News

7 ways to communicate with your caregiver

Sesame Street offers insight about the parent-caregiver relationship

Sesame Street may be one of your child’s favorite caregivers, but they are hardly the flesh and blood person who takes care of your loved one when you aren’t available. Whether a relative like a sister or grandparent, Sesame Street points out, parent and caretaker are a childcare “team” that works best with great communication.

Sesame Street offers 7 tips to make these conversations easier. Here are the abbreviated versions. Visit the Sesame Street site for the entire post (and other wonderful advice).

  1. Little ones listen. Choose a time and place where you can talk alone, away from a child’s ears.
  2. Be aware of your feelings. Have difficult conversations when you’re calm.
  3. Share the positive. Don’t just have negative conversations; share regularly when things are going well.
  4. Take your time. Leave enough time to talk.
  5. Create a judgment-free zone. Accept that parents and caregivers may have different approaches that are equally valid.
  6. Use examples. Don’t make broad complaints; be specific.
  7. Brainstorm solutions. Work together for solutions; don’t just inflict your own.

Surprising reasons why some kids don’t exercise

Too much stress, an introverted personality, just doesn’t like sports

We might think kids who don’t get out and play or exercise are just lazy or are too caught up in their TVs, phones, or electronics.

But, says Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, there can be other, more compelling reasons for some kids. Like stress, fear of embarrassment, and personality type.

Stressed-out children often feel tired and withdrawn, says Kathleen Hill, licensed therapist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Strong4Life. “We’re seeing a definite increase in kids dealing with chronic stress, anxiety and depression,” she says. “As adults we know those things affect our mood and our decisions to have fun and be active and playful.”

She continues, noting that certain personality types tend to be less active. Children who are shy and introverted often don’t feel comfortable running outside to play with the neighborhood kids, for example. A child who has been bullied will feel even less comfortable.

And of course, some kids simply aren’t into sports or outdoor play.

The good news? Here are some creative ways you can help.

  • Choose your child’s favorite book and do a themed scavenger hunt. A Harry Potter lover might hunt for an owl or a broom on someone’s porch.
  • Take the dog for a walk. If you don’t have a dog, consider volunteering to walk dogs at a local Humane Society.
  • Get creative with sidewalk chalk.
  • Cue up your favorite music and dance.
  • Talk to your child about ways s/he may enjoy being active; save the list when s/he needs ideas.

Visit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for the whole story, and lots of other resources.

5 rules for having difficult conversations with young children

It’s important to know the deeper answers they need

Your kids, or children with whom you’re close, can stop you in your tracks with questions you didn’t expect, NPR (National Public Radio) warns you.

Like:

I know she died, but when is Grandma coming back?

Why is your skin darker than Mommy’s?

Why do we live here but Daddy doesn’t?

Are you the tooth fairy?

You make a mistake thinking you can just blithely answer the questions. There are thoughtful, meaningful, and satisfying (to them) ways and, well, there aren’t.

NPR offers five strategies and lots of resources. In short (visit the entire story on its website), they are:

1. When you get a tough question, listen for what the child is really asking.

Don’t rush to answer. Pause and ask for clarification. This does a few things. First, it buys you time to choose your words carefully. It also stops you from answering the wrong question.

2. Give them facts, but at a pace they can manage.

Whether you’re breaking news about the death of a loved one, a job loss or a serious illness, it’s important to understand that children process information a bit at a time. That means you should be prepared to revisit the topic, perhaps many times.

A hospice worker who specialized in talking with children about death gave Truglio this advice: Children take in information the same way they eat an apple. Instead of crunching through the whole fruit in one sitting, they nibble, take breaks, then circle back.

3. “That’s a great question. Let’s find out more together.”

This is a good response to have up your sleeve for complex issues: science, history, race, gender, politics, scary incidents in the news or any time a question catches you off guard.

“We can say, ‘Let’s explore this together, because that question is really a big one,’ ” says Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president for U.S. social impact at Sesame Workshop. ” ‘Let’s go to the library and let’s look at some books. Let’s search for maybe some films or movies or get recommendations from our teachers or librarians.’ Because not everything has to be in the moment.”

This approach gets you off the hook — so you don’t feel like you’re making something up that you might regret later. “We often feel that, as parents, we always have to have the answer in the moment,” says Betancourt. “And the thing is, we don’t. And that’s OK. We’re still good parents.”

4. Reassure them that they are safe and loved.

Often when kids grapple with a scary or uncertain subject, their questions will have one fundamental motivation: What’s going to happen to me? Will I be safe? Will I be taken care of? Those are the questions you need to answer, even if they aren’t being asked explicitly.

5. Take care of yourself, and don’t be afraid to share your emotions.

We adults need to have our own support system — and time — when we deal with hard things. “Without taking care of ourselves, it’s very difficult to help our children,” says Betancourt.

But that doesn’t mean we grown-ups have to “wall ourselves off in our grief” or other feelings, Truglio says. Her mother died several years ago, and she says she still experiences moments of grief. Recently, she says, she cried in front of her son and didn’t hesitate to explain, “I’m sad because I miss Grandma.”

“BlueAngel” grants $35,000 to extend HBHM’s 5-2-1-0 anti-obesity effort

Among $218,000 in prestigious Blue Cross & Blue Shield community grants made this year

In its recent round of prestigious  BlueAngel Community Health Grants (BACHG), Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) granted $35,000 to Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds to continue our 5-2-1-0 Childhood Obesity Prevention efforts.

“Thanks to BlueAngel support,” we should reach more than 6,000 children attending 16 early care and education sites and 21 elementary schools across South County,” notes Susan Orban, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds Director.

Cindy Buxton, the project’s coordinator, “5-2-1-0 is a simple equation for a healthy lifestyle that helps children reach and keep an appropriate weight. 5-2-1-0 stands for enjoying each day with:

  • 5 servings of fruits and vegetables
  • 2 hours or fewer of recreational screen time (TV, computer, video games or smartphones)
  • 1 hour of physical activity, and
  • 0 sugary drinks.”

The grant to HBHM was among $218,000 in BACHG funding for 2019. Since the BlueAngel Community Health Grants began in 2002, BCBSRI has donated more than $3.8 million to local nonprofits. For the past five years, BACHG funding has focused on Rhode Island organizations promoting good nutrition, physical activity and healthy weight for children and their families.

 

Chariho Youth Task Force launches “positive body image” campaign

Poor body self-image can lead to failing academics, trouble concentrating, and a loss of confidence.

Every Body is Beautiful, the Chariho Youth Task Force is emphasizing in its latest campaign, to encourage young people to love their bodies. 

“This campaign is the result of having an open and accepting place for young people to speak up about what they think we should work on,” Executive Director Dan Fitzgerald told the Westerly Sun in December. “Body image is something that impacts every part of every day. We’re here to help change the culture of how we talk and think about our bodies.” 

“Members of the Chariho Youth Task Force were in the school late Tuesday evening prepping for this launch,” he said. “We put ‘Every Body is Beautiful’ stickers on every mirror in the building as well as a poster with behavior-change strategies to a more body-positive life throughout the building. “

“With the support and approval of the [Chariho High School] administration, we came in and put our ‘Every Body is Beautiful’ stickers on all the mirrors in the building,” Task Force Member Ryann Clarke noted. Members also created posters, made public announcements, and invited students to join the campaign.

The Sun article refers to the nonprofit International OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) Foundation and its findings on body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

“Studies have shown that BDD in teens and young adults leads to significant worsening of their academics, because of their body concerns,” the foundation states. “This can include failing tests, missing school and having trouble concentrating in class.”

As Clarke explained to the Sun, “This campaign is so important because our culture teaches youth and adults, men and women, people of all ages and backgrounds, to degrade our bodies,” she said. “It’s important to our health and wellness to stop and appreciate them for what they allow us to do.”

The campaign’s next milestone takes place on Feb. 8 with a fashion show at Chariho.

Food insecurity grows in RI as prices rise

Despite a strong economy, more Rhode Islanders are worried about food than they were 10 years ago.

Rhode Island’s economy is doing well, but one in 8 Rhode Islanders are still nervous about having enough food on the table, according to the Rhode Island Food Bank’s 2018 Status Report on Hunger. The Food Bank released the report in November.

“The R.I. economy is thriving, unemployment is at 3.8 percent, which is remarkably low, and wages are beginning to grow, and that’s all good,” Food Bank CEO Andrew Schiff told the Providence Journal. “But wages have not kept up with the real cost of living in terms of housing and energy and food.”

Among them are more than 36,000 households receiving SNAP benefits. The households represent 55,000 Rhode Islanders, mostly children.

The report notes that food prices – partly driven by gas costs – rose significantly for low-income families over the past three years.

The Providence Journal explained that Food Bank workers identified 71 items that a family of four would need for one week. Over three summers, the costs of those products increased 15 percent. Wages, on the other hand, had increased only 5 percent during the same period.

Some proof of the problem may be seen in the Food Bank’s growing service. Over the past 10 years, its member agencies went from serving an average 37,000 people every month to 53,000, the ProJo noted.

Trump food tariffs may worsen the situation, but a newly-elected Democratic House majority may avert previously proposed cuts in SNAP and other agricultural programs.

Asked & Answered: 5 questions from the Providence Business News about Zero Suicide

Zero Suicide seeks to make taking one’s life a “never event” in South County.

The Providence Business News used its popular “5 Questions…” column to ask Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds Director Susan Orban to explain our new Zero Suicide effort.

SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) granted Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds $2 million over the next 5 years for a comprehensive effort to eliminate suicides in South County, which has the state’s highest suicide rate.

According to Orban, the focus will be on training key health care staff to identify and work with people with depression, and to offer mental health care to those who cannot afford it.

August 18′ Newsletter

Every month Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds & Director Susan Orban likes to connect you with current articles, events, and resources to help you keep your family healthy and informed!

Avoid frozen sugar water for the remaining hot weeks

How about frozen granola, strawberries, blueberries, orange juice?

The frozen sticks you buy at the supermarket are actually much worse thansugar water. A recent package of orange pops included these ingredients: “Water, Glycerine, Maltodextrin (Corn). Contains 1 Percent or Less of Each of the Following: Citric Acid, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, Aspartame, Acesulfame Potassium, Locust Bean Gum, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Red 40, Yellow 6.”

You can do better, a LOT better. Type in “healthy popsicle” on the web, and you’ll find a hundred sites with easy, fun ideas…no chemicals, no sugar.

We’re always partial to our friends at ChopChop, who have recipes for frozen fruit salad pops, roasted banana pops, granola pops, watermelon pops, and kiwi pops. Wow!

Read our short article with the link to the ChopChop chill recipe site.

Squeezing in one last summer vacation trip with kids?

20-plus tips for safe and – dare we say – hassle-free travel

The toughest part of any vacation is usually preparing for it. Especially when you have kids, of any age.

Are we there yet?
Our wise friends at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta offer a concise, well-organized list of 20-plus “travel hacks”, whether you are going by car or plane.

Some items on the list might seem obvious: bland crackers for the child (or adult) who gets carsick. A sheet or tarp for playing outside when you take a break. A trash bag for the growing pile of garbage. Healthy snack food. Lots of water.

Others on the list: Did you notify the hotel you needed a crib or rollaway bed? Are you all set on passport and visa materials? Do you have enough medications and, if necessary, proof of vaccinations?

It’s a good list to have any time you travel, even when summer ends (sigh).

Visit our website to read Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s 20 travel hacks

Your local library is always happy to see your children 

For example, the Peace Dale Library special “Back-to-School” storytime

The Peace Dale Library was prepared to welcome back the neighborhood’s children of all ages with some stories and songs about school, and a back-to school craft.

It’s a good reminder that South County libraries almost always have something cooking when it comes to kids, however young, however old.

We do our best to list appropriate activities on the Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds web calendar.

We also have a rich set of activities and ideas about children’s reading and literacy. The beginning of the school year is a great time to check us out!

All kinds of happy, healthy, fun, nearby, and wise events on our Calendar. 

A link to South County libraries, a list of the 100 best children’s books, and more reading resources.

Facebook no longer top social media choice for teens

YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat take over, depending on race & gender. Half of teens acknowledge “near constant use” online.

Facebook has given way to YouTube among teens using social media, while nearly half (45%) report they are online on a near-constant basis, according to a new Pew Research Center report.

U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 are multi-functional. Half say they use Facebook, 85% use YouTube, 72% use Instagram, and 69% use Snapchat, with the latter being their most favorite.

In addition, just shy of half of all teens – 45% – now report they are online on a near-constant basis. Some teens say their use is mostly positive (31%) or mostly negative (24%), but the largest share (45%) says the effect is neither positive nor negative. 

Both gender and race made big differences in the use of social media.

Link to the full Pew Research Center report at the Healthy Headlines section on our website’s home page. You’ll find news and latest studies featured there.

Watching for signs of trauma in your child

No child – or adult – should experience a traumatic experience or its aftermath alone.

A beloved grandma may have passed. For most children, that may unleash an understandable grieving period.

If a classmate dies, though, at almost any youthful age, your child might not only lose a dear friend but also a sense of invincibility. And we hear more and more about the horrors children see and experience everyday. It’s an obligation to be aware of the signs of trauma.

We list just four signs from the Child Mind Institute, which has an entire section of its website on identifying and working with grief and trauma:

  • A “hyper-focus on mortality or death.” And while some kids become notably morbid and fascinated by death, others will develop an obsession with their own safety and the safety of those close to them.
  • Problems with sleeping, eating, anger, and attention. Some symptoms of trauma in children (and adults) closely mimic depression, including too much or too little sleep, loss of appetite or overeating, unexplained irritability and anger, and problems focusing on projects, school work, and conversation.
  • Triggers. A year after a tragic event, we tend to look back, take stock, and memorialize those whose lives were lost. But anniversaries could have unexpected consequences — the birthdays of friends or classmates who died, for instance.
  • School refusal. When an event is connected to school, such as the loss of classmates or violence at school itself, an unhealthy reaction could take the form of avoiding school.