Tips For The Sports Parents

Being a sports parent isn't just driving the mini van to the games. You are your child's unofficial coach, therapist, and #1 fan. Dr. Jordan Metzal, author of "The Young Athlete," has some rules to keep from driving your young athlete and yourself crazy:

1. Health To prevent overuse injuries, kids should start a supervised weight-lifting program at age 8 or 9 years old. Go for high reps of light weights less than three pounds, or use a soup can.

2.Diet: Make sure your kid's diet follow the food pyramid. Tell your kids they should never take performance enhancers. It is crazy, but surveys have found sixth graders using creatine.

3. Motivation: Give up on the idea of "constructive criticism". Positive reinforcement works better anyway. If your child doesn't want to play, don't make him or her.

4. Moderation: If your child is stressed at school, it's time to cut back on sports. Moderation goes for you too. Don't get over involved. Try skipping every third game or set a limit for the number of times you'll yell your child's name during a match.

Should You Buy Organic?

Organic farms are growing in this country. They provide 2% of the nation's food supply and take up less than 1% of its cropland. Over the past decade, the market for organic food has grown by 15 to 20% every year. According to Geoffrey Cowley, nearly 40% of U.S. consumers now reach occasionally for something labeled organic. Sales expect to top $22 billion this year. New government rules define organic products. Any food sold as organic must meet criteria set by the United States Department of Agriculture. the new organic is all about bigger farms, heartier crops, better distribution, and slicker promotion. Most consumers think organic means healthier. No one had found a way to determine whether people eating well-balanced organic diets are healthier than those eating a well-balanced conventional diet. Marketing research suggest that organic food is no healthier than other food, but that flavor was the biggest difference and the difference is huge. So, apparently the jury is still out on the organic debate.

Why Women Have To Work

Why are today's mothers working so hard, putting in long hours at home and at the office? They are working for the MONEY according to Amelia Warren Tyagi, co-author of "The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Mothers and Fathers Are Going Broke." Most woman who started working in the 90's all said they are working because it comes down to dollars and cents.

Over the past generation, home prices have risen twice as fast for couples with young children as for those without kid. Why? Confidence in the public schools has dwindled and parents are trying to buy homes in good school districts. In most places, that amounts to paying more for the family home. These couples are also having to pay for preschool. Most parents feel it is necessary to go to a quality preschool in order to have an advantage going into elementary school. All this cost money and mothers are working to cover these added expenses. Where will it all end?

H1N1

With H1N1 flu right at the door, what are parents to do? As flu season is already here and kindergartners bring home their first fall colds, parents are finding there is something more contagious than the flu germ - FEAR. Unprecedented national and regional shortages of H1N1 flu vaccines have made headlines. In response, schools are preparing for incoming students and sending out permission slips for students to get a volunteer vaccination for the H1N1 flu. The problem is, they are now telling us there is a shortage and the shots will not be ready until late October. The flu is already in the Tennessee Valley and schools are not closing down as they did in the Spring. What should parents and educators do to prevent the spreading of the flu virus? Teach your child to cough and sneeze into their sleeve and to wash their hands after coughing, sneezing, or using the bathroom with hand sanitizer or warm soapy water. Most importantly, keep your child home if they are running a fever or show flu like symptoms. They should not return to school until 24 hours after the fever is gone without medication, diarrhea stops, and vomiting stops. Take your child to the doctor to make sure they don't have the H1N1 flu virus. Schools have already given the faculty and staff the cleaning and preventive procedures for keeping surfaces and door knobs clean. Hopefully, this flu virus will not spread as quickly as the medical professional have predicted. Hopefully, the vaccine will be enough to protect those most likely to have a fatal reaction to this flu. Good health to you all.

Reading Is the Key

Reading is the key building block in a child's educational success. It is also the area where parents can have the greatest impact on their child's education. Read to your child when they are very young. Let your child see you reading for enjoyment. Make sure your child is reading or being read to every day. It will accelerate their reading development and give them a true appreciation for the written word. Children can travel the world and conquer nations just by turning the pages of a good novel. Start a book club with children or join a book club yourself for social interaction. Give your child and yourself the gift of loving literature.

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a reading disorder that persists despite good schooling and the child usually has normal or above average intelligence. It's a handicap that affects up to 1 in 5 school children. Yet, the exact cause and nature of the problem has eluded doctors, teachers, and parents. Dyslexia was first described more than a century ago. The mystery and some of the stigma may finally be lifted. Researchers have found that it it not brain damage, but that a growing number of scientific evidence suggest there is a glitch in the neurological wiring of dyslexics that make reading extremely difficult. The most successful programs focus on strengthening the brain's aptitude for linking letters to the sounds they represent. The good news is dyslexia didn't stop very famous men and women from achieving greatness. In some cases it may have fueled their creativity. If you suspect your child has dyslexia, according to Christine Gorman, it is never too early to do something about it. Here are a few of her suggestions:

1. Get Tested (The International Dyslexia Association can help) (800-ABC-D123)

2. Monitor Progress - If the IEP goals aren't being met, you may want to get private instruction.

3. Create an IEP - Special Education should provide a special program with specific goals

4. Boost Strength - Don't let your child be defined by his or her dyslexia. These children need to be encouraged.

5. Get at Home Help - Computer based reading programs have shown great promise in helping children read.

6.Educate Yourself - You need information to be your child's chief advocate.

Helping Overweight Children

Helping an overweight child can be a touchy situation. No one wants their child to be overweight or obese. There are many issues that must be dealt with when you have an overweight child. Clothes shopping becomes an issue, children picking on the child, and the child's self-esteem suffers. A child who is overweight as a teenager has an 80% chance of being an overweight adult. How can you turn the tides without making your child miserable or resentful? Here are some pointers according to Leslie Whitaker, a reporter from Chicago.

1. Face the problem - Stop pretending that there is no problem. Admit there is a weight problem and discuss it honestly.

2. Make it a family affair - Everyone has to get on board and agree to eat more healthy. Get the junk food out of the house.

3. Sit down and eat dinner every evening - Planning and preparing healthy meals will make all the difference. Talk at dinner, it can be very revealing as to what is happening in every ones' life.

4. Make it fun - Try new foods. Buy one unusual fruit or vegetable every week and have a family taste test.

5. Never compare you child - Never compare your child to other siblings or children. It really hurts and causes long term damage

5. Turn of the TV and get moving - Include some type of exercise or activity.

Update from Axis Publishing & Distribution Company, LLC:

Back to school tips and knowledge, don't miss Best Education Possible author Debra West tonight, Monday, August 24th at 10pm EST/7pm PST on In tune with T. Mill - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TMill

Call in and get great answers and advice - call in number - (347) 633-9196

How Can Education Change In This Country

Many citizens are concerned about the direction this country is going as far as education is concerned. As an educator, I am very concerned. I believe it will take a grassroots movement of concerned citizens from every walk of life coming together and agreeing that something must be done to improve the overall education of our children.

It will not be the politicians that argue on Capitol Hill making these decisions. I hope education does not turn into the circus that the health care issue has become. In order for education to really make a significant change we must share ideas.

What is working in your state, region, or city? What isn't working? Together we all must focus on models that are successful and develop manuals and detailed descriptions of these programs, so others can duplicate the outstanding programs that are working. There are numerous A+ schools in every state of this country. Let us go out and visit these schools and see why they are successful. If you live in a rural area, what works for a rural system may not work for a large inner city system, but can provide insights. We must share programs, ideas, and methods so every school can duplicate in some degree what has worked in a similar system. I know there are real solutions for our schools, but I also realize that there is not one cookie cutter program that will work for everyone. So, lets agree to search out the best schools and figure out how the school in your area can be the best.

Eating Right

With everyone so busy today, it is not unusual for a family to stop at some fast food drive through and grab a bite for dinner. Before you think about stopping consider the following facts:

McDonald's Big Mac 560 calories 1.5 grams of fat
Burger King Whopper 670 calories 1.5 grams of fat
Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza 630 calories 1 gram of fat
KFC Crispy Chicken Breast 460 calories 4.5 grams of fat

No wonder our children are overweight. If you want to avoid the fast food trap, have 4 weeks of meals planned. Ask each member their favorite meals and plan to have different balanced meals while rotating the menus. Plan your meals and shop from a grocery list with all the necessary ingredients. This makes life a lot easier and you will save money and your family's health.

Kids and Sports

Just about anyone who has witnessed a youth sport these days has had a bad experience. A survey of 3,300 parents published in an issue of "SportingKid" magazine found that 84% had witnessed "violent parental behavior" toward children, coaches, or an official at kids' sports events. Children should not be victums or witness adults behaving like their child is participating in the "World Series" and their life savings depends on the outcome of the child's perfomance. There is too much pressure put on little children and it takes away the love of the game. More than half of the parents end up removing their children from youth games because they felt that youth sports were too competitive. Team sports should teach children lesson in life, such as, sportmanship and cooperative outcomes, while developing skills to become competitive in the future. Some parents need to RELAX, stop living through their child, and let their child develop their athletic skills, and enjoy the games.

Schools Need Volunteer Tutors

With a little training, parents, community members, and organizations can give a valuable service to their local schools. Many schools will train volunteers to help with the reading and math programs. Most people who volunteer experience a sense of usefulness and get more out of volunteering then they ever expected. The volunteers get a sense of how children learn, and realize their impact on that learning. It is extremely important to support your local schools and get involved. It will benefit the children in your community or surrounding communities and help enrich the lives of the volunteers. So, if you have the time and talent, get involved and volunteer a few hours a week and effect the life of a special child. In order to get the "Best Education Possible" for our children, we must all contribute.

Keeping Your Child Physcially Fit

 According to Jeffery Gupi, the owner of a fitness gym in CT., in order for our children to reap the maximum benefit of exercise the routine should include three important stages.

1. The warm-up - the purpose of the warm-up is to prepare the body for physical activity and to prevent injury. This should last for at least five minutes. Some examples of warm-up exercises for children are; march in place, backward and forward arm circles, jumping jacks, wind mills, or jogging in place.

2. The main event - The main event is the focal point of the day's physical exercise. This activity should increase the heart rate and the major muscle groups should be used. Some examples of main event exercises are; jumping double dutch or jump rope, bike riding, swimming laps, skating, or jogging in place.

3. The cool down - The main purpose of the cool down is to gradually reduce the heart rate. The child should perform five minutes of the cool down activity. This could include doing stretches, and walking at a slow pace.

So, when you plan to have your child on an exercise program, try to include the three important stages to get optimal results. In order to "Get the Best Education Possible", your child must be physically fit.

Community and Parental Involvement in Schools

One important factor for the success of any school is parental and community involvement. Not all parental and community involvement is beneficial to the effective running of a school. If the involvement is critical or likely to generate negative reactions from the administration, faculty, and staff it can damage the overall effectiveness of a school. On the other hand, there is a lot of evidence of the positive effects of parental and community involvement. Research shows that it makes a difference in the success of the entire school. Therefore, let's make sure there is a positive parental and community partnership with the school your child attends. It will make a difference in the quality of all the children's' education. In order for our children to "Get the Best Education Possible," everyone must get involved.

Your Child's School Supplies - Phthalates Warning

Phthalates has been banned in children's' toys, but is still legal in school supplies. This chemical is the same dangerous soft plastic that was successfully banned for making toys last year due to complaints by concerned parents. Today, I was reading an article from Momsrising.org stating that phthalates interfere with natural hormones and is linked to birth defects in baby boys, testicular cancer and liver problems. The article also states that phthalates have caused early puberty in girls. I feel this is important information for parents and we should all be aware of what chemicals are in our children's' school supplies. You can download a free guide on Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies to see the list of phthalates free supplies. Lets all be diligent in keeping our children safe.

Here are some quick tips:

• PVC Labeling: PVC products are often labeled with the words "vinyl" on the packaging, such as vinyl 3-ring binders. PVC can also be identified by looking for the number "3" inside, or the letters "V" or "PVC" underneath, the universal recycling symbol. Just remember, bad news comes in #3's, so don't buy PVC!
• Backpacks: Avoid backpacks with shiny plastic designs as they often contain PVC and may contain lead.
• Art Supplies: Modeling clays are often loaded with phthalates. Look for clays made without PVC and phthalates like Crayola Air-Dry clay.
• Notebooks: Avoid notebooks containing metal spirals encased in colored plastic. The colored plastic coating on the metal spirals usually contains PVC. Select notebooks with uncovered metal spirals to avoid PVC.
• Paper Clips: Stick to the plain metal paperclips. Colored paper clips are coated with PVC.
• Shoes: Crocs are PVC free, however many similar shoes (or 'knockoffs"), like the Kamid Doodle, are made with PVC. Many of the charms for Crocs are also made with PVC. All Nike, Puma, and L.L. Bean shoes are PVC free.

Anyone Can Be President

With the election of Barrack Obama, I truly believe that any natural born citizen can be President of the United States. I told my students every year, "that anything they could dream of was possible." I told them, "they could be President of the United States of America." I would say these word, and knew it was possible and coming, but honestly never thought I would live to see the day when it would actually come to pass. We have many disagreements in this country on health care, bailout programs, and keeping the budget in line, but there is no country on earth that I would rather be a citizen of more than the United States in this day and time. We must stop arguing and start finding solutions. Our children are watching us, and they are listening to our comments and opinions and will often adopt and repeat much that is said. Teach our children that they live in a democratic system that somehow finds a way to serve the people even though we always don't agree on how that should be done. Ensure them that with persistence, hard work, and a love for serving their country that they too can be President. Show them that reading is a passport to anywhere, and education is the liberator of all those oppressed.

Countdown to 1,000,000 (One Million)

Update from Axis Publishing & Distribution Company:

With Amazon.com placing its second order for pre-ordered books, and wonderful reviews and praise rolling in, we are well on our way to reaching one million families and partnering to help parents deliver the Best Education Possible for their children! Join the positive energy and join us in our journey of grace and gratefulness as we march to one million.

It may take twenty days or twenty years to get to the number, but the joy is in the journey!

Get your copy of Best Education Possible today at Amazon.com.

Study Station

Make sure your child has a place in your home to study. It should have a smooth surface, a chair, and any supplies needed. Some children prefer doing their homework on the bed or on the floor. I wouldn't make a big deal out of where they study as long as they understand there is a special place and time for them to study. This study station can be in their room, den, kitchen table, or any quiet area of the home. The study station should be where there are not a lot of distractions and your child should be guided to keep the area clean and organized. There should be a designated time to study. If there is no homework for that night, read to your child or have them read for 15-30 minutes for a young child and 30-40 minutes for an older child. Always check the homework and make sure it is complete and done correctly. If you see that your child is having trouble with an assignment or concept, help them all you can or ask an older sibling to assist, or neighbor. It is important that you let your child know that homework is vital and they should know that it is expected of them to complete it in a timely manner. If a child is spending too much time on homework, speak to the teacher and see if something can be worked out. Most teachers will assist if there is a problem. You may wish to consider engaging a local tutor who has experience assisting inm the subject(s) in which your child is struggling. Making sure homework is done routinely will make a big difference in the school year for you and most importantly, for your child.

Best Education Possible For All Children

In Huntsville, Alabama, we just completed our first week of school. The children were excited and ready to go. Even with budget cuts, teachers have done their magic to make everything perfect for their students. Parents are expecting great things and they should. In order to get the best education possible everyone must be informed and involved. I have a book being released in about 8 days. It is full of information for parents to use throughout the year. It will keep them informed about the skills and objectives their child should be mastering. It also has tips on getting involved in your child's education. I hope everyone will get a copy of this book, and encourage their friends and family members to review a copy as well. Lets make sure every child in our reach gets "The Best Education Possible".

First Days of School

It is hard to believe, but children in Huntsville, Alabama started school this week, August 10th. I watched as the preschoolers, kindergarden, and first grade children and parents had a hard time letting go. Finally, the principal had to make an annoucement for parents to let the teachers get started. I'm almost sure it was harder for the parents then it was for the children. Wednesday was the third day of school and there were still parents still having a hard time. I heard a kindergarten boy tell his mother, "Mommy, I'm a big boy and I can walk to the classroom by myself". Her eyes just filled with tears as she kissed him goodbye. My heart just went out to her, but in the end it was the best thing to let him follow his class down the hall. Parents must trust that the administration, teachers, and staff will take care of their children.

On the other hand, the middle school parents gladly dropped off their kids, waved, and never looked back. How times will change!

Children and Today's Technology

Technology is developing so fast, and as the adults, it is important for us to keep up. As an elementary school teacher, some of my students have a lot of skills and knowledge using many new and different technologies. Therefore, in order to stay in a position of control and authority, it is important for me to continue growing and get the proper training to keep up with my students. Likewise. as parents, you must know as much or more than your children know about using technology. If you don't, things will go on in your home that you will have no control of. Cell phones, texting, blogging, facebook, are all avenues that young people utilize and must be supervised. We have more children getting disciplinary actions for using cell phones and texting than any other infraction. More arguments and fights start over what has been said on facebook or pictures downloaded on cell phones. Teach your child the proper uses of these tools and life at home and school will be better.

Keep Your Promise

There is nothing more disappointing to a child then for someone to promise to do something and it doesn't happen! We as adults must keep our word and never promise to go or do something if we cannot truly complete that promise. Children soon know who they can depend on and trust. We always want our children to confide in us and come to us when they have difficult decisions to make. They will soon go to peers or others if they cannot trust you. You must build that relationship of trust when they are small, because it is difficult to change their opinions once they feel betrayed or continually disappointed. Something you can do is keep your word!!.

Get Organized

We must help our children to get and remain organized. They must understand that everything has a place and everything should be in its place. One possible reason we are late for appointments or engagements is because we can't find everything we need. My husband always says, "Clutter causes depression". Now clutter does bother him, but I know I, (who clutter doesn't bother) feel better when I can find what I need. In school, the student who keeps a neat desk and locker is usually able to get started and turn in assignments sooner then the student who can not find papers, pencils, or textbooks. Teaching our children to neatly organize their personal space with help them continue to keep their lives organized into adulthood.

Dental Health

When we think about being healthy, how many people think of their dental health? It has come to light that many of the health problems people experience started with poor dental hygiene and dental care. Parents should try to take their children to the dentist when they are between the ages of 2-4 years old to make sure their baby teeth are healthy and developing properly. Also, it will help the child have a positive attitude early on with the dentist. Children should brush their teeth in the morning and before going to bed, but someone must show them the proper way to clean their teeth. Flossing and getting fluoride treatments should be a routine part of your child's dental care. Dentist are very expensive, but very necessary in our overall health plan. This country must come to terms and make sure every child is receiving proper medical and dental health care, but we as parents must teach them the routine of caring for their teeth, so that they can smile without hesitation.

Send Flowers

Most of the time when you attend a funeral, there will be so many beautiful flowers. I challenge you to send the flowers while your loved ones can still appreciate and smell the aromas. Children will pick flowers without thinking and present them to their mothers, grandmothers, and teachers and not even give it a second thought. Many times we will scold children for picking the flowers from a neighbors yard or flower garden, but all the child wants to say is, "I love you" or "I appreciate everything you do for me". Don and I send flowers to my father and father-in-law on their birthday and Father's Day. They love to receive beautiful flowers. So, don't leave out the men in your lives. I try to remember my great aunt on her birthday and Christmas. Fresh cut flowers bring a certain joy to the receiver, and places natural beauty into their lives. So, why not send a loved one some flowers while they can still appreciate them.

In Every Life Some Rain Must Fall

If you live long enough, rain will fall on your life! It's all in how you view and handle the rainy days. Rain can be a flood and cause unrepairable damage, but rain can cleanse and re-freshen everything it touches. When the rain is allowed to flood your life you may become overwhelmed and frightened. Everything you worked hard for is damp and destroyed. The flood waters block the sun and the rain cannot recede to their normal levels. When you let the sunshine back in your life a rainbow will appear and hope, joy, laughter, and peace can pierce through the clouds and let the sun shine throughout your life. New life will bloom, waters will recede, and things will get back to a state of tranquil normalcy. That is until the next storm comes. Our children watch us handle our storms and learn from us how to handle trouble as floods or seasonal showers fall. It is so much better to give our children the gift of peace during the storm.

Being On Time

We must teach our children the importance of being on time and time management! In order to instill this in our children we must make sure we get them to school, sports events, movies, church, and any extra curricula activity on time. It is so important to be 10 or 15 minutes early, giving a little time for traffic or other deterrents. It is also important for children to be at school on time, to settle down and get in the route of the day. Studies show that children that are chronically late or absent usually don't do as well in school. Being on time will teach our children the importance of time management and will help them with future employment or business transactions. There is nothing that will discourage a future employer from hiring a person then missing an interview or showing up late. So, talk to your children about being on time and teach them time management, because it can be the difference in a successful career.

Children Should Master A Skill

Mastering a skill at an early age builds confidence and self-esteem. When a child is able to play an instrument, draw or paint, perform ballet or tap, or any other number of individual activities they foster and grow their earned sense of accomplishment and develop a sense of self and pride. Group activities also have an important place in a child's development, but when they can master something individually, they are empowered and reinforced with an unequivocal self-confidence builder. The sense of individual confidence and ability begins a familiarity with earned success that will be needed later in life as they grow up and their world's become more complex and demanding. So, whenever possible have your child participate and master an activity that they alone can demonstrate excellence. It will pay big dividends in their future.

Some more examples include: golf, tennis, gymnastics, photography, bowling, singing and chess.

Self-Control

We must teach our children to have self-control. They must be able to control their anger and manage any conflict they are confronted with in life. Building self-confidence and teaching children to cope with stressful situations is extremely important. Our children must have self-awareness and set realistic goals with realistic timetables to complete these goals all while managing frustration, set-backs and disappointment.

Raising our children to have self-control means modeling self-control in our every day lives. We will never have children who manage anger properly if we don't show them how. Teach them how to accept criticim, admit mistakes and know the difference between right and wrong. Teach them how to respectfully stand up for themselves and when to stop and perhaps count to ten or even to one hundred if necessary. Let them know we all learn from our mistakes and we can continually work to improve our behavior and self-control at all times.

Savings Account For Your Child

This is as good of time as any to start teaching your child the value of money. Why not go to your local bank and start a savings account that they can keep up with. Teach them to save 10% of any monetary gifts they receive or money they earn. This will become a habit at an early age and pay off big dividends as they grow in knowledge of investing and compound interest. You are going to be the person to teach your child about savings, so why not start saving 10% of your savings yourself and learn about investment, compound interest, and a rainy day fund. Your family will be wiser and better yet financially secure.

We are Global Citizens

We must teach our children to be good global citizens. The world has gotten so small with all the new technologies and instant communication, we are only a click of the mouse away from any other country in the world. How amazing is that? We need to encourage our children to learn a second language so they can communicate globally. A second language will be a great asset for them in the future. We also must expose them to other cultures and traditions, and teach them to respect and accept differences. Things are not going to slow down, so we are going to have to keep up!!! The answer to this is to continue growing in world knowledge and teach our children to become a good global citizen.

Visit Your Local Public Library

There is a gem right in your mist. It is the public library. Throughout the year, many libraries across this country have special events for families. There will be visiting authors, story tellers, arts and crafts, poets etc., but more importantly there are BOOKS! Your children will be able to find books on whatever interest them. Sign them up for their own library card and get them excited about exploring the world through books. Public libraries are funded through tax payers money and your family should take full advantage of this service. So, get in the car and take your children to the public library and READ, READ, READ!!!

Develop A Sense Of Family History

In order to understand the present and look to the future, we must understand our past. How many of us know much about our family's history? Start out by making a simple family tree. Make sure you include your children in this activity. Go as far as you can on your own. Contact other family members to fill in what they know. Post information on your blog, facebook,or research family on line. It will take on a life of its own and you can find family members you never knew existed. My family recently found family members just this week. It was truly exciting! So, develop a sense of family history and find out some very interesting fact.