Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Sharing Courage: I've Gone Pink!

I’VE GONE PINK!

TO SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER!

When we reach 1 million downloads, Ralphs communications, including our emails, websites, Facebook and Twitter, will go pink! Plus, Yoplait will donate an additional $50,000 to Susan G. Komen.

HOW IT WORKS:

1. Load the digital ribbon to your Ralphs shopper card.
2. Share with friends and family to help us reach our goal of
    1 million ribbon downloads.
3. Watch us go pink!

You can also help the Kroger Co. Family of Stores and participating partners in the fight against breast cancer! Look for specially marked tags and special packaging in store on participating brands.
In total, we’re donating $3 million to breast cancer research, detection, treatment and prevention programs in your community. All of these funds stay in the cities and towns where our Customers and Associates live and work. Learn more at SharingCourage.com.

Follow the conversation on Twitter: #sharingcourage

The Greeks are alive with the Mediterranean Diet!

Photo Credit mediterranean snack image by permission from Fotolia.com   

The Greek diet, also known as the Mediterranean Diet, is an alternative way of eating that has been adopted in the United States. Food sources include fresh fruits and vegetables as well as lean meats.

Photo Credit:  http://oldwayspt.org/resources/heritage-pyramids/mediterranean-pyramid/overview

Mediterranean Diet Pyramid

The Mediterranean Diet pyramid begins with a base of daily physical activity. The bottom layer includes bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, couscous, polenta and other whole grains. These foods should be eaten most often throughout the day. Above this group are fruits, vegetables and beans, legumes and nuts. Each of these foods should also be eaten daily. Fats, including olive oil, and dairy, including cheese and yogurt, are other foods that should be consumed daily. The top portion of the pyramid includes foods that should only be enjoyed weekly or monthly. Fish, poultry, eggs and sweets should be consumed on a weekly basis. Red meats are at the top of the pyramid and should make up the smallest portion of your diet by consuming only a couple times per month. The Mediterranean Diet pyramid also includes water and wine in moderation as beverages.

Fats

The Greek diet is high in fats from olive oil and nuts, but the fat in these items is monounsaturated. The American Heart Association recommends consuming monounsaturated fat as a way to reduce LDL, or bad, cholesterol levels. This type of fat also raises HDL, or good, cholesterol levels. Americans usually consume more saturated fats than monounsaturated fats in their diets.

Grains

The Greek diet is based on various types of grains. Baking bread and having various fresh types of bread available to consume throughout the day are quite common. In addition to breads, side dishes include polenta, potatoes, brown rice, and couscous. Pasta and whole-grain pasta may also be used in an entree dish.

Meals

In Greece, friends and families eat meals together in a social setting. They prepare fresh produce that they grow on their own land, collect milk and eggs from their own animals and may even have their own animals for slaughter. Food quality is fresh, and meals are prepared as a family. In the United States, meals are often consumed on the road or in front of the television. Having one meal per day as a family at the table is a bonding experience. It also allows you to eat slowly and enjoy your food.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a staple of the Greek diet. Locals in the Mediterranean consume produce several times throughout the day. Produce is seasonal, but tomatoes and cucumbers are usually available year-round. In the United States, you have access to all types of produce any time of year. To select the freshest produce possible, choose items that are grown locally and are seasonal. For example, butternut squash is readily available in the fall, while berries are plentiful in the summer.

References

Parents defending their children's poor behavior is on the rise

Brian Holloway says he's been threatened for going public with the names of teens he believes trashed his upstate N.Y. home. Image Credit:  ABC NEWS 10





Whether or not you are a NFL fan, you must have seen this story splashed all over TV, Social Media and the radio!


If Brian Holloway thought the hundreds of teenagers who destroyed his home were ruthless, wait until their families are through with him.

Several parents are reportedly considering lawsuits against the former NFL star after he posted their children's names on a website created in the wake of the Labor Day weekend house party.

The website, www.helpmesave300.com, identifies over 100 of the estimated 300 house-crashers who trashed his upstate New York residence, and includes photos and tweets that documented the reckless destruction.

But rather than apologize to Holloway for their children's behavior, some parents have contacted their lawyers to see what legal action they can take against the former Patriots and Raiders offensive lineman, local affiliate ABC News 10 reported.

We've got irresponsible parents protecting their irresponsible kids and now we get to the nitty gritty of this.

image credit:  Gary Knox
Gary Knox explains how NAGGING and YELLING at your child doesn't work!    My mom and dad used nagging and yelling and I purposed in my teens that I would never be the same kind of parent as mine.  I purposed first in teaching to BE POSITIVE and that continued on in life.  I try to remain positive to my adult sons who are experiencing some rough times right now.  There's a hard time in being "present" and listening but not "over powering" with advice.  Communication is such a big factor in parenting.


This should help everyone (responsible parents and irresponsible parents):

An OP ED that everyone should read about Parents Defending Irresponsible Kids.

This information may be invaluable to you, The Calm Parent AM and PM.

I think this article is a great way to empower ALL parents.

Parenting Young Children with Behavior Problems

"Some children present special parenting challenges. We often label them "difficult" or "disobedient" or even "bad." These children don't intend to try their parents but rather are born with a challenging temperament.

Unfortunately, most young children with behavior problems provoke negative reactions from adults. These reactions tend to make the child's behavior worse, starting a harmful pattern that can continue throughout a child's life (Mandal, Olmi, Edwards, Tingstrom,& Benoit, 2000).

Constructive reactions, on the other hand, can help children improve difficult behavior. With the help of researchers who have studied children with difficult behavior, parents of difficult children can learn how to interact constructively with their child (Forehand and Long 2002).

Temperament, Parenting, and Behavior: A Continuing Cycle

A child's temperament, or behavior tendencies, is an inborn trait. Researchers Forehand and Long (2002) believe that temperament problems can create a negative cycle between parent and child. A child with a difficult temperament behaves badly, and in turn his parents react with ineffective or inconsistent discipline. This cycle has to be broken (Forehand & Long, 2002). Below are parenting habits that can contribute either positively or negatively to this cycle.
  • Modeling. "Modeling" is learning by watching others. Children tend to do what they see others do. If parents or siblings model bad behavior, a child is likely to behave badly in the same ways.
  • Reinforcement. "Reinforcement" is rewarding a child for his behavior. Sometimes unacceptable behavior is unintentionally reinforced. For example, parents sometimes laugh at a bad word their child said because it seemed cute or funny. But laughter tends to reinforce a behavior.
  • Punishment. It's easy to punish a child out of anger, but this reaction does more harm than good. Harsh punishment or using punishment too often can create feelings of resentment in a child. It also teaches him to obey just to avoid punishment rather than to obey because he understands right from wrong (Forehand & Long, 2002).
  • Reciprocal escalation. This occurs when parents become aggressive toward their child because the child behaved aggressively. Reciprocal escalation tends to make a bad situation worse (Omer, 2001).
  • Complementary escalation. This occurs when parents give in to the demands of a child (Omer, 2001). Rather than respond appropriately to aggressive behavior, parents ignore it so they can avoid conflict. Usually the more parents cave in to a child's demands, the more demands the child will come up with (Omer, 2001).

Strategies for Overcoming Difficult Behavior

Child development experts suggest a five-step method parents can use to help a child improve difficult behavior. The steps build on one another, so each one is important.

1. Attending

Attending is simply reinforcing desired behavior by describing it aloud with enthusiasm (McMahon & Forehand, 2003), such as "Look how high you're stacking your blocks!" or "You're talking with your inside voice." Attending can be a powerful foundation for changing behavior because it helps parents relate to their child through constant, positive attention. It also improves the parent-child relationship. (McMahon & Forehand, 2003).

2. Rewarding

Rewarding is showing a child approval for her good behavior. Rewarding doesn't take the place of attending but rather adds to it. As parents describe their child's appropriate behavior, at times they should add rewards and praise (Forehand & Long, 2002).

3. Ignoring

Ignoring is a very effective way to reduce a child's unacceptable behavior, and it is much easier to use than punishment (McMahan & Forehand, 2003). But ignoring should never be used alone. Instead, once your child stops the unacceptable behavior, immediately reward him for his now-acceptable behavior (McMahan & Forehand, 2003). Ignoring also should not be used when a child's behavior is potentially dangerous to himself, others, or property. Instead, use more active measures, such as a time-out (McMahon & Forehand, 2003). Examples of behaviors that can be ignored include whining, nagging, temper tantrums, and interrupting (McMahon & Forehand, 2003, p. 117).

4. Giving Directions

Parents sometimes give directions that are hard for a young child to follow. "Chain direction," for example, is when a parent gives several directions at once (Forehand & Long, 2002). Instead, parents should give one direction at a time. "Vague directions" aren't specific enough, such as "Behave yourself" or "Be nice." Instead, parents should say exactly what they want their child to do.
"Question directions" ask a child to do something rather than tell him (Forehand & Long, 2002). For example, "Will you please stop jumping on the couch?" Instead, parents should deliver their request in the form of a statement: "Please stop jumping on the couch."
Finally, directions are ineffective when followed by a reason. For example, "Pick up your toys because Grandma is coming over, and it would be nice if the house was clean when she got here." Instead, parents should make sure the direction is the last thing a child hears. For example, "Aunt Laura is coming and it would sure be nice if the house was clean. So please pick up your toys." (Forehand & Long, 2002).

5. Using Time-outs

It takes time to help a child change difficult behavior. Even if you're using all the right techniques in all the right ways, your child might continue to behave badly, especially at the beginning stages of using a new approach. Time-outs are a helpful consequence for non-compliance, especially when they're used consistently (Forehand & Long, 2002).

Promoting Changes in a Positive Environment

While helping a child change is not easy, it can become easier and more effective when he or she has a positive environment. Parents can do many things to make the environment of their home more positive. Forehand and Long (2002) suggest the following:
  • Have fun with your child.
  • Communicate "I love you" often.
  • Have structure and routines.
  • Participate in family traditions and rituals.
  • Be a good listener.
  • Request feedback from your child and take turns talking.
  • Work on developing patience.
  • Build your child's self-esteem.
  • Help your child solve problems with peers.

Conclusion

While helping your strong-willed child change his behavior is not easy, it is very important. The progress may come slowly. It will require much time and patience, and at times you might feel like his behavior is not improving. When you feel discouraged, it might be easy to slip back into old discipline habits, but it's important to stay constant in your efforts. If you do, you will eventually help your child improve his behavior and you will strengthen your relationship with him (McMahan & Forehand, 2003).

Written By McKenzie Young, Research Assistant and edited by Stephen F. Duncan, Professor, School of Family Life, Brigham Young University"


References Forehand, R. & Long, N. (2002). Parenting the strong-willed child. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Magg, J. W. (2000). Managing resistance. Intervention in School and Crime, 35(3), 131-140.

Mandal, R. L., Olmi, D. J., Edwards, R. P., Tingstrom, D. H., & Benoit, D. A. (2000). Effective instruction delivery and time-in: Positive procedures for achieving child compliance. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 22(4), 1-12.

McMahon, R. R., & Forehand, R. L. (2003). Helping the noncompliant child. New York: The Guilford Press.

Omer, H. (2001). Helping parents deal with children's acute disciplinary problems without escalation: The principle of nonviolent resistance. Family Processes, 40(1), 53-66.

Whaler, R. G., Vigilante, V. A., & Strand, P. S. (2004). Generalization in a child's oppositional behavior across home and school setting. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37, 43-51.


I hope that any parent, young or older and responsible and irresponsible has picked up some gem of information here today. 

Do you have some nuggets of advice to give?

Monday, September 16, 2013

Vtech Giveaway!

Vtech Logo
Thank you vTech for sponsoring this
Here is a little about vtech from the company website
VTech, the creator of the Electronic Learning Products (ELP) category and the award-winning InnoTab, MobiGo, and V.Reader handheld toys, is a world leader of age-appropriate learning products. Since 1980, VTech has been developing high-quality, innovative educational products that enrich children's development through fun and smart play.
Cora Photo 1.fw 

Here is a little about Cora the Smart Cub™ from the company website
Cuddle, learn and play with Cora The Smart Cub™ by VTech®! Playtime becomes interactive as this cuddly learning companion responds to touches and hugs. Touch her hand and she'll ask you for a high-five or tickle her toes to make her giggle. Listen to Cora's heart beat by touching the light-up heart button and squeeze her tummy to hear special daily messages. As they play and learn, Cora familiarizes herself with your child’s daily routine and knows when its dinnertime, when to say good morning and more, greeting them with cheerful messages throughout their day. When it's time to turn out the lights, Cora says goodnight and lulls your child to sleep with soothing bed time music.
This is an amazing toy that I was so excited to try out. Cora the Smart Cub™ is intended for children 6-36 months, she has so colorful, has a super cute face and many different ways to learn. This also comes in Cody The Smart Cub™ for the little man in your life.

Cora Photo 2.fw

CONNECT NOW
WIN ONE
One Lucky Winner will receive Cora The Smart Cub™ by Vtech - $19.99 Value
This giveaway is open to US residents 18 and over.
Enter in the rafflecopter below
GOOD LUCK

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

 

Disclosure: Conversations with Carolyn is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Event hosted by So Cal Coupon Mommy Please contact info@socalcouponmommy.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

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