Serve up health and happiness

When my daughter was in 5th grade, she loved to memorize facts, especially historical ones. As you might guess, this did not make her very popular. As part of a girl scout project we set up some time for her to volunteer at our town's history museum. She loved it and found another kid just her age who was just as into it as she was. Numerous studies have extolled the benefits of helping others on your physical and mental health. Making new friends is just one of them.

Volunteering is a great way to get your family off the couch and active in your community. Besides releasing those feel good endorphins, it will help you appreciate the good things in your life, like good health, food in the cupboard and a roof over your head. Participating in a volunteer project will help your kids gain confidence, social savvy and valuable job-related skills in a variety of settings.

This time of year is a great time to reflect on the things your family is thankful for and reach out to help those less fortunate.

Here are some great family service ideas.

Locally:
Serve at a soup kitchen
Help collect or stock at a food bank
Read with kids at a school or library
Clean trash from a park or a trail
Help an elderly neighbor or family member with yard work
Take meals to sick friends or serve the homebound with Meals on Wheels
Work in a community garden

Globally:
Donate money to a humanitarian fund
Participate in fundraising events
Collect items for donation
For more ideas on helping around the world, click here.

Let's go ride a bike!

Halloween candy has invaded the stores. It will soon be followed by more holiday treats. Do your kids need some help down from the Halloween sugar high? Get them outside and moving to burn off that extra energy.

This is a great time of year for a bike ride. The temperature is cool, but you’re not as likely to get caught in a rain storm as you are in the spring. On a sunny day you should be able to get away with a light jacket or sweatshirt for your ride. It should be about to tie around your waist in case you too warm. Also bring a pair of knit gloves since your hands can get cold easily holding on to the handlebars.

The warmest part of the day is, of course, late afternoon. It also gets dark early so you’ll want to plan on being done with your ride by around 5:30. Plan to ride for about 30 minutes to an hour. How far you go will depend on how big/small, fast/slow your kids are and how big their bikes are. When just out joy riding, most bikers average 10 to 15 mph.

You can ride just around the neighborhood or check out local bike trails. You can contact your city parks and recreation department, ask around for suggestions from friends, or ask about trails at a local bike shop. Think about how you will transport bikes to the trail if you decide to go on a designated bike path.

You may want to run through the route yourself before hand to scope out any potential problems for your kids (like hills that are too steep or roads that are too busy to cross). Make sure to bring helmets and water for everyone. It’s also a good idea to bring a small pump, bike tool kit, and a cell phone.

Enjoy the ride. Worry less about time and covering a certain distance and more about enjoying the outdoors. Take breaks to look at scenery, collect rocks and leaves, and stay hydrated.

Learning to ride well is a confidence booster for kids and can give them a measure of independence. Consider letting them bike to school, practice, or other activities. It’s better for their bodies and the environment.

Sleep tight!

Bedtime, kids hate it -- parents crave it. One of the easiest ways to improve your children's school performance is to make sure they are getting enough sleep.

An American Academy of Pediatrics study showed that when children ages 7 - 11 added just 27 minutes of sleep to their night they saw a significant improvement in not only absorbing curriculum, but regulating their emotions and controlling their impulses.On the flip side, children whose sleep time was decreased, had decreased function in these same areas.

Emotion and impulse control are areas looked at to diagnose some behavioral issues, like ADHD, so it's important to make sure more sleep isn't a simple solution to behavior problems.

How much sleep does your child need? The National Sleep Foundation says children
1-3 years need 12 - 14 hours
3 -5 years need 11 - 13 hours
5-12 years need 10-11 hours and
12 and up need 8 - 9 hours of sleep each night.

Tips for an easy bedtime:

• Keep a consistent bedtime (it doesn't have to be immovable, just regular).
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine.
• Turn off electronic stimulation an hour before bed and keep TVs and computers out of the bedroom.
• Avoid caffeine.
• Once your children have been put to bed, be firm -- don't let your kids stall or get out of bed.

Leaping into fall

Pile them up … Take a leap … Pile them up … Take a leap … Bury someone … Run from the leaf monster … Pile them up… My kids can play in the leaves for hours. An adult can burn around 250 calories raking leaves. Think of the exercise your kids are getting with all that running and jumping.

Playing in the leaves will become one of your kids’ fondest memories. All ages can enjoy it together and it doesn’t take any special skills to join in.

It’s a good idea to get a few child size rakes so everyone can help out and avoid fighting over the rakes. You can order them on the internet at Amazon.com or Forsmallhands.com. You can also occasionally find them at box stores or toy stores.

If your kids need a little help getting started, play games like raking the leaves into shapes, or making the biggest pile. It won’t take long until you can leave them to themselves and they’ll make up the rules.

Kids won’t only be using their muscles but their imaginations. It also doesn’t hurt to get them to help with the yard work. When they’re all done playing teach them how to bag or compost the leaves.

Fall is a great time of year for outside activity. You can avoid the hot and sweatiness of summer and so kids will play outside longer. Parks are a lot less crowded at this time of year both during and after school hours.

Your kids will be good for hours with a jacket and some light cotton gloves. Be more careful on windy days because the wind can really be biting.

Though there isn’t a big chance for dehydration at this time of the year, you still need to make sure they’re drinking. Finish play time with some spiced cider or hot chocolate for the really chilly days.

Smart TV habits

Does your family have a screen problem? A mom's life is hectic and its easy to turn to TV as a babysitter when you're tired, your kids are fighting and you need to get something done. You can blissfully go about your household duties while your kids sit still and be quiet. Don't fool yourself though, there will be consequences when you try to get your zombified child to turn it off.

Here's some ideas for kicking your family's bad TV habits.

Make a plan. Don't use the TV as a boredom buster. If your children want to watch a favorite show, let them watch that show, then turn off the TV. If your kids are bored, encourage them to do something creative or active. Make a list activities or fill a box with games and supplies your kids can use when they are looking for something to do. Sometimes TV is just the first thing you can think of and so that's what you do.

Here's a list of TV free options:

• Puzzles
• Books
• Card games
• Board games
• Art projects
• Outside games
• Gardening
• Legos, building blocks and erector sets
• Knitting or needlework
• Sewing
• Walking the dog or teaching pets tricks
• Scrapbooking
• Collecting

Set a time limit. Don't let the time creep away. Let your kids know how long they can watch TV and stick to it. If it help you, set a timer.

Make it educational. Whether your kids are just learning basic reading and math, or delving into world history, there are a lot of great shows on TV that can enrich their learning experience. Think of a topic that interests your child, then search the internet for a list of educational shows that will help them learn more.

Here's a list of some of our family's favorite educational shows:

For little kids:

• Word World
• Team Umizoomi
• Octonauts
• Little Einsteins
• The Wild Kratts
• Between the Lions

For big kids:

• Mythbusters
• Pawn Stars
• American Ride
• History Detectives

TV is a perk, not a right. Make sure your kids' other obligations (homework, instrument practice and chores) are done before the TV gets turned on. You can also use additional TV time as a reward for extra work or good behavior.

For more tips on taming your TV time, click here.

Weekend Romps: Backyard games

Backyard Fun and Games

You want to send the kids outside for playtime everyday, but sometimes the imagination is turned off and you hear, "There's nothing to do outside." This is a great time to pull out the backyard games.

Some of our family favorites are croquet and bocce ball. These are easy for the kids to set up and play on their own, and even my youngest plays along with her older siblings (with liberal rule interpretations for her.) My husband and I also enjoy playing with the kids.

You can find sets at most sporting goods stores and at big box stores during the spring. Other backyard games your kids might enjoy are ladder ball, paddle ball, badminton, and horseshoes.  One great thing about these backyard games is that adults and kids can play together without the adults always having the clear advantage. (My 6-year-old plays a mean game of croquet and I think everyone can beat me at badminton.)

To enjoy them, you don't have to be a super athlete or do a lot of running. At extended family parties we hold tournaments and it's a great way to get everyone (of all ages) mingling.

No Drive Zone

Now that the weather is warm, it's a good time to set up a "No-Drive Zone" around your home. This is a distance that you and your kids have decided is close enough to your home that you won't drive your car to places in this area. Instead, walk or bike.

It may take an extra 10 minutes when you go out and require a better shoes or a jacket, but you'll get several benefits from a No-Drive zone. First, you'll be surprised at how much physical activity this will add to your day. Even with a small No-Drive zone you can count on an extra 30 minutes of walking adding up all your trips in the zone.

Second, adding up those small trips saves gas and wear and tear on your car. It also adds up to being easy on the environment, especially since you're more likely to let your car idle on short trips within the no-drive zone.

Third, you'll get more chances to say hello to your neighbors or talk to your kids or spouse as you walk. It's less stressful than driving.

Your kids will also learn to better navigate the neighborhood on foot, bike or scooter than they will riding in the back of the car. This allows them a little more independence. They'll learn how to get to their friend's or to school and back on their own -- which frees up some time for you. 

Lastly, FRESH AIR. I know I'm sick of the stale recycled stuff in my house right now.

Your No-Drive zone could be a few blocks or up to a mile from your front door. Keep in mind natural boundaries like busy roads or frequent destinations. Once you get in the habit of driving less, you'll find you love foot power.