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The benefits of getting involved in team sports
Summer is almost over and it’s already time to start thinking about the new school year! There seems to be many decisions parents are faced with as their child heads back to school- which classroom will he/she be in, what classes will my child be taking, what after-school activities will my child get involved in? While all these questions are important, there is one question that every parent should be asking their kids- “what sport do you want to play this year?”. Team sports can benefit your child in more ways than one: physically, socially, mentally, and behaviorally.
The Physical Benefits
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently released a study highlighting the benefits that team sports have on children’s physical health. The study was used to compare weight status and the different forms of physical activity among teens. Researchers surveyed over 1,700 high school students and their parents, covering many areas associated with physical health including team sport participation, active commuting, physical education, recreational activity, screen time, diet quality, and demographics. What they found was that when compared with active commuting, such as walking or biking to school, participation in team sports had the strongest association to weight status. It was shown that participating in team sports could help decrease a child’s risk of being overweight or obese. As a result of this study, obesity prevention programs are encouraged to incorporate and increase team sport participation among all students. -
Exploring the link between autism and illness in pregnant mothers
Could autism in a child be related to fever or infection in the pregnant mother?
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Calling All Teens: Let's get some pep in your step!
Dear teenager,
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How much of our parenting is influenced by our friends?
I read a study this week that discussed how parents’ social networks (online and in real life) affect their decisions about vaccinating their kids. The paper concluded that a parent’s people connections were the most influential factors affecting their vaccination decisions- above educational level, relationship with their healthcare provider, online and print reading sources and economic status. I found it to be really interesting, but as I thought more about it, I found myself saying this: “Well… duh.”
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Newborn Sleep Safety: Preventing SIDS in Your Home
One of the most frequent concerns of new parents is getting their baby to sleep. And when it comes to this topic, there is no shortage of advice offered by family members, products to buy to make sleep easier, and advertisements to convince you of your need for these things.
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How to build self-esteem in your child
As parents, we want everything for our kids. We want them to be safe, happy and confident. We want them to believe in themselves and never give up. We want them to succeed and feel proud of themselves. We want them to have good self-esteem.
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Preventing Child Abuse in Organizations and Youth Programs
There are some advantages to having an adult child (The primary disadvantage is that I really feel old now that he’s an adult!). One of the advantages is that I no longer have to worry about him suffering child abuse while in the care of others. We were fortunate that the adults in his life at school, after-care, summer camps, art classes, sports and religious school were talented and caring.
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A silent killer in young athletes - sickle cell trait
The stories have become all too familiar to us: local news coverage shows a high school athlete who has collapsed unexpectedly during a game and is being rushed to the hospital. It is every parent’s worst nightmare.
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Keep your (and your child's) head in the game
As parents, we often like to encourage our kids to play sports. There are many valuable skills to be learned through sports: improved hand and eye coordination, teamwork and sportsmanship, just to name a few. And, of course, sports are also fun!
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In parenting, the season of giving lasts all year
Most mornings I drag myself out of bed to the sound of a 2-year-old yelling, “Eat! Eat! Eat, Momma, Eat!” from her crib. So, I get breakfast for her as fast as humanly possible to avoid the emotional breakdown that is sure to follow if food is not immediately available.