Category Archives: Healthy Parenting

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Family Vacation Steamboat Springs Colorado ~ Ski And Play In Champagne Powder

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Record snowfall in the past few weeks has had people across the country staying home and bundling up. While the rest of the country frets over school cancellations and runs on bread, we Coloradans are saying, “Bring it on!”

One Colorado resort in particular, Steamboat Springs Ski Area, has surpassed the 200-inch mark two months earlier than last year! Spend a weekend in Steamboat Springs and you’ll realize that the easy 3-hour drive from Denver is much closer than we Denver-ites think. The trademarked “champagne snow” and true western heritage have made Steamboat a hot spot for vacationers from all over the world. Coloradans love the dry snow and because Steamboat is less crowded than many other resorts, visitors experience shorter lift lines and more mountain time.

This not-so-sleepy little town is buzzing with plenty to keep a family busy.  The Kids Ski Free program is only one of the many reasons Steamboat has appeared on a number of best family friendly resort lists.

Accomodations:

Whether you choose to stay in a condominium, studio, or traditional hotel room, there are plenty of places to choose from in all price ranges. For the true ski in ski out experience Bear Claw Condominiums do not disappoint. Located slope-side just below Christie Peak Express, we were able to walk right out the door and into our skis. At the end of the day be sure to pop into the Bear Claw Lounge, located on the second floor. Complimentary appetizers are served each day at 4:30 pm and guests are invited to enjoy complimentary cocktails on Mondays from 5:00-6:00 pm.

Each unit, from a one bedroom to a four bedroom loft, is uniquely furnished with a fully equipped kitchen, a gas fireplace and all of the amenities you would expect from a premier condo. Our four bedroom loft was spacious and comfortable. The kids ran through the rooms deciding where everyone would sleep. With a family of five, one of us is usually stuck on a couch, but not this weekend. John and I shared the king-sized bed in the master bedroom and the kids split themselves between the bunk bed in the loft and the other bedroom. We were in heaven with our own little retreat downstairs!

Kids On The Mountain:

Thumbs Up!

We brought Katherine (5) to the newly expanded Kids Vacation Center (KVC), where we were greeted by two smiley young folk who labeled every last thread of clothing on the child with her name. We were pointed towards one of what seemed like a dozen desks where we checked her in for her ski lesson with the Sundance Kids and got a big “thumbs up” from Kat as she bounced towards a room full of kids playing. KVC opens for check-in at 8:00 am with lessons beginning at 9:00 am, depending on the time of year and how busy the center is. You’ll want to be sure to get there in plenty of time (no later than 8:30) to make sure your kidlet is comfortable and ready to roll. Lunch is included in the cost of lessons, and if you reserve more than 7 days in advance you’ll benefit from a $13 savings.

The Rough Riders (1st grade to age 15) meet outside at 9:30 and head straight up the mountain as soon as everyone arrives so don’t be late! Both boys were met by friendly instructors who asked them questions about their skill levels. Each child is given a Flaik GPS tracking device with an individual number on it. The Rough Riders wear the device around the leg right below the knee, Katherine wore hers inside a pocket at the back of her ski school vest. Be sure to take note of your child’s number and you’ll be able to visit Flaik.com at the end of the day to see where your child skied, how fast, and at what elevation. The system (Mountain Watch Technology) actually communicates with the ski school and has different levels of alerts so that if a child takes a different turn, slows down, or somehow gets separated from the group the instructor or ski patrol is notified by radio. I have to say that I was impressed from a geek gadget standpoint but the mom in me breathed a sigh of relieve knowing that my kids were being well taken care of on an unfamiliar mountain.

By all standards the day was a success. Kat was making parallel turns consistently by the end of the day and Will seemed to walk a bit taller as he proudly described his day riding through the terrain parks with the older kids. I was able to download the Flaik GPS and see that Henry’s class had skied more of the mountain than I could possibly hope to do in a full day! The biggest clue to how much fun they’d had? They were all pooped!

Play Time For The Big Kids:

Steamboat is actually a complete mountain range: Mount Werner, Sunshine Peak, Storm Peak, Thunderhead Peak, Pioneer Ridge and Christie Peak. Loryn from Steamboat Springs Ski & Resort was kind enough to be our guide for the morning. With almost 3,000 acres of accessible terrain, I was relieved to hear we’d be starting in a friendly area the locals call “Wally World”. This area encompasses the Sunshine and Sundown Bowls, a nice mix of trail levels with access to a number of different lifts that seem to take you any direction you could possibly want to go. There are actually 5 lifts in this area, 3 in Sundown Bowl and 2 in Sunshine Bowl. My favorite run of the day? Two O’clock! It’s a blue/black trail with a decent pitch and on Saturday it was wide open and pure heavenly fresh powder-a perfect snowboard run!

On Mountain Dining:

If you are skiing “Wally World” you’ll have plenty of dining options at the top of the Gondola in the Thunderhead Peak building. For the best views of Yampa Valley, visit Hazie’s and ask to be seated upstairs. Even on an uncharacteristically gray day the view was fantastic.

The lunch menu at Hazie’s offers a nice selection of entrees, burgers, sandwiches and salads. For a quick bite order the soup and salad bar ($15). The Ahi Shooters are a fun and unique appetizer ($14). Because I love burgers, I could not resist ordering the Grilled Kobe Burger, served with Maytag bleu cheese and buttermilk fried onions on a Ciabatta roll. The burger was perfectly cooked to medium rare and the blend of blue cheese and onion was delicious. The perfect meal to fuel me down the hill in time to pick up the kids!

Hazie’s serves lunch from 11:30 am-2:30 pm and offers a set menu dining experience Fri-Sun and holidays. Call for reservations 970-871-5150.

Family Western BBQ:

Howdy Partner!

The Western BBQ at the top of Thunderhead is one of those “not to be missed” experiences if you are traveling with family. Ride the gondola up and enjoy a buffet of traditional western style foods like slow roasted ribs, chicken, beans, prime rib, and turkey. Local Country-Western band, Sun Dog, plays from 7:00 pm ’til 10:00 pm. Their “schtick” is clearly geared toward making sure the kids have fun and the adults have plenty to laugh about. They’ll teach you the two-step and the Electric Slide and your kids will get a good giggle at Mom and Dad tripping over each other’s feet. I captured plenty of fun video footage of my cowboys and girls dancing the night away. Henry was on fire and didn’t want to leave when it was time to go!

Reservations are required. Call 970-871-5162.

Downtown Steamboat Springs:

Downtown Steamboat Springs is surprisingly lively for a ski town. There’s plenty of history mixed in with the many choices for modern dining and shopping.

Thunder Ridge

Step into the old west with a visit to FM Light & Son’s. You’ll be familiar with the name because you’ll see signs every 500 yards or so for the last 50 miles of the trip into town! They had the biggest selection of cowboy boots and hats I’ve ever seen in my life.

8th Street Steak House – If you like your meat cooked your way, this is the spot. You’ll pick out your own meat and cook it too! They even have little buckaroo saddles for the kids to sit in while they cook their steak.

Hot Springs:

Mineral Hot Springs

Our trip would not have been complete without a visit to the Old Town Hot Springs. I say this because aside from soaking in the heavenly warm pools my son was able to convince me to ride one of the 250-foot slides several times. I provided the evening’s entertainment by screaming my way down every foot of the slide-several times. It was fast. Very fast but definitely fun and gave the family much ammunition with which to tease me for the remainder of the trip! The slide is open from 4:00-8:00 pm in the winter. The pools are beautiful at night and the perfect place to soak your legs after a good day on the hill.

Packages and Specials:

We were so enamored by the snow that we’ve been looking at the possibility of returning before the end of this season. If you’re looking for a real bargain take a look at the late season Ski Free Package, valid 4/1/11 – 4/10/11. We love spring skiing and rates as low as $119 per adult for 3 nights’ lodging and a 2-day lift ticket are looking very attractive right now. Visit Steamboat.com for the most up-to-date deals.

Getting There:

157 miles Northwest of Denver, an easy 3-hour drive. Take I-70 west through the Eisenhower Tunnel to Silverthorne, Exit 205 (67 miles). Take CO 9 North to Kremmling (37 miles), then West on US 40 to Steamboat Springs (53 miles).

*My family was a weekend guest of Steamboat Springs Ski and Resorts; accomodations, ski lessons, lift tickets, etc. were provided to us at no charge for purposes of review. All opinions are my own based on my experience.

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Living A Life Unplugged Featured On Mom It Forward

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Several weeks ago I was contacted by a writer for Mom it Forward and asked if I would be willing to interview for the segment,  Moms Making A Difference.  I wasn’t sure what qualified me to be lumped into the same category as the many admirable women who’d been featured prior to me, but I was flattered and agreed to the interview.

On the day of my interview, I had a huge smile on my face as I realized the direction the interview was going to move in. I didn’t blog very much last summer because I was too busy living unplugged. We had such an amazing summer traveling, hiking, biking, and being outside together. We don’t even have cable television anymore. Thanks to Mom it Forward, I now have pretty darn good documentation of what the best summer of my entire life was like!

Click here to read my story, The Bantering Blonde Unplugs

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Myth or Truth? ~ Dental Health Facts

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By Victoria Clayton for Oral Care And Health Daily

Do you know all there is to know about maintaining a healthy smile? See if you can separate oral health facts and fiction.

Myth or Truth? Fewer sweets means fewer rotten teeth.

Myth. “More important than the actual amount of sugar you consume is the frequency,” says Dr. Rob Berg, chairman of applied dentistry at the University of Colorado, in Denver. Here’s why: Nasty bacteria, called streptococcus mutans, that live in your mouth are primarily responsible for tooth decay. Every time you eat, they feed on the sugar in food and drinks and produce enamel-destroying acid waste. So “if you’re habitually bathing your teeth in sugar throughout the day and night, it’s a never-ending process,” says Berg.

What to do: Limit eating sweets to mealtimes, when your streptococcus mutans is revved up anyhow. If not at mealtime, finish your drink or sweet snack within a half hour, advises Berg.

Myth or Truth? Adults are as susceptible as kids to tooth decay.

Truth. Wouldn’t it be nice if one of the rewards for getting older was that our teeth somehow became impenetrable? Not so, unfortunately. Dry mouth — a common ailment caused by medications, diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis — makes many adults highly susceptible to tooth decay. “We want saliva. It’s wonderful because it buffers harmful acid in the mouth,” says Dr. Boyd Robinson, associate dean for clinical affairs at the University of Florida College of Dentistry in Gainesville.

What to do: Talk to your doctor and dentist about switching medications or using special rinses and pastes formulated to help moisten the mouth. Drinking water throughout the day and chewing sugarless gum are also great mouth moisteners. (For more tips on dry mouth relief, see our recent feature here.)

Myth or Truth? A restored tooth is more likely to have future problems.

Truth. Once a tooth has been damaged, there’s a lot that can be done to fortify it, but the integrity of the tooth will never be the same. A damaged tooth is more susceptible to cracks and chips; plus cavities could still occur, as bacteria like to latch on at the margins where a filling or crown meets the tooth.

What to do: You guessed it: Brushing twice a day and flossing daily is your best defense against future tooth decay anywhere in your mouth.

Myth or Truth? Women with osteoporosis are twice as likely to lose a tooth.

Myth. The number is actually higher: Women with osteoporosis, or low bone density, are three times as likely as their peers to lose a tooth. After all, teeth are anchored into the jaw, which is a bone. Therefore, anything that affects your bones can also affect your teeth.

What to do: Eating plenty of calcium-rich foods such as dairy products and tofu may help keep your jaw and other bones healthy. Engaging in weight-bearing exercise such as walking, dancing and jogging also seems to help. If you’re 50 years or older, or have a family history of osteoporosis, talk to your doctor about getting your bone density tested. Osteoporosis medications may help prevent damage to your bones and teeth.

Myth or Truth? White teeth are healthier than yellow teeth.

Myth. We may be obsessed with gleaming white teeth, but often, color tells you nothing about the true health of your choppers, says Robinson. For example, teeth can be bleached very white, but the bone supporting them could be in dire shape. Also, as you age, your teeth naturally become more yellow because more dentin, which lies beneath enamel, is exposed. “This is a normal process,” says Robinson.

What to do: Pay attention to bleeding gums or pain when you chew — these tell-tale signs could mean that your mouth really is in trouble.

Victoria Clayton is a freelance health writer based in Southern
California. She is the former “Growing Up Healthy” columnist for Msnbc.com and has written
about dental spas and other oral health topics for The Los Angeles Times.

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Giving Your Kids a Creative Edge

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Ideas That Spark: Home Style

By Aviva Patz

Children are naturally creative: Their napkins become hats, their drinks are magic potions, and ketchup turns into paint. But aside from being endlessly entertaining, creativity is also critical to their developing brains. Creative and artistic experiences help kids express their feelings and come up with new ideas and ways to solve problems. Studies show that involvement in the arts boosts test scores and promotes academic achievement across the board.

These discoveries may explain why children’s art studios are popping up across the country, giving kids a chance to let their imaginations run wild with paint, clay,  and in the case of Make-a-Messterpiece in Glenview, Ill., even bubbles. In addition to private studios (such as KidsArt in California and Washington) and foundations (such as Creative Art Space for Kids in New York), many YMCA branches and local art museums offer art programs.

You can also get your child’s creative juices flowing at home with some very basic art supplies and the right attitude. Bring out the creative genius in your children with these simple tips.

Start With a Blank Slate
Leave projects open-ended so kids are free to imagine the endless possibilities. For example, if you’re painting pumpkins, don’t paint one first as an example, because your kids are likely to try to copy it, quashing their creativity. Instead, simply give children paint and paintbrushes and let them begin. Keep in mind that there are no wrong ways to paint a pumpkin.

Forget Perfection
Focus on the creative process rather than the finished product. For example, your child may find tremendous fun and fulfillment in shaping, squishing, pounding and poking at clay for an hour — even if the end result is a shapeless lump.

Don’t Mind the Mess
Art is not a neat business, and nothing stifles creativity faster than a wet mop or a dustpan underfoot. Let your child get dirty — that’s how she’ll learn to take risks. (Plus, it’s fun!) You can wipe up the glitter later.

Mix It up
Spice up your at-home art projects by using different materials instead of the usual paint, felt, pipe cleaners and beads. Challenge your children to find art supplies in their environment: a sponge, chopsticks, gum wrappers, bottle caps and egg cartons, for example. Head outside and collect leaves, sticks, acorns and small pebbles. Supply children with glue and paper and give no other direction. Be ready for anything.

Expose Them to Diversity
Take trips to museums and zoos; see plays and concerts; attend an African drumming circle, a Mexican fiesta, a Chinese New Year celebration. Every experience your children have with people or situations outside their normal routine widens their range of creative expression.

Make Music
Encourage experimentation with musical instruments without showing how it’s done. Let her play piano with her toes or beat the drum with maracas if she wants. You can make your own instruments too. Dried beans in a toilet paper tube make a great shaker; waxed paper secured over a coffee can is a drum; rubber bands stretched over a shoebox make a guitar. Grab an instrument and play along for a fun family hootenanny.

Allow for Unconventional Ideas
Thinking outside the box is what creativity is all about. When kids come up with a new way of doing things — making a sculpture out of plastic hangers, for instance — go with it (as long as it’s safe, of course). Your support will encourage more creative thinking and problem solving down the road.

Copyright © 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.

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Get Outside! Quick and Crafty Fall Activities

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By Heather Mann for Ideas That Spark

Fall is such a great time to get outside and enjoy nature with your kids — and you don’t have to spend one penny or devote an entire day to do it. Just power down, leave your phone at home and enjoy an hour of crafty fall outdoor activities together.

1. Outdoor Treasure Hunt
Go on a nature walk and collect materials for various projects. Give each person a paper bag and have them pick up any treasures they find: rocks, leaves, acorns, pinecones and so on. When you get home, spread out your treasures on a square of sidewalk to share with each other. Keep them in a special “treasure” box and use them for the following outdoor activities:

2. Back to Nature Tic-tac-toe
Collect two sets of like items, such as acorns, pine cones, rocks (at least five of each per set) to use as game pieces for an outdoor version of tic-tac-toe. Play by drawing a game board on the ground with sidewalk chalk.

3. Funny Fall Faces
Draw a circle on the ground with chalk and create a funny face using your natural treasures. Rocks become eyes, leaves become hair, etc. You can vote on the best one or take photos to hang on the fridge.

4. DIY Fall Decorations
Create wreaths, garlands and swags with objects you find in nature. Tie branch clippings together into a round or square wreath formation with extra twine or yarn from your junk drawer. Embellish with brightly colored leaves or fall flowers secured with twist ties or floral wire. Hang your fall family craft projects outside on your fence or front door.  Compost them later in the year, when they start looking shabby.

You don’t need much to have a great time together outside this fall. Just grab a sweater and go!

Heather Mann is the mother of three little
boys and a daily blogger at DollarStoreCrafts.com, where she shares hip craft
ideas using frugal materials.

Copyright © 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.

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First Aid for Summer

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By Stacey Colino for Live Right Live Well

When it comes to summer bummers like splinters, scrapes and burns, the tricks your mother used may not be best. In some cases, old wives’ tales have been deemed ineffective; in others, doctors have simply found better, science-based ways to treat these injuries. Whatever the case, if your first-aid techniques aren’t on target, you could end up adding insult to your injury. Here’s the latest:

You’re walking barefoot and get a splinter in your foot
Old thinking: Leave it alone if it’s not bothering you.
New thinking: Pull the splinter out with tweezers, then wash your foot thoroughly.

Why the switch: “Wood is an organic substance, and your body’s attack on [the splinter] creates a lot of problems with inflammation,” explains Robert Shesser, M.D., chair of the department of emergency medicine at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. This can set the stage for an infection. Your best bet is to use a sterilized needle to open a little tract around the splinter, then pull it out with tweezers, Dr. Shesser says. Once it’s out, clean the area with soap and water and watch for such signs of infection as redness, swelling, increased pain or pus. If any of these develop or if you can’t remove the splinter on your own, see a doctor.

You fall off your bike and scrape your knee
Old thinking: Clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or an iodine solution.
New thinking: Wash the cut with plain ol’ water and a mild soap.

Why the switch: While strong solutions such as hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or an iodine preparation can kill bacteria in the wound, they can also “hurt normal tissue in the body, which slows the healing process and makes the damaged skin more vulnerable to infection,” Dr. Shesser explains. Instead, thoroughly clean the abrasion with water and soap, making sure you get all the dirt out. Since this can hurt, you may want to take an over-the-counter pain reliever (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen) first. Once the wound is clean, apply an antibiotic ointment (such as bacitracin) and a no-stick bandage to keep it clean and dry.

You’re grilling burgers and burn your finger
Old thinking: Put vitamin E on it.
New thinking: Run cold water over it.

Why the switch: “The first thing you need to do is cool it to stop the burning process and relieve the pain,” says Richard O’Brien, M.D., a spokesman for the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and an emergency physician at Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton, Pa. To do this, put the area under cold, running water or apply cold compresses or a bag of frozen peas for five minutes at a time until the burn begins to feel better. Then clean the area with soap and water and apply an antibiotic ointment (vitamin E won’t kill bacteria). To help with the pain, you can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen. “If you haven’t had a tetanus shot in the last ten years, get one within a day or two,” adds Dr. Shesser. And if the burn blisters, wait for it to pop naturally, then continue to keep the area clean and reapply an antibiotic ointment until it has healed.

While tossing a flying disc, you twist your ankle
Old thinking: Walk it off.
New thinking: Follow the RICE advice.

Why the switch: Sure, it’s a good sign if you can walk, because if you can’t or if your ankle looks deformed, you should have it X-rayed to make sure it’s not broken. But to avoid aggravating the injury, it’s best to keep your weight off it. What else? “If it’s just pain and swelling, the RICE acronym [Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation] works beautifully,” says Michael Carius, M.D., chairman of the emergency department at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut and a past president of the ACEP. Rest your ankle (by staying off it), apply ice (for 20 minutes at a time for the next 24 hours), use a compression bandage (but not too tightly) and elevate the ankle (above your heart) to decrease swelling and pain. Ibuprofen can also help reduce pain and swelling, but if the pain gets worse or you have trouble moving your ankle after 24 hours, see a doctor.

You got whacked in the nose while playing soccer, and now your nose is bleeding
Old thinking: Tilt your head back and pinch your nostrils until the bleeding stops.
New thinking: Lean your head slightly forward and pinch the bridge of your nose.

Why the switch: If you hold your head back, the blood will go down your throat. This could cause you to gag, or it could irritate your stomach and make you vomit. Instead, lean forward and apply pressure to the bridge of your nose for 15 minutes without stopping, Dr. Carius advises. “You can also apply an ice pack, which will constrict the blood vessels and decrease blood flow around the nose.” Most nosebleeds can be stopped without medical attention, but if it’s still bleeding after 20 minutes, head to the ER.

So there you have it — the latest thinking in first-aid treatment. Now that you know how to keep summer bummers from turning into summer spoilers, go out and enjoy the warm weather while it lasts!

Stacey Colino

Stacey Colino has written for The Washington Post health section and many national magazines, including Newsweek, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Self, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Parenting, Sports Illustrated and Ladies’ Home Journal.

Copyright © 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.

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How Do You Choose a Preschool or Kindergarten? ~ Mommy & Me Mixer at Primrose School Littleton, CO

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We will livestream our MomTV special Primrose Schools, Mommy & Me on Sunday June 27th from 2-4pm Mountain Time (4-6pm EST).

MomSelect and Primrose Schools will host a special Mommy & Me Mixer at Primrose School of Littleton 7991 SouthPark Way Littleton, CO 80120 and YOU will have the opportunity to learn more about “the Primrose Difference”.  I’ll be interviewing the director, teachers, and parents.  The MomActive show format is interactive and you will have the opportunity to ask questions at any time during the program!
We’ll learn about the core of The Primrose Schools philosophy, the Balanced Learning curriculum, that places special emphasis on literacy instruction, hands-on learning activities, building a foundation for understanding mathematics, the integration of technology to support learning, and on, what we all desire for our children, the development of confident, happy children.  I’ll be bringing my 4 year old daughter along and am very interested in finding out more about this program!
For those that attend in person, this will be a fun and interactive event, complete with refreshments, and activities for all of the children. Because Primrose is known for being a leader in early childhood education, the activities will be geared towards children ages two to six years old.  Moms will have the opportunity to explore and engage with other Moms in the  area, and casually learn a little bit about Primrose while the children enjoy fun activities.
I hope you’ll tune in to MomTV on Sunday from 2-4pm Mountain Time (4-6pm EST) – as always MomActive is an interactive program and we’ll be fielding questions from YOU, our audience, so come and have all of your questions answered on Sunday!  (Can’t make it on Sunday? Access the recorded program here)
See you there!
If you are interested in receiving an invite to this or similar events, email amy@bsmmedia.com

*I was not compensated for this post, however I will be compensated for my time broadcasting this live event.

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Get Your Kids to Eat Healthy

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By Jessica Goldbogen Harlan for Live Right Live Well

The next time you’re tempted by a bag of potato chips, check to see if your kids are around — because the old adage “do as I say, not as I do” doesn’t work when it comes to teaching children healthy eating habits.

In a recent study, 120 children, age 2 to 6 years, were invited to shop for play food in a play grocery store stocked with everything from fruits and vegetables to sodas and junk food. What did the kids purchase? The same stuff they see their parents buying and eating. “Parents need to be aware that the choices they make do have an impact on their kids, and kids start to learn food behaviors and patterns at a very early age,” says study leader Lisa Sutherland, Ph.D., of the Hood Center for Children and Families at Dartmouth College, in N.H. To raise a kid who grows up loving broccoli and whole grains, consider the following:

Be a good role model As the study shows, kids will mirror your own eating habits. So let them see you eating whole-grain toast at breakfast, enjoying a piece of fruit for a snack and filling up on veggies at dinner. If you can’t give up your cookies and soda, try to eat them when the kids are in bed and keep them out of sight in your cupboard.

Combine favorites with the unfamiliar “Don’t just always serve their favorite food,” advises Melinda Johnson, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “At a meal, mix their favorites with what you’re trying to challenge them with.” And don’t give up after the first time your child rejects a food. “Don’t force them [to eat it], but keep offering it to them,” says Sutherland. “You might have to [offer] new things eight times before a kid will eat it.”

Follow the “Rule of Three” At each meal, try to include at least three of the following food groups from the USDA food pyramid: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat/beans. A snack can consist of two food groups.

Make grocery shopping a fun learning experience Let young children pick out their favorite fruits; older kids can learn math concepts, like finding the best value or comparing nutrition labels.

Involve kids in the kitchen Letting your children help with the cooking can give them a better understanding of food, notes Sutherland. Johnson agrees: “The more kids get involved, the more likely they’ll eat and appreciate the food once it shows up on their plate. Plus, you’re teaching them cooking skills.”

Allow for occasional junk Insisting that your children eat only healthy foods can backfire, leading to lunch-swapping and overindulging when you’re out of sight. Instead, teach them a healthy balance by allowing them to have the occasional treat, even if it’s something that’s not good for them. Johnson recommends a blend of 90 percent relatively healthy food and 10 percent junk food and other treats.

So put away the potato chips and instead invite your child to the kitchen to help you prepare a healthy snack, such as whole-wheat pita with hummus and carrot sticks.“Your child isn’t going to end up eating better than you do,” says Johnson. So if you want him to eat well, “you have to eat the way you want your child to eat.” Not only will you both benefit today, but it will lay the groundwork for a lifetime of healthy eating for your child.

Jessica Goldbogen Harlan Jessica Goldbogen Harlan is an Atlanta-based writer and recipe developer specializing in nutrition and healthy eating. Jessica is the cooking equipment guide for About.com (online) and has written for numerous publications and Web sites, including Pilates Style, Arthritis Today, Clean Eating, Lime and iVillage.

Copyright © 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.

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Can Video Games Count as Exercise?

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By Stacey Colino for Live Right Live Well

Not long ago, playing video games provided good exercise for kids’ thumbs — and not much else. Now, a new generation of more active video games, like Wii Sports, is changing all that.

The answer is maybe. A study at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., found that kids burn more than twice as many calories playing activity-promoting video games — such as Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) and EyeToy — than just sitting and watching TV. With DDR, you control the game by stepping on an electronic dance pad, while EyeToy uses a special camera to capture an image of the player in motion and literally inserts her into the onscreen Playstation action.

In a recent study at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 24 volunteers (ages 12 to 25) played DDR at various intensities, then researchers examined their heart rate, VO2 max (a measure of maximum aerobic capacity) and caloric expenditure. It turns out that playing DDR in “difficult mode” produced results comparable to taking a high-impact aerobics class: Heart rates jumped to 76 percent of maximum and participants burned calories at a rate of 480 per hour, reports study leader John Porcari, Ph.D., professor of exercise and sport science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Playing DDR in “standard mode” was the calorie-burning equivalent of riding a bike 12 miles per hour.

Does this mean active video games are as good as regular exercise? “I see it as a supplement, not a substitute,” says Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise. “These more active video games don’t get you moving to a degree that can serve as a substitute for the real thing.” However, others see it differently: “It isn’t a replacement for exercise — it is exercise,” Porcari says. “When you’re working that hard [as hard as people did playing DDR in difficult mode], your heart and lungs don’t know what you’re doing. They just know they’re working harder.”

Ultimately, experts agree that the best approach may be to aim for a combination of regular exercise and video exercise. To that end, your family could jog, bike, swim or play (real) tennis four days a week and play active video games twice a week. Or “you could do 30 minutes of formal exercise and 15 minutes of these [video games] most days of the week,” Bryant suggests. However you divvy it up, the key to getting the most from these active video games, says Bryant, is “to move as much as possible and move as much of your body as possible.”

Stacey Colino

Stacey Colino has written for The Washington Post Health section and many national magazines including Newsweek, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Self, Marie Claire, Parenting, Sports Illustrated and Ladies’ Home Journal.

Copyright © 2010 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.

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The Value of an Overnight Summer Camp Experience

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camplakeI can look back at my overnight summer camp experiences as some of the most memorable and enriching times in my life.  I have kept in touch with many camp friends over the years and even communicate with a number of them on Facebook.  I even roomed with one of my best camp friends, Julia, at boarding school when we were juniors in high school.  We met up last winter and even although it had been 20 years since we’d graduated, it was as if no time had passed. It was with Julia that I learned that a sailboat really could tip right over if you turned too sharp… and that rope burn really hurts.  I learned about making my bed with hospital corners, and that you could actually get dressed while still in bed on cold Maine mornings.

My children are 10,7 and 5 years old and I’ve started to explore the possibility of sending them to an overnight camp.  I get a bit nervous as I’m sure most parents do, but I also know that camps provide structured and supervised opportunities for independence and discovery, things that children need in order grow into the responsible teens and adults that we all hope they will become.  My kids have much less freedom to explore, here in the city, than I ever did growing up on 11 acres in New Hampshire. We spend most every weekend in the mountains but I know that a camp experience will be an important part of their education and development.

MomActive Live program on MomTV.com Wednesday at 10pm ET will be dedicated to highlighting the value of an overnight camp experience.  We’ll discuss the different concerns parents have and address such things as cost, types of camp, and size, among other things.  I’ve been corresponding with Ariella Randle Rogge Assistant Director/Program Director Sanborn Western Camps at High Trails Ranch and she has been gracious enough arrange for Mike MacDonald, director of Big Spring Ranch for Boys, and Julie Richardson, director of High Trails Ranch for Girls, to be guests on Wednesday nights program.  This will be an amazing opportunity to ask your questions and to learn about the planning and consideration that goes into your child’s summer camp experience at an American Camp Association accredited camp.  The chat room will be open and we’ll be monitoring it in order to address all of your questions.

Come Join the conversation with @banteringblonde on TheBlogFrog community.

or Leave a comment here and tell us a little bit about your favorite camp memories.  Will you, or do you, send your kids to an overnight camp?  Why or why not?

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