School’s In Session: Three Things That Just Might Make Your Life Easier

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School’s In Session: Three Things That Just Might Make Your Life Easier

The pitter patter of little and…well…not so little feet, the rush, rush of appointments, sports events, private lessons, and the maddening results of disorganization  – “Mom! Have you seen my socks? Uniforms? Skinny jeans?” School is in session, family holidays are right around the corner, and speaking of disorganization, let’s talk about three things you can do right now that just might make everybody’s life a little easier (especially yours).

• Specifically related to school, attend Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) meetings and conferences. Take an active role in your child’s education.

Everyone is extremely busy these days. In fact, seems as if we’re busier now than we’ve ever been (could it have something to do with cell phones? Technology in general?), but despite our “busy-ness,” studies show that the number one difference between high-achieving and low-achieving students in grades K-12 is the level of parent involvement.

This doesn’t mean you have to quit your job and hang around the school, but it does mean it’s important to take an active role in your child’s education by attending meetings and award ceremonies whenever possible, discussing your expectations with your child, encouraging him/her with your presence, and engaging help whenever it’s needed. Our children learn by what we do, not what we say. It’s a sacrifice of time and effort, but well worth it.

• Consistently follow-through with clear consequences for actions

Let’s face it; we all learn by the consequences of our actions. Discuss and set boundaries, clearly state (and write) expectations, and collaborate on rewards. This applies to more than school, of course. Inconsistent environments breed neurosis, so keep it steady and stick to your guns.

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• Organization, Please

Organization takes a bit more time on the front end, but saves an infinite number of hours once things are in place. Everything should have a home. Stores like Ikea and California Closets specialize in organization. Doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money, but they’re great places to visit in person or online for ideas.

Organization not only applies to things and space, but to time and priorities as well. One of the first workshops I facilitated with incoming college students was study skills. A big part of that class pertained to organization using calendars and cell phone apps. It’s amazing how much time people lose simply because they’re not organized.

Google has all kinds of free calendars to help with time management, Jibidee is an online calendar site, and smart phones have fantastic calendar features as well as alarm clocks.

A few years ago, I had a 12 year old voice student with one of the most beautiful voices I’d ever heard, but her priorities were way out of whack. For a child, that’s quite normal, but her parents didn’t have the heart to set boundaries. She’d cancel her lessons to ride her bike with her friends, play games with her cousins, etc., yet she and her parents said she really enjoyed her voice lessons (when she was there), and she really wanted to be a professional singer.

It’s called “living in the moment,” and that’s what children do best, but part of growing up is learning to set priorities. Unfortunately, I eventually had to tell her parents I could no longer teach her. Her problem was poor or nonexistent prioritization skills. That’s where her parents should have taken the reins. Poor prioritization can cause your child to miss a multitude of opportunities, even scholarship opportunities.

One final note on organization – establish a homework routine including a specific time and place to do homework. An organized work area like the picture above or any space that offers a place for everything your child needs to work efficiently with minimal interruptions. Stores like Wal-Mart, Target, and of course, Ikea (link above) offer great inexpensive solutions.

Next time we’ll talk about more homework solutions.

Feel free to comment and suggest. I love to hear from you J

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Snack Well and Live Well : 20 Healthy, Delicious Snacks

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Snack Well and Live Well : 20 Healthy, Delicious Snacks

One of the toughest challenges for most of us is finding the best way to eat healthy – not just for weight loss, but for feeling our best and living productive lives. It’s impossible to accomplish anything when your energy level is at rock bottom because your body doesn’t have the correct fuel. Bottom line, some foods are better for our bodies than others, and it’s important to pay attention to your body’s signals. Our bodies are programmed to function as the perfect system, each organ working to make the whole better. The body is made to prevent illness and even heal itself when we get sick, but it must have proper nutrition to do the job.

We’ve all watched people diet to lose a bunch of weight and end up putting whatever they lost plus more right back on. That’s because losing weight shouldn’t be the main goal in the first place. Living a fulfilling life is one of the most powerful goals we can focus on because it encompasses not only how we look, but how we feel. Life changes made to reach this goal must be sustainable. We’ll talk more about sustainable goals later, but for today, let’s start with some fun, tasty changes that are easy to make and maintain – snacks.

Too often, I hear people talking about diets that say things like “no snacking between meals.” Don't get me wrong; I understand where they're coming from, but... What? What world do these people live in? In our busy lives, snacks are essential. Really. So, here’s a list of snacks to help get anybody over the hump, satisfy cravings for sweet, salty, and savory, and the best part, they’re healthy. Most are old favorites, and you might find a new twist to liven-up a staple or two, no recipes necessary (in most cases).

Apple slices and cheese (I like mozzarella and cheddar)

Apple slices and reduced fat peanut butter

Grilled chicken strips with light ranch, honey mustard, or red pepper vinaigrette

Turkey and spinach meatballs – Ok, so a bit of a recipe here, but easy peasy. Here goes: 

Ground turkey, Bad Byron’s Butt Rub (I know. It’s a southern thang. You can use salt and pepper to taste instead, but believe me, Butt Rub is worth trying ;-), chopped onions, minced garlic, eggs (just enough to hold it all together). Bake on cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil) All ingredients to taste.

Gluten-free wheat crackers and Laughing Cow cheese

Gluten-free pita chips and tuna (you can use tuna salad with boiled eggs, chopped onions and light mayo, or just aluminum packed tuna without the extras)

Salmon and light cream cheese spread with chopped purple onions and flat bread (Pink salmon also comes in aluminum packs you don’t have to drain)

Strawberry crepes with fresh strawberries, light cream cheese, and yogurt

Graham crackers and grapes

Banana pudding bites - Nilla wafers, banana slices, and cool whip

Fruit and yogurt smoothies (variety is the spice of life, but my fave is frozen strawberries and bananas w/Almond Breeze unsweetened) – If you need to sweeten it, use Truvia, Sweet Leaf, or Splenda instead of refined sugar. Honey’s also fine.

Chicken quesadillas with chunky salsa

Snack mix – (whole grain cereal, pretzels, popcorn, nuts, raisins, cranberries)

Fat-free yogurt and graham crackers

Fat-free yogurt and fruit with toasted whole-grain waffles

Hummus and turkey pita pockets

Baked cinnamon apples with raisins and real butter (yep, use the real stuff)

Blackberry crepes with cream cheese (trick here is to buy ready-made crepes)

Oatmeal/squash bread (okay. Second recipe, but it’s easy too)

1 cup each oats & butternut squash
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cups skim milk
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup applesauce

Fruit yogurt with bran cereal or something like All Fiber (Raisin Bran is good, too, but higher in refined sugar)

Go forth, and snack well ;-)

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Qi-Fulfillment

Ever notice that women still do most of the cooking and decorating in the average home, yet most famous chefs and home decorators are men? Women are the main connoisseurs of make-up, hairstyles and fashion, yet most famous make-up artists, hairstylists, and fashion designers are...you guessed it. Why is that? There are a number of reasons - some good, some not so good, and this page is dedicated to women for those very reasons. We'll discuss some of them as we go, but first, let's talk about qi.  

Qi is the Chinese term used for life force, vital energy. It exists within every living thing. Qi also connects all living things. Akin to chakras, auras, yin and yang, each person's qi is unique and requires nurturing. All human beings are multi-faceted, always juggling responsibilities and roles in search of balance, so this site is about finding that balance, fulfilling our qi or life force, and basically thriving.

The four pages: For our future, Life support system, Nurturing our souls and bodies, and Purposeful endeavors, are designed to offer tips to find balance in each area of our lives. The site is still under construction, but feel free to browse, ask questions and offer comments. Oh, and lurking is fine, too ;-) I look forward to getting to know you better.