Drop 5 Pounds But Watch Your Friends

According to an article in the August 2010 Good Housekeeping issue, when you are trying to lose weight your best friends can be our worst enemies, if you're trying to stick to good-for-you fare. When University of Miami researchers asked 154 students to choose snacks for their buddies, 75% of the "shoppers" picks were unhealthy (chips, cookies, fruit roll-ups, and more). But when the same students selected treats for themselves, only 50% of their choices were junk foods. The chum-yum connection? People tend to think their pals don't watch what they eat as carefully as they themselves do, explain researchers. The bottom line? Wrong, they do.

If your trying to watch your weight, ice pops aren't just for kids. For cold treats with mom-and-pop appeal, try Edy's new Antioxidant Fruit Bars. I personally love these ice pops. The acaiblueberry and pomegranate flavors will satisfy your sophisticated taste buds and, at60 to 70 calories each, these pops still make the low-cal cut. (Sadly, that is not the case for the pomegranate margaritas.) Available nationwide (as Dreyer's Fruit bars in Western states) $4.19 for a six-pack.

Parent-Teacher Relationships: Part I

The relationship between teachers and parents is an extremely powerful component in student success. Yet, so many parents go through the school year without communicating with the teacher or understanding what to do (or avoid) to make the most of the year. So, Lisa Capretto interviewed a third-grade teacher, Stacey Nelson, a devoted and successful educator in Tennessee. Stacey shared several things teachers wish parents knew before sending their children to school.

Today, Ms. Nelson discusses how teachers wish that parents and students

"Respect the Teacher".

1. Most teachers truly care about your children and want them to be successful

2. Trust in the teachers feedback. If a teacher reports a particular behavior that you haven't seen before, don't rush to judgement. Listen to what the teacher has to say and work with him/her to find a solution.

3.Don't show up for a meeting unannounced. Instead, schedule a time to meet. This will show you respect the teacher's time and give him/her time to prepare for the meeting.

4. Don't go over the teacher's head. If you an issue with the teacher, talk to the teacher before going to the principal or other administrators. 95% of problems can be resolved between the teacher and parent without any other interventions.

On Monday, Stacey Nelson gives her thoughts on being involved in your child's education.

PTA Involvement Ideas

The National PTA states that whether you spend three hours or three months volunteering in a way that works for you, remember that you're not just helping your child for the year, but you're setting your child up for success throughout their entire academic career. Below are additional ideas for parental involvement in schools.

1. Participate in PTA's Teacher Appreciation Week by organizing a breakfast or lunch.

2. Get to know your child's teacher by introducing yourself and scheduling a brief meeting.

3. Create a community bulletin board at the school to post information or ideas.

4. Participate in PTA's Take Your Family To School Week, celebrated each February.

5. Participate in American Education Week, sponsored by the National Education Association by visiting the school and classroom.

6. Record yourself reading books onto tapes so children with reading challenges can enjoy them.

7. Host a block meeting at your home with other parents to discuss/share school issues and information.

8. Offer to drive other students/families to school-related events they wouldn't otherwise be able to attend.

9. Invite other parents to join you when you volunteer at school.

10. Join your local PTA.

PTA's National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

The PTA's National Standards for Family-School Partnerships is very simple. There is a six step program that you can follow to stay on track with parent involvement at your school and PTA.

1. Make all families feel welcome. Greet other parents at school activities and events. If needed recruit bilingual parents to greet and interpret for families whose first language isn't English. Offer families activities at low cost or no cost and try holding meetings in various community locations (such as the local library, community center, or churches).

2. Communicate effectively. Design and print "Happy Grams" as an easy way for teachers to regularly report positive behavior and/or achievements to parents. Consider using color-coded lines or footprints on hallway walls or floors, to help direct parents to the office, library, or parent resource center. Include two-way communication mechanism, such as a question-and -answer section or mini survey, in each edition of your newsletter. Distribute calendars so parents can record upcoming events, assignments, and dates to check with teachers on their child's progress.

3. Support student success. Create a checklist and tip sheets for effective parent-teacher conferences. Invite teachers and professionals from the community to speak at meetings. Provide parents involvement tips and suggestions.

4. Speak up for every child. Match new families with a buddy family that knows the ropes. Plan workshops on how to ask the right questions about children's progress and placement. Involve parents in ongoing training on topics such as effective advocates, identifying and supporting learning styles, and fostering student achievement.

5. Share power. Working in partnership with principals and identifying ways the PTA/parent group can support one or more goals of the school improvement plan. Host a forum for candidates running for public office and focus on issues that affect children, families, and education. Get to know elected officials at all levels of government.

6. Collaborate with the community. Reach out to senior/retired citizens and invite them to volunteer at the school. Work with the local newspaper to promote special events that are happening at the school. Invite school alumni to make donations to the school or volunteer time.

Get 10 more additional involvement Ideas from the PTA tomorrow.

Parent Involvement: Part II

Parent involvement in their children's education is extremely important. According to Danielle Wood, editor-in-chief of Education.com, the best opportunities for classroom involvement occur when kids are younger. But younger years should not the end of involvement in the classroom. "Teachers are eager to have extra eyes, ears, and hands in the classroom to keep things running smoothly," Wood says. She shares some simple ideas for how parents can get involved at both early and later stages of their children's academic careers.

Younger

1. Be a class reader. Offer to come in and read to the whole class, small group, or individual children who need support

2. Work as a center/lab helper. Teaching things like science, art, and computer lab to young children requires lots of hands-on help.

3. Offer to tutor. Teachers usually have to teach a wide range of abilities. Having parents to help support students on the high and low ends of the spectrum gives the teacher more time to concentrate on other things.

4. Volunteer as a class parent. If you have more time to give, a class parent usually involves organizing parties and teacher gifts throughout the year.

Older

5. Assist with special interest clubs or drama groups. Sometimes it is up to parents to keep extra curricular activities going. If you have the expertise to do anything for the students in these special areas, it is a great service.

6. Speak to classes about your career or special expertise. One of the most important gifts you can give a child is a gift of inspiration. Go to the classroom and explain what you do and how you accomplished your goals.

7. Work as a library assistant. Helping kids discover books they love and assisting them with research topics they're excited about can be a really rewarding experience for parents.

8. Volunteer to help sports programs. Keeping kids active is critical to their physical and emotional health. Parent involvement can do a lot for increasingly underfunded school sports programs.

Tomorrow check out 6 ideas from the PTA's National Standards for Family-School Partnership!

Parent Involvement: Part I

As a teacher for the last 21 years, I can assure you that positive parent involvement in the classroom is very important to the teacher and the children. According to an article by Lisa Capretto, she states that parent involvement in classroom has had a proven positive effect on children's success. The key is finding the time in an already busy schedule to volunteer. Capretto offers 38 simple ways to make the most of the upcoming school year.

Volunteering in the classroom for just 3 hours over the course of the entire school year is enough to make an impact on your child's education. The National Parent-Teacher Association's, Three for Me program, encourages and guides busy parents through different ways to get involved at their children's schools. With free online, sample forms, promotional fliers, and a forum for idea-sharing, Three for Me does a huge part of time-consuming work for you. So, find 3 hours over the next nine months and volunteer in your child's classroom.

Tomorrow check out my blog and get 8 simple ideas for parent involvement for younger and older children

Adding Walnuts To Men's Diet

A daily handful of tasty, crunchy, walnuts may help fight prostrate cancer, says Paul Davis, Ph.D., a nutrition researcher at the University of California. In his new study, Davis fed walnuts or soybeans oil to mice programmed to develop prostrate cancer. The walnut mice developed cancer tumors that were 50 percent smaller and grew 30 percent slower than the soybean oil mice.

"Walnuts contain a package of compound, including omega-3 fatty acids, that interact to provide health benefits," say Davis. "I expect that the results we observed in our mice will very likely be found in men, too when studied," he adds. In addition to serving walnuts, other ways to help men prevent prostrate cancer includes:

1. cutting down on red meat

2. cutting down on dairy products

3. upping intake of brilliantly colored fruits and vegetables (including tomatoes and pomegranates)

4. lead an active life.