as much as you can,” says Donnelly. “Our nervous system is so well stimulated with the sun and air. Go out even if it’s cold. What kid won’t love building a snowman?”

 

Source: Grandparents

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

 

 

Good Care for your Child

By Healthy Children
Jan. 7, 2009

Many Americans receive their health care in managed care plans. These plans, typically offered by employers and state Medicaid programs, provide services through health maintenance organizations (HMOs) or preferred provider organizations (PPOs).

The plans have their own networks of pediatricians and other physicians, and if you or your employer change from one managed care plan to another, you may find that the pediatrician you’ve been using and whom you like is not part of the new network.

Once you have a pediatrician whom you like, ask what plans she is in, and see if you can join one of them if there’s a need to switch from one HMO or PPO to another.

Managed care plans attempt to reduce their costs by having doctors control patient access to certain health care services.

Your pediatrician may act as a “gatekeeper,” needing to give approval before your child can be seen by a pediatric medical subspecialist or surgical specialist.

Without this approval, you’ll have to pay for part or all of these services out of pocket.

To help you maneuver effectively through your managed care plan, here are some points to keep in mind:

To determine what care is provided in your managed care plan, carefully read the materials provided by the plan (often called a certificate of coverage). If you have questions, talk to a plan representative or your employer’s benefits manager.

All plans limit some services (e.g., mental health care, home health care), so find out what’s covered and what’s not.

 

When you’re part of a managed care plan, primary and preventive care visits usually will be covered, including well-child checkups, treatment for illnesses or injuries, and immunizations.

In many plans, you’ll have to pay a portion of the primary care services that your family receives, called a copayment, for each doctor’s visit.

 

Once you’ve chosen a pediatrician, it’s best to stay with her. But if you feel the need to switch, all plans allow you to select another doctor from among those who are part of their network.

The plan administrator can give you information on how to make this change; some plans allow you to switch only during certain time periods called “open enrollment.”

 

If you feel that your child needs to see a pediatric subspecialist, work with your pediatrician to find one who is part of your plan, and obtain approval to schedule an appointment with her.

Check your plan contract for details about whether your insurer will pay at least a portion of these costs. Also, if hospital care is needed, use your pediatrician’s guidance in selecting a hospital in your plan that specializes in the care of children. (Most hospital procedures and surgeries require prior approval.)

 

Know in advance what emergency services are covered since you won’t always have time to contact your pediatrician. Most managed care plans will pay for emergency room care in a true emergency, so in a lifethreatening situation, go immediately to the nearest hospital.

In general, follow-up care (e.g., removing stitches) should be done in your pediatrician’s office.

 

To file a complaint—for example, if coverage of certain procedures is denied— start by expressing your concern to your pediatrician. If she is unable to resolve the problem, contact your plan’s member service representative or employee benefits manager about filing a complaint.

If a claim has been denied, you typically have fifteen to thirty days to file an appeal, and you should receive a decision about the appeal within thirty to ninety days of the request.

If you still are dissatisfied, you may decide to seek help from the office of your state insurance commissioner, or you can take legal action.

 

Source: Healthy Children

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Choose the Right Nannie

By Parents
Jan. 8, 2010

Nannies provide in-house, personal care for your little ones. But finding a trustworthy nanny requires time, effort, and patience.

Consider hiring a high-quality nanny agency to perform thorough background checks.

Also conduct in-person interviews and contact references. Most important, trust your instincts. If you don’t feel right about a particular candidate, move on with your search.

It may be that you’re going back to work after a maternity leave, or it could be that you’re taking on part-time work and need to find someone to watch your children while you’re out of the house.

Whatever your situation, it’s not enough to just wish for Mary Poppins or Nanny 911— you need to do your research.

Unlike other professions, there are no national standards in the United States for nanny training, and there is no state or national group in charge of regulating job performance.

Therefore, it is imperative that parents thoroughly interview and screen a potential nanny before she begins caring for their children.

The easiest way to verify the background of a candidate is to hire a high-quality nanny agency.

If possible, seek out an agency that belongs to the Alliance of Professional Nanny Agencies, a professional group that requires members to conduct rigorous background checks. Agencies usually charge 10 percent of a nanny’s first-year salary, plus a $100 to $300 application fee.

If for whatever reason you’re going to search on your own, it’s imperative that you know what to look for and what to ask about.

And even if you do use a nanny agency, you should know what makes up a good background check.

When hiring a nanny or homesitter for your family, don’t ever employ anyone without checking references and employment history. Additionally, always trust your instincts.

Don’t worry if you’re alone in your hesitation; if you’re not feeling completely satisfied with any single aspect of your nanny’s application or it just doesn’t feel right, move on to other candidates.

Some tools to help you narrow down your search:

 

Use our Checklist to Verify a Nanny Candidate’s Credentials  >>
Print a Nanny Candidate Interview Guide  >>
Print a Nanny Reference Interview Guide  >>
Print a Nanny Employment Agreement  >>

 

Source: Parents

 

Editor’s Note; We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Help Your Baby to Sleep in Seven Days

By Stephanie Wood
Jan. 4, 2009

During the early days of life with a newborn, you’re focused on what’s best for the baby, so sleepless nights seem like a small price to pay.

Until about week six, that is, when waking up every few hours starts to get old.

By month three, you’re pretending to be asleep, hoping that your partner will get up first and fetch a bottle. You can’t remember what it feels like not to be tired.

The good news is that most babies do begin to sleep through the night between 3 and 4 months of age if you let them, says Charles Schaefer, Ph.D., author of Winning Bedtime Battles: Getting Your Child to Sleep (Barnes & Noble Books, 1998).

But many parents unwittingly encourage bad sleep habits that can continue for years. If your baby is 6 months or older and is still a night owl, it’s time you get with the program.

And even if you have a young infant, it’s never too early to teach smart sleep skills. Our expert seven-day plan will guarantee a good night’s sleep for you and your baby, with a minimum of crying along the way.

 

Day 1: Start a Regular Routine

Many babies get their days and nights mixed up, napping for long periods in the afternoon and waking up to play at bedtime. But today you’re going to fix that.

“The latest research shows that infants can be taught the difference between night and day from the get-go,” says John Herman, Ph.D., clinical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas. You simply need to provide the cues that will allow this to happen.

Wake your baby up early tomorrow, and get into the routine of always rising at the same time every day. Position her crib near a window and keep the blinds up.

 “The natural light helps babies organize their circadian rhythms,” says Dr. Herman.

Letting her nap with the blinds up also promotes this process. “If they wake from a nap in the daylight, they understand it’s time to get up. If they wake at night in the dark, they’ll learn to go back to sleep,” he explains.

At nighttime, begin some quiet rituals. “Decide on a specific bedtime routine,” says Claire Lerner, M.S.W., a child-development specialist at Zero

To Three: The National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families, in Washington, D.C. Dress your child in her pajamas and put her down in her crib for the night with the lights out.

Just prior to tucking her in, you may want to read a story or sing a song, which helps your baby’s motor and sensory system slow down

 

Day 2: Practice Makes Perfect

Today you’re going to build on the consistent routine you began yesterday. If your child still requires nighttime feedings, that can be a good time to accentuate the difference between day and night, says Robert Ballard, M.D., director of the Sleep Health Center at National Jewish Medical Center, in Denver. “Keep night feedings very relaxing, with the lights low.

Do everything you can to avoid stimulating your baby,” he says. “And during the day, make feedings a time of high activity, when you tickle her feet or sing songs, so she begins to perceive the difference.”

Continue to pay careful attention to what soothes your baby in the evening too. “A bath may be calming for one child and invigorating for another,” Lerner says. You might also want to try adding white noise, says Carl Johnson, Ph.D., a psychologist and pediatric sleep researcher at Central Michigan University, in Mount Pleasant.

“The hum of a fan or air conditioner or a radio set on static works well for many infants. The good thing about white noise is that you can fade it out over time, once your baby begins to sleep more predictably.”

 

Day 3: The Crying Begins

Steel yourself: Tonight you start putting your child down in his crib while he’s still awake. “It’s the single most important thing you can do,” says Dr. Schaefer. “If he falls asleep at your breast during his bedtime feeding, for example, arouse him enough that his eyes are open when you place him in the crib.” Of course, a little — or a lot of — crying may ensue.

But rest assured, it will be tougher on you than on your baby. Parents naturally find crying agonizing to listen to, but just keep reminding yourself that the end result — sleep! — will be good for the whole family.

“Get over the worry that ignoring your baby while he cries will do psychological harm,” emphasizes Dr. Schaefer.

If you’ve been meeting his every need in other ways, this situation certainly won’t lessen his sense of security.

Nor should you worry about letting a very young baby cry. In fact, the younger the infant, the easier the process will be. “Babies older than 5 or 6 months are naturally going to be more upset because you’ve changed the rules on them,” Dr. Schaefer says.

A 3-month-old, on the other hand, knows only the routine that you create. “With younger babies, parents always think the crying is going to go on longer than it usually does,” agrees Pamela High, M.D., medical director of the infant development unit at Women & Infants’ Hospital, in Providence. “Infants under 5 months often last only for 15 or 20 minutes.”

If a battle royal does ensue, go in periodically to check on your baby and reassure him that you’re there — aim for every five minutes the first night. But keep your visits brief:

Don’t turn on the light, remove him from the crib, or offer him a pacifier or a bottle. “If he falls asleep with one of these crutches, he’ll cry for it again if he wakes up or at bedtime tomorrow night,” Lerner says.

 

Day 4: Tough It Out

So last night was a long one. Expect an improvement tonight. Your baby will remember a little sooner that crying doesn’t produce results. When she protests, lengthen your response time to every ten minutes.

And whatever happens, don’t give in. “If you’re inconsistent, the baby learns to hold out — she’ll just up the ante and cry twice as long tomorrow night,” says Deborah Givan, M.D., director of the Children’s Sleep Disorders Center at Riley Hospital for Children, in Indianapolis.

 

Day 5: Baby Settles In

Most babies get with the program in three to five days, so tonight could be your lucky night. If your child is still holding her own, lengthen your response time to 15 minutes.

“Some babies need the frequent reassurance that you’re checking on them, but others find it a tease,” Lerner says.

“Checking on the baby is really for the parents’ benefit,” says Dr. High. “If you notice that you’re fueling your child’s reaction every time you go in and you can tolerate staying away, it’s fine to do so.

Just peek at him through a crack in the door instead so he doesn’t actually see you.”

The other frequent problem at this point is night feedings. At about 12 pounds or 3 to 4 months, most infants are ready to give them up. Obviously, you can’t just decide to cut them out with a younger infant.

But you can keep them as brief and quiet as possible: Cuddle your baby but don’t sing to her, keep the lights out even during diaper changes, and settle her in the crib as soon as she’s done. Don’t fall for the myth that bigger babies wake up because they’re hungry.

Heavier babies actually have less need for night feedings if they weigh more than about 12 pounds, so they’re likely to be waking up out of habit. Bigger babies are sometimes night owls precisely because they’re being overfed, Dr. Givan points out. 

“Overfeeding means they’ll have wet diapers, which makes them wake up again.”

 

Day 6: Baby Sleeps Through

Sounds like bliss, doesn’t it? But chances are you’ll be wandering the halls a little anyway. You may find yourself getting up to check on the baby. Relax.

Dress him in warm PJs so you don’t need to worry about kicked-off covers, and turn the monitor down so that you hear him only if he’s really in distress.

Now that you’ve made so much progress, don’t wreck it by rushing in too quickly. Let your child soothe himself. You also need to relax so that you can fall asleep.

 

Day 7: You Sleep Soundly Too

Give yourself a big pat on the back. You’ve not only regained your sleep but given your baby an important gift: Good sleep habits are as critical as good hygiene to a child’s well-being.

Of course, there will be setbacks, such as an illness, a new sibling, or an unfamiliar hotel room.

“Even children who are good sleepers will have problems now and then,” says Dr. Givan. But fall back on our foolproof plan whenever you need to.

Your child will respond with even less difficulty the second time around because she already knows the drill.

Source: Parents

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

We Need Each Other

by Mike DeVries
Jan. 6, 2010

The LORD God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will
make a helper suitable for him.” -Genesis 2:18

The book of Genesis is a book about beginnings. It tells of how our world came into being and why it is the way it is. Genesis 1-3 is a painting, an epic story, a beautifully crafted piece of oetry.

And like all good poetry, its use of words and phrases are important to the overall message.

If you read Genesis 1-2, there’s this phrase that is repeated over and over again in the creation story. God speaks something into existence, and it appears. God surveys His work of creation, while the following phrase is repeated over and over again: “And God saw that it was good.”

This is the image that we are given of creation at the very beginning. Whatever God created, He saw as good. Everything was good. Everything was right. Everything was as it should be.

Except one thing.

Genesis 2:18 captures an astounding statement. In a world where everything God has created is “good,” one thing in the garden isn’t – “It is not good for man to be alone.”

Now what makes this statement so astounding is that it comes before Genesis 3. We have this image that everything before mankind’s fall into sin was perfect and the way that God wanted it to be, but apparently there was one thing that was not working so good. Aloneness is the only thing wrong in the garden.

Humanity was never meant to live life alone.

From the very beginning of creation, the portrait we see is that humanity is wired for relationship. People crave relationships.

The account of Genesis 1-2 tells us why. God is a relational being, and when He created humanity in His own image, He created us as relational beings as well. A human being, out of relationship with the rest of humanity, is… well… un-human.

According to Genesis 2:18, we have a need for others. Just consider how many times God has used others in your own life, through a friend or loved one, who was “there” for you at the right moment.

46 times the New Testament reminds us of what we should be doing for “one another” – loving one another, serving one another, forgiving one another, meeting one another’s needs, bearing one another’s burdens… to mention just a few.

The Scriptures from beginning to end proclaim this one fact – humanity was not meant to live life alone. We really do need each other.

 

Source: Home Word      APU

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

Help Kids Raise Money

By MV Parents
Jan. 5, 2009

In addition to discussing financial matters with your children, it’s also important to teach them by example. Kids are very observant, and pick up on what their parents do and say, so be sure to set a good example when you’re dealing with money.

Make it a point to teach your child not only by what you say, but also by what you do.

 

Make a budget, and stick to it. If you have to cut back on some things, let your kids know that it’s because those things don’t fit in your plan for the month (or week, or year, depending on your budget).

 

Practice good spending habits, such as comparing prices before you make a significant purchase. Stop at several stores to see where you can get the best price, check out store ads in the newspaper, and use any coupons or discounts you have available.

Ask your kids to help you make the best decisions, and help them understand your spending practices.

 

Set aside money from your own earnings for savings and donation. Kids may think they should keep all of their money for themselves, and showing that you care about helping others sets a powerful example.

Decide on a percentage you will give each month to a nonprofit organization, school, or other charitable cause.

 

Don’t use your credit card to purchase things you can’t afford—this can be especially appealing (and dangerous) to teens.

Exceptions to this rule can be made in cases of emergency; if you don’t have the money for an emergency purchase, be sure to have a plan to pay off your bill in a timely manner to avoid interest charges.

 

Give your kids small loans. Although it’s helpful to teach kids that they cannot spend more than they have, it’s also helpful once in a while for your kids to borrow money from you and then pay it back on a regular basis.

For example, if your child wants to buy a bicycle, have her save up a certain amount for a deposit and then figure out a payment plan (and stick to that plan every step of the way) until it is completely paid off.

 

Encourage your kids to save both in the short term—for things like a new bike or a concert ticket—and in the long term, for expenses like college tuition or a car.

Having a savings goal makes the budgeting process more real and tangible.

 

Remember that your children learn from all members of your family. Make sure everyone is practicing good saving and spending habits to reinforce the messages you’re sending to your kids.

 

Keep your kids learning, no matter their age. Go to the Summary and Next Steps page to find relevant resources for young children, tweens, and older teenagers.

Like anything else, financial literacy is best taught by intentionally setting a good example around your children.

If your kids see you and other members of your family making well-informed, well thought-out, and responsible decisions about money throughout their childhood, they’ll be much more likely to make good decisions themselves.

Make it a point to set a good example around your kids—and don’t forget to talk to them about it to reinforce these ideas!

 

Source: MV Parents

 

Editor’s Note: we would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

National Zoo Gets Ready to Say Goodbye to Tai Shan

By Robbin Friedman
Jan. 5, 2009

Sometimes it’s hard to say goodbye—especially to an adorable panda bear. Last month, the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., announced that its 4-year-old giant panda, Tai Shan, will leave the zoo in January or February and go to live in China.

Under an agreement with China, which owns all the giant pandas living in the United States, any panda born in the U.S. belongs to China and must be sent there to live. Tai Shan was born at the National Zoo in July 2005.

He was originally supposed to go to China when he turned two, but an agreement was reached allowing him to stay in Washington for two more years.
Cub on Camera

Tai Shan, whose name means “peaceful mountain,” captured hearts all over the world after his birth. The National Zoo set up a “panda cam” to record little Tai Shan and his parents, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang.

Over the Internet, animal lovers around the globe watched the pandas as they ate, napped, and romped with plants and toys.

Zookeepers and panda lovers in Washington know that Tai Shan will be safe and cared for at his new home in Wolong, in China’s Sichuan province. But they will also miss him.

“Tai Shan leaving Washington is terribly sad for the zoo, the community, and his fans around the world,” said Steve Monfort, acting director of the National Zoo. “He has become so special to the staff and the public—and we have learned so much from him in just four short years.”

 

Pandas in Peril

Giant pandas are endangered. Scientists think that only about 1,600 giant pandas still live in central China, the only country where pandas live in the wild and where many more once roamed.

Pandas have been threatened over many years by poaching, or illegal hunting. They have also lost much of their habitat. Adult pandas eat 40-50 pounds of bamboo a day.

As humans have cleared bamboo forests, the black-and-white bears have struggled to survive.

 

Scientists Working Together

China loans pandas to zoos in the U.S. and other countries to raise awareness of the endangered animals and to help scientists study them. Currently, 14 pandas live in the U.S.

Scientists in China and the United States hope that by learning more about the animals, they can help protect them. More than 160 giant pandas live in zoos and conservation centers around the world.

A number of these live in the Wolong Nature Reserve, where Tai Shan is headed.

Scientists at the Wolong reserve study pandas and also breed them to help the population grow. They hope that with greater numbers of pandas and more knowledge about the bears, they may one day be able to release giant pandas born in captivity into the wild.

Tai Shan, a “teenager” in panda years, is a good age to become part of Wolong’s conservation program.

Tai Shan will never live in the wild. But perhaps one day his children can roam freely in the bamboo forests where giant pandas belong.

How Pandas Grow

• At birth, baby pandas weigh only 3 to 5 ounces—and are about the size of a stick of butter!
• Adult pandas grow up to 6 feet tall and weigh as much as 300 pounds. Tai Shan weighed 168 pounds in December.
• Pandas can live at least 30 years in captivity.

 

Source: Scholastic News Online

 

Editor’s Note: Robbin Friedman is a contributing writer for Scholastic News Online.

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

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