Kids Need to Play!
October 13, 2006
The latest news from the Academy of Pediatrics: children need more good, old-fashioned playtime.
Are they going to tell this to the children’s teachers? Already in only the first grade, my daughter has 30 minutes a night of homework. She’s required to complete 15 minutes of reading each night and then there are spelling words, a sheet of homework here and there and the occasional project. Enough to keep us busy when you add in after-school activities, dinnertime, bathtime, etc. Right now, it’s all very manageable, but will it be by the 5th grade?
According to the article “Doctors Urge More Playtime for Children,” spontaneous, free play is what kids really need for healthy development. “It can help children become creative, discover their own passions, develop problem-solving skills, relate to others and adjust to school settings.” Sounds like what we all want for our children.
Take a look at your schedule and see where you can find some time for your kids to just be kids! Childhood goes by fast. Make sure you are all taking time to enjoy it!
Flu Season is Just Around the Corner
October 11, 2006
I called my pediatrician’s office today to make appointments for flu shots for the kids. For my 6-year-old, my option was to come tomorrow for the flu mist. For my 3-year-old, I was told to call in early November to schedule a flu shot. Since I can’t go tomorrow and I can’t schedule the November appointment yet, I basically made no progress on the flu shots today.
But, after doing some research on KidsHealth.org, I’m wondering if my 6-year-old even needs a flu shot. The site says that little kids between the ages of 6 months and 5 years need a flu shot. Older kids need a flu shot if they have any of the following:
- heart or lung disorders, including asthma
- chronic diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, certain kinds of anemia, or immune system problems, including HIV/AIDS
The article does go on to say that even if you don’t fall into any of those categories, you could still get the flu shot to avoid possibly getting the flu and missing several days of school–which I really why I wanted my kids to get the flu shot in the first place!
So, next step for me, my doctor’s office told me to call back next week (cross your fingers for me). Use this post as a reminder for you to check with your doctor for flu shots for your family. Good luck! I hope you don’t get the run-around like I did!
How Many Calories Did I Just Burn?
September 22, 2006
Check out this tool on Yahoo! Health that calculates the number of calories you burn for a specific activity based on your weight, the activity and the duration of activity. It’s super easy to use, and according to the calculator, I just burned 16 calories writing this post!
As we all know, if you want to loose weight you have to cut calories. You can do that by eating less or burning more. I like burning more better than eating less, but that’s just me.
As I was looking around on the Yahoo! Health site, I found some other health tips that you might want to check out like 5 Reasons to Walk and Supermarket Sweep.
I’m off to grab a gummie bear (technically, I already burned it off writing this post!).
About SharpMom
Hi, I'm Katie. I’ve been successfully working at home and homeschooling my kids for the past 14 years, so I figured it’s time to get out there and start sharing what I’ve learned along the way. I'm glad you're here to join in the fun!
