Yummy Starbucks Snack!!!

 

Just a quick tip for your next stop at Starbucks!  Peeled Snacks Much-ado-about-Mango!

Dried mango slices -- Y U M !!!

Click here for a recipe with another product from Peeled
Nut-Free Gluten-Free No-Bake Crusty Apple Pie

Y U M !!!

The treats of this post are just mangoes -- NO sugar or anything else added!

Thinly sliced into fun little slivers that my kiddos and I all LOVED!

A bit pricey at $2 for one bag, but if your other options are:
a 410-calorie Double Chocolate Brownie for the same price,
or even the more sneaky 8-Grain Muffin or the Apple Bran Muffin for 350 calories,
or how about the Banana Loaf Bread Slice for 490 cals! (Healthy Recipe COMING SOON!)
or a Blueberry Scone for 460!

Spending $2 on something so nutritious sounds pretty darn good!
A mere 120 calories (not that calories matter at all when your eating 100% mango!)!

MANGO Benefits coming soon -- there are SO many!

BONUS fact: There are over fifty mango varieties -- different colors and sizes!

For a quick tasty coffee at home try this: Pumpkin Pie Spice Latte

Or if you want to pack a snack to take to Starbucks
or anyplace else you're off to on the run
Try Laraballs!!!  (very easy to make and PORTABLE!)

COMMENTS: Did you eat mangoes as a kid?  Do you remember the first time you tried it?  Ever eat the skin?  If not, DON'T!

Fresh, Local, and Organic, Oh My!

What is CSA anyway?

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a program or agreement between farmers and customers. Customers buy "shares" in the farm, paying up-front, and then collect fresh produce weekly during the growing season.  CUSTOMERS and FARMERS both can SAVE money by eliminating a middleman.

Since this arrangement is beneficial to everyone, it's become very popular.  There are currently over 4000 FARMS across the country that are listed in Local Harvest's database -- the website has a very detailed search to find the farm that is right for you!  You can search for everything from CSAs, to Farmer's Markets, to Co-ops and more!  Click HERE to check out Local Harvest!

TOP 6 Reasons to Participate in CSA!

1. ORGANIC veggies -- VERY OFTEN ORGANIC, sometimes unofficially labeled as such, since such certification is expensive, too expensive for some small farms.  Another post coming regarding "organic"!

2. Support LOCAL business! ...give the farmers the start-up cash they need to get their farm growing early in the season!

3. Try NEW foods and recipes! (I'll share the recipes as usual!)  You will probably receive items that you are unfamiliar with, or at least don't regularly purchase!
Please share your recipes and ideas on fresh-you.com as you try new veggies!

4. Children's FARM VISIT (and adults really -- it's nice to see where your food comes from!) -- for kids, they'll be more likely to eat what they know more about, are involved with, etc.  Click HERE for more TIPS for FEEDING Picky Eaters!

5. Great VALUE for awesome QUALITY (I'm hoping!) ...as discussed above -- no middleman, organic, fresh picked veggies!!

6. SAVE time AND money!  -- you don't have to spend time in the grocery store picking out the best produce...also avoid buying "extra" foods at the grocery store that you don't need, ...and your health probably could also do without!

Specifics, based on what I have found here in Cleveland!  THIS IS MY FIRST TIME!

I found this photo from someone who signed up with Geauga Family Farms last year.

This was a weekly pick-up stash from last September -- looks pretty good to me!

Oh, the rainbow!!  Thanks for the photo from www.lifelynstyle.com!

GEAUGA FAMILY FARMS

• There are 10 family farms involved, so if something goes wrong with one of them, we won't be stuck.
• They farm organic vegetables, though the fruits that we'll get will be primarily conventional (non-organic).
• There are many pick-up locations to choose from; the closest one to my home is St Noel's on Chardon Road in Willoughby, Ohio.  Here is a link to more information, including sorts of produce that come when, and the pick-up locations available.
• The cost seems reasonable -- you can check out this pricing where I signed up, as an example!

Remember to search www.localharvest.org to find a farm near you!!!

GEAUGA FAMILY FARMS

Half - $425 for 20 weeks

Full - $700 for 20 weeks, more variety, quantity, better deal!

Share with a neighbors and/or friends...a "Full" divided 3 ways costs only $11.66 per week!

Geauga Family Farm payments are due on MAY 1st!

COMING SOON: Grow YOUR OWN Garden!, Questions Answered about ORGANIC Produce, Benefits of MORE Veggies

Quick! Pick a Race, and Grab a Training Schedule!

Ok, so what now?

Find a running RACE!

Run for the Grapes, 2010, 5K, in Geneva, OH

Click here -- active.com -- for a search anywhere and also including other activities, such as triathlons!
Search a keyword, sport, location, distance, date, and more!

Click here -- Runner's World -- for a RACE FINDER for anywhere in the world!
Mostly bigger races will be listed on the Runner's World website (awesome magazine to subscribe to if you're looking for some interesting reading about "all things running" and inspiration! ...here is a link to two free issues!)

Click here -- Run Ohio -- to find a race in Ohio! (only the current month is available online or you can subscribe for $10 per year).

Towpath Marathon, 2011

Click here for Achilles Racing -- Cleveland's new Running Organization! (formerly Cleveland Plays)

Click here -- Hermes Road Racing -- for mostly Cleveland Races!


Running TRAINING Programs!


Hal Higdon has well written PROGRAMS for many distances (5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon, and more!), as well as levels of skill: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.  


Really though, an advanced athlete could complete a "beginner" or novice training and find success. The level of difficulty often relates to the total mileage. In addition to running more miles, intensity increases with increase in pace, speed, number of repeats, etc.


Another great site for TRAINING tips, recommended training paces, and running calculator (to tell you what time you might expect at a race) is discussed HERE -- Wonder How Fast You'll Run?!


Here are my FIVE TRAINING TIPS for SUCCESS!


Click here to find out all about Athlinks -- a RESULTS website -- you can keep track over time, your progress over the course of the MANY races in your future!


Click here to read about the REASONS to run (Benefits of training for/running) a RACE!

My kindergartner said "Mom, I bet this is your favorite homework ever!" 

...she also came up with the  "I like to run." all on her own, bless her heart :)

COMMENTS: Have you ever run a race? Have you started to participate in a new sport for the first time as an adult? I am thrilled for a friend of mine who is really enjoying tennis -- it's all new to her! So fun and exciting!

5 QUICK Tips for 5k-Training Success!

YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Training Running Tips!

Here I ran a 1-mile race with my daughter who was 3 years old!

Running an exercise that's easy to do with your kids!

REMEMBER these Quick Tips for 5k Training Success!
1. Start off EASY -- it's perfectly acceptable to WALK when you need to; you can even plan out your walking!
See Jeff Galloway's Marathon: You Can Do It!

2. It's great to have a RUNNING PARTNER -- you'll know he or she is counting on you, so you will show up!  Plus, it's so fun to chat and laugh along the way -- miles and minutes go by and before your know it, you're done!

3. LISTEN to your body -- if you are very sore, don't be afraid to take an extra day off. Schedules are great for keeping you on track, but consider them a GUIDELINE. It's ok to miss a day!

4. CROSS-TRAINING is your friend.  You can increase fitness with another non-running activity to prevent boredom, as well as localized fatigue. You use different muscles to swim than you do to run!

5. Please don't go TOO fast, TOO long, or run TOO much mileage per week!  

The key to improving is to KEEP running! If you do too much too fast you'll get HURT, and if you're lucky enough NOT to get hurt, you might not LIKE what you're doing because it'll be too HARD ... so you might quit, or just suffer through it! I WANT YOU TO ENJOY IMPROVING YOUR HEALTH!

Be patient. You will improve. Just keep at it and you'll keep reaping all the benefits from this post: Top 10 Reasons to Run a 5k!

If you want to track your progress FROM the beginning -- check out this post about a fun gadget and website! ...it's all about the capabilities of GPS!

MORE to come: links to training programs - key elements - find a race!

COMMENTS: Signed up yet? Tell everyone about it -- you're more likely to COMPLETE your goal if you do!

Top 10 Reasons to Run a 5k!

Ever consider running a 5k?

Here are my Top 10 Reasons to Run a 5k!  Benefits of Running!

1. Having a GOAL to strive for keeps you MOTIVATED to keep exercising!
2. Preparing for and completing a race will give you a new CONFIDENCE that you can do ANYTHING!
3. HEALTH benefits are numerous!  
4. HAPPINESS -- exercise is AT LEAST as effective as prescription anti-depressant drugs!
5. Little GEAR -- just need a pair of shoes and a comfortable outfit!
6. No gym membership necessary, no gym class schedules to try to coordinate with your own busy schedule, no driving necessary (save on time and gas!).
7. FRESH AIR!
8. Over the course of a training program, you can listen to the audio of a BOOK you've been hoping to read, or a podcast season you enjoy! 
9. An opportunity to DONATE to a cause you believe in!
10. Get a cool t-shirt, and for bigger races, party at after the finish line!
11. BONUS!  Once in SHAPE, you can PLAY a SPORT you LOVE -- without getting injured!

HERE ARE SOME TRAINING TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND!

Click here for training PLANS and SITES to find races to register for and run!

COMMENTS: What race are you going to sign up for?

Better Baking Breadcrumbs!

How will you try this Healthy Breading /Breadcrumb Alternative!?

For Healthy Breadcrumbs -- Use the following in Equal Parts:

Nutritional yeast
Chia seeds
Wheat germ
Flaxseed, ground

You could also add ground almonds, or any nut!, or some wheat bran!

Use this on anything you want to bread or as a topping to any casserole or other baked item.

Sprinkle it over veggies you are baking or anything at all!

It's the perfect alternative to traditional breadcrumbs, which are ENRICHED, filled with salt and other preservatives, and perhaps sugar.

If you prefer Italian flavored breading, just add whatever spices you fancy!

Nutritional yeast is a super, non-dairy Parmesan cheese substitute! 

CHIA seeds -- are superfoods for so many reasons, high in protein and fiber, as well as many vitamins and minerals, and they are high in omega-3 fats!

WHEAT germ -- this is basically the "embryo" of the grain -- so it's gotta have all the good stuff -- great source of iron and zinc, and one of the very best sources of folic acid, the nutrient so important for women of child-bearing age to get plenty of, to avoid birth defects, fiber, and phytochemicals that work as antioxidants!

Always (once opened) store in refrigerator in tightly sealed container to avoid rancidity.

Flaxseeds additionally provide fiber and omega-3 fats!

Try it this weekend, and instead of giving your family empty calories, you can give them all the extra nutrients that the above ingredients provide!

COMMENTS: What dishes do you use breading for?  Can you think of any good uses for Better Baking Breadcrumbs?

Why All the Fuss about Coffee Being "Bad" for Us?

Coffee and Caffeine are GOOD for us!  Read about BENEFITS of Coffee and CAFFEINE!

Just watch out for the following CAUTIONS of CAFFEINE!

1. We should drink it EARLY in the day, and by early afternoon at the latest, SO we can SLEEP!
Caffeine has a half life of six hours, so that's how long it takes to get out of your system, regardless of  the amount you take in.

So count back 6 or 7 hours from your bed time and that's the latest you should take in caffeine.  The longer it's our of your system before bed the better :)  Also, if you take a BIRTH CONTROL PILL or on an ANTIBIOTIC, both prolong the time caffeine stays in your system.  See #4 below for more on drug interactions.

2. The ADD-INs! -- these can all take away from the health benefits described HERE!

SATURATED fat from cream
Excess SUGARS from flavorings and sweeteners
Excess calories from fat and sugar may cause WEIGHT GAIN
ARTIFICIAL sweeteners in diet drinks ...look for another post on this!

Try PUMPKIN PIE SPICE Spice Latte OR DARK Chocolate Mint Coffee

3. Lastly, TOO MUCH caffeine can give us the jitters, make us irritable, headache, increased heart rate, hyperactivity.

KNOW and LISTEN to your body!
If you don't feel right, try less!  TIPS to REDUCE YOUR INTAKE!

4. Drug INTERACTIONS with caffeine -- there are many of these!

If you take a medication, PLEASE BE SURE that there is no harmful interaction between it and caffeine.  Be sure to click on the link and then select the green Interactions Tab in the middle of this WebMD page.
Be sure to discuss interactions with your doctor -- Remember, caffeine is a drug.

Your body tries to break down drugs (caffeine is a drug), so when you consume more than one, there is competition.  In some cases, the caffeine stays in your system longer, in order to break down the medication appropriately.  In other cases, your body may choose the caffeine over the drug, decreasing the effectiveness of your medication.

IF you've taken all of these factors into account, and coffee/caffeine seem to be your friend, then note that the health benefits are sometimes related to surprisingly high quantities of coffee!  Not that you have to consume 7 cups a day, but if you like to and have no harmful effects, your health benefits may also increase!

COMMENTS: Are you enjoying spring?  We were outside all afternoon yesterday until nearly bedtime!!

Top 3 Bountiful Benefits of Coffee and Caffeine!

"There is certainly much more good news than bad news in terms of health!" says Frank Hu of Harvard School of Health.

See 5 Coffee Tricks to get these health benefits of coffee AND a good night's sleep!

1. For starters, your HEALTH!

Coffee may help prevent:
Diabetes
Some Cancers
Dementia
Parkinson's, stroke, heart rhythm problems, and more!

You can read a bit more about the studies HERE!

For the above health benefits, not all mechanisms are determined.  Interestingly, decaf coffee often appears to be as effective and regular!

So something other than caffeine must be doing the job!

Coffee is the LARGEST source of ANTIOXIDANTS for Americans!
Of course that is among people who drink it!  Wahoo for coffee and antioxidants!

Antioxidants are cool!  Click HERE and/or HERE to review how they work and/or HERE to also find sources of oxidation!

Plus, coffee contains vitamins and minerals that our bodies need, such as calcium, magnesium, chromium, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid (the last two are b-vitamins).

2. Caffeine is good for your fitness (Caffeine and ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE!)!

It delays the use of glycogen during endurance exercise by increasing your body's use of fat for energy!  Is that awesome or what!?  Save up the really perfect fuel (glycogen) for when you are more tired, and use up that junk fuel (fat) that we want to get rid of anyway!

It also makes physical activity "seem" easier, mentally!  SO cool!  Who doesn't want their workout to appear to be as easy as possible?!

It may also increase testosterone which is important for strength, gaining muscle, and decreasing fat.

3. Caffeine is also known to improve MENTAL PERFORMANCE by increasing:

ALERTNESS
Focus
Concentration
Energy
Efficiency
Vigor
Clear-headedness

Wahoo for caffeine and mental performance!

Here are some tasty ways to have coffee: PUMPKIN PIE LATTE or Dark Chocolate Mint Coffee!

Now that you know the benefits of coffee and benefits of caffeine, find out:
What's SO "bad" about coffee/caffeine? Click HERE to find out!

Or you may want to learn about GREEN TEA or GREEN COFFEE!!

COMMENTS: Have you always enjoyed coffee?  Or did you have to get used to the taste like me?  They say it may be one of those "acquired tastes".  Now I love it!

Five Coffee Tricks!

Benefits of Caffeine...there are many...here are three LOADED benefits!

Looking for a little caffeine boost that won't keep you up all night?

1. Try DECAFFEINATED coffee.  Not much of a trick, but DID YOU KNOW that there are about 20mg of caffeine in a cup of decaf?  Plus, try spicing it up with #4!

CAFFEINE CONTENT

15-30mg -- Green tea, Special Dark Bar, DECAF Coffee
40-70mg -- Black tea, colas, Mountain Dew, espresso
FDA limits amount of caffeine in pop to 71mg and Mountain Dew has this maximal level
100-200mg -- Coffee

Note: drink for drink, coffee has more caffeine than espresso!  Ounce for ounce, espresso leads!

2. ALTER YOUR INTAKE -- try any COMBINATION of regular and decaf.

For example, 1/2 and 1/2, a quarter regular, or a quarter decaf.

3. If you're anything like me, and the simple THOUGHT of coffee gives you energy, 

then try this SWITCH-A-ROO.

Fill a regular tin of coffee with decaffeinated coffee.  Just a little mental trick; you'll see a container of "regular" every time you use it!

If you like to drink several cups of coffee, your body can take in the caffeine a bit more SLOWLY, and enjoy your cup(s) over a longer period of time.

4. Now for the FLAVOR trick!

My favorite Keurig flavor is LIMITED EDITION PUMPKIN SPICE -- Yum!!

Now all you have to do is sprinkle a little PUMPKIN PIE SPICE and stir it in with a scoop of instant coffee and hit the HOT WATER button on your Keurig coffee machine!  Save yourself the 50 cents of a K-cup!

Add a little almond milk and viola!

CREAMY PUMPKIN PIE LATTE

5. To make it more like an actual latte (don't be too mad at me coffee connoisseurs!...remember, I try to make things simple, fast, healthy), add 4 oz almond milk to your mug before you add 4 oz hot water from the Keurig Brewer.  You will probably then want to warm your drink in the microwave for about 45 sec., and enjoy!

COMMENTS: Do you like instant or regular? Decaf or regular? Flavored or regular? Single cup or a pot? At home or out? Black or creamy? I suppose I could go on forever with these!

Spicy Vodka Pasta -- Healthy Version

This is SO fast, HEALTHY, and delicious! It is such a simple recipe that one of the chefs who claims to have invented the dish, prepared it table-side in the 70s in a New York City!

When my hubby and I began dating, HE was the COOK between the two of us! This was the first dish he prepared for me, and we ate it countless times in the almost 2 years that we dated before we got married! Such warm fuzzy memories!

Over the years, I have gradually converted the recipe from NOT VERY healthy, to quite the opposite! So here you go -- the HEALTHY VERSION!

Spicy Vodka Pasta

1 Tbsp garlic, minced
½ tsp crushed red pepper
3.5 c crushed tomatoes (28 oz can)
1 lb whole wheat pasta**
1/4 c cashew butter (lower to 2-3 Tbsp to decrease fat)

1 c water

Heat a pan large enough to hold all ingredients. Sauté garlic and pepper in the hot pan with just a little bit of water, adding more when needed. Cook just until garlic turns golden but does not brown, 1 or 2 min. Add crushed tomatoes. Stir to blend, and simmer, uncovered, until sauce begins to thicken (about 15 min, the longer the better). Meanwhile, cook and drain pasta, add pasta to sauce, and toss. Blend cashew butter with water, then add cream to pasta and sauce. Toss once more. Cover, reduce heat to low, let rest for a few minutes so pasta can absorb sauce (longer the better). This dish gets even better as leftovers!

*Click HERE for some great pasta alternatives!

COMMENTS: Do you remember the first meal you ever ate with your partner? On our first date, Mike introduced me to Indian food! It was amazing! Isn't it fun to discover a new food you've never had before? So exciting!

9 MORE Super Baby Foods that Don't Come in a Jar! (Part 2)

First, there is NO rush with infants eating food, new foods, etc.  They have their WHOLE life, so take your time!

Traditionally, and definitely in the beginning, foods are best introduced to babies INDIVIDUALLY.  Space a few days to one week between the introduction of each new foods to distinguish reactions to one food or another.

Be CHOOSY about what you feed your child.  

You have a huge opportunity here!  You can shape and mold your child’s TASTE preferences so that she prefers healthy foods!  This AMAZING GIFT to your child will last her whole life!

Here is a discussing taste in the context of PICKY eaters; specifically there is an article linked there that interestingly discusses the up-sides of “liking” foods.

Here is a link to my TOP 5 QUICK and EASY BABY FOODS!  And now for another 9!

~ Canned PUMPKIN puree -- seasonally, this comes on sale, best time to buy, since it’ll last forever!  Plus, you can look for deals on amazon for the smaller organic cans.  Also, seasonally, you can MAKE IT FROM SCRATCH, but here, I am really going for the very EASIEST options that are also really HEALTHY choices.  
Another post to come about making baby food from scratch.

You can divide the pumpkin puree into smaller portions and freeze it -- here is a post on how silicone cupcake pans can help with FREEZING.

~ Trader Joe's Fat-Free REFRIED BEANS -- any can that has NO hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list is great -- and this is one product I know fits the bill!

~ Egg YOLK (free-range, organic is best!); you can try egg whites later since they are more difficult to digest.

~ COTTAGE CHEESE (although expensive, organic is ideal, and if you’re just buying it for your baby, it will go a long way, so it’s a small expense!)

~ UNsweetened APPLESAUCE-- adding a little cinnamon is nice! Best to start fruits after LOTS of veggies, since babies are VERY likely to enjoy sweet fruit, especially after veggies!

~ Any HEALTHY recipe you make -- PUREED!

Once several foods have been introduced, after a few months of eating table foods, around 12 months or so, AND IF you (the parents) aren’t particularly susceptible to allergies, you can make simple recipes, my recipes often have few ingredients, and if all goes well, you’ll know your baby is ok with all the foods in the recipe.

This will help your baby to become familiar with and enjoy a variety of FLAVORS, flavors which you would like to serve him or her in the FUTURE!  Who wants to make separate meals for each child?  Not me!  I like to figure out ONE HEALTHY MEAL and have everyone eat that!

A food processor, even a small one, is a super useful investment for anyone who wants to eat a healthy and delicious diet, and especially when you have a LITTLE one!  

You can blend up any meal: pasta with sauces, beans and rice dishes, casseroles, even eggplant "Parmesan"!  

You could try Easy Eggplant Parm blended with pasta!

Or "Chicken" Artichoke Casserole!

~ HUMMUS -- here is a SIMPLE RECIPE; go easy on the garlic at first, then add more with each batch, because your baby will get used to this very healthy food for life! 

In light of “taking your time with table foods” as discussed above, you can hold off on the SWEETS for a long time!  By doing this, rather than neglecting them of a happy childhood, YOU are doing them a FAVOR!  They don’t even know what they are missing, I promise!  

This is harder to get away with when feeding children who have an older sibling, since they see what their older siblings enjoy.  

On the other side, if you teach the FIRST-BORN good habits, he will likely teach his younger siblings what he has learned, both verbally and by example.

Here are 2 early desserts!  SO healthy, they could be eaten daily for breakfast ;)

~ TRADER JOE’S FROZEN MANGO (love this stuff!) and frozen pineapple make FABULOUS mango SORBET!!, frozen dark tart cherries or peaches from Gordon Food Service are other tasty options, and of course anything fresh will blend to a mash quickly and be eaten in a flash by your little one!

Thanks to www.binging-for-food.blogspot.com for this photo!

~ Chocolate chip COOKIE DOUGH!  ...minus the chocolate chips!

COMMENTS: What are your favorite foods to feed your baby? Do you (the adult) ever eat baby food? I LOVE baby food peaches :)

HEALTHY Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!

A recipe revisited, and SIMPLIFIED!!!

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

SO healthy you can feed an infant (without the chips)!!

I've already posted about this, but you know how I like to simplify!

Many thanks to Chocolate Covered Katie for an oh so creative and delicious recipe!  So, I just simplified a bit...

1.5 cups cooked white beans or 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1.5 cups pitted dates (30 pieces)
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
6 Tbsp hot water
Tbsp vanilla
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (omit for babies!!)

Blend all ingredients but the chips in a food processor until smooth. You may need to wrap edges with a towel at first to avoid leaks.  Once smooth, stir in chips with a spoon, and enjoy!

To enjoy warm chocolate chip cookies in a snap, cook dollops of dough in the microwave ~2 min! You may then flip them and cook for 1 more min. Enjoy!

To bake, heat oven to 350 and cook for 20-25 min. You may need to flip and bake a few minutes on other side. If you can wait, let cook completely!

Here is a post about my FAVORITE blog, Chocolate Covered Katie!

This recipe is a great dip with some Brown Rice Crackers or some Whole Wheat Pretzels or apple slices!

COMMENTS: Do you like your cookies warm? Do you like leftover pizza cold or hot? I like my pizza warm, and cookies at any temp! Have a great day!

A Happy Parent is a HEALTHY Parent!

While this isn't a parenting website, it IS about being healthy and happy.  When my kids behave, I feel HEALTHIER and HAPPIER!!

Remember my post about a parenting webinar?  Since it also included some great parenting books, here is the link: FREE HELP WITH PARENTING!  Amy McCready of Positive Parenting Solutions presented, and it was hosted by the amazing 100 Days of Real Food.  I hope some of you took the opportunity to watch and participate!

While there are certainly other factors involved (more sleep on my part for example), my kids have been behaving beautifully!  Amy McCready had a lot of advice, and more than that, she discussed the WHYS of children's misbehavior.  Everything is based on Adlerian Psychology.

In this post, I'll simply discuss the CAUSE of children's behavior AND one SOLUTION (Positive Parenting Solutions has many).

The cause is simple, and consistent!  The cause of ALL misbehavior is a child's need for BELONGING and SIGNIFICANCE.  Amy says that if a child misbehaves, you should imagine that he or she has a BIG SIGN on his or her chest that says "I want to belong and feel significant, but I don't know how!"

She says this is the root of every tantrum, argument between siblings, and other misbehavior.

Amy's first SOLUTION is called "Mind, Body, and Soul" Time.  The prescription is 10 minutes per session, 2 sessions per day, per child.  There are only a few stipulations:

a) you must spend the time one-on-one with each child

b) you need to give this child your complete attention, be "emotionally available", available to them in "mind, body, and soul"

c) do whatever they want - play, color, walk, build, talk,...

d) label the time as your "special time" for example, with a start and finish

In my ways of moderation, I would say you could try to do this for one session a day, or even in moments whenever you can, or once a week!  The MORE the BETTER, but the main idea is that giving your kids simple ONE-ON-ONE time gives them the sense of belonging and significance that they NEED, and CRAVE.

If you give them that, your payback will be GREAT!  You won't believe the CHANGES!

I've only just learned specifically about this "MIND, BODY, AND SOUL" TOOL this afternoon as I was completing "Session 1" offered for a free trial at this link: VIDEOS, ARTICLES, AND OTHER INTERACTIVES FREE for 14-DAYS.

The positive changes in my kids I think have been happening gradually, and in some ways immediately, after participating in the webinar last month.

Currently, she is offering a FREE ON-DEMAND WEBINAR (I think like the one I watched, but probably without live Q&A), so you can hear first hand all of her well spoken explanations.

Even if it's been a while, I bet she is offering another webinar -- so still check it out if you're interested!

I'll end with a quick quote from Amy that may entice you:

"We’ll talk a lot about behavior in the course – good and bad.  We’ll teach you how to get more of the positive behaviors you want – cooperation, listening the first time, independence, sibling harmony, self-sufficiency and more.  And – we’ll teach you how to get less of the annoying, frustrating, maddening behaviors you don’t want!"

COMMENTS: Do you get sick of repeating?  What helpful techniques and tricks have you found that work?