Happy and healthy family relationships grow from decisions to work through all the problems of life in a constructive and loving way. The materials provided here may be used to guide discussion and consideration for a 50-60 minute parenting class to help parents grow into strong, supportive and loving mentors for their children.
CLEANLINESS, EXERCISE, REST AND SLEEP, GOOD NUTRITION
Health and Wellness are the result of decisions to develop habits that will help our bodies, minds and spirits grow and prosper.
Cleanliness:
Keeping clean is a the first line of defense against germs.
Bathing, at least several times a week, helps to wash away germs and prevent them from spreading and causing illness.
Hand washing is especially important. Research confirms that hand washing is an important behavior that determines who gets sick and who stays healthy.
Hand washing should be a MUST:
* before eating and cooking
* after using the bathroom
* after cleaning around the house
* after touching animals, including family pets
* before and after visiting or taking care of sick friends or relatives
* after blowing one's nose, coughing, or sneezing
* after being outside (playing, gardening, walking the dog).
The few seconds you spend at the sink will save you time in bed and trips to the doctor's office.
Make frequent hand washing a habit. 1.
Tooth brushing is an important part of dental care.
Medical research shows that brushing teeth (at least twice a day) can prevent cavities and gum disease. If teeth are not brushed correctly and frequently, saliva minerals cause tartar to develop and cause gum disease.
CLEAN THE HOUSE
Organize your cleaning schedule to keep your home fresh and sanitary. Don't stress about the mess!
Learn how to keep it clean, room by room.
Each morning
- Make beds, wipe bathroom counters (with anti-bacterial spray or bleach and water (50/50).
- wash breakfast dishes or empty the dishwasher, and do a load of laundry.
Each evening
- Wash the dishes or load the dishwasher,
- wipe kitchen counters with spray (as above),
- take out trash,
-sweep or vacuum floors, and declutter with a basket (use a laundry basket to pick up things that are out of place, then put them away.) 2.
Cleaning Shortcuts from Heloise
* Wipe up spills in the refrigerator as soon as you notice them. Toss anything that is beyond it's expiration date or is spoiled.
* Clean children's plastic toys with a towel moistened with rubbing alcohol.
* Presort laundry items into baskets. Clear the lint filter after each dryer load.
* Dust and quick clean one room every day.
EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS
Exercise is an important part of staying healthy. Watching TV, playing video games or sitting in a chair will not develop the stamina needed for good health!
Adults need at least 30 minutes a day of physical activity. Children need a lot of time to exercise and develop their muscles and bones.
* People who live active lives feel better and live longer.
* Exercise helps you maintain a Healthy weight.
* Exercise can delay or prevent some diseases such as diabetes, some cancers and heart problems.
Find the right exercise for you and your family. If it's something you enjoy, you are more likely to stay motivated (sports, walking, jogging, swimming, biking, etc.).
SLEEPING AND REST
Getting a good nights sleep is essential to good health. Not getting enough sleep causes mental, emotional and physical fatigue. Sleep deprivation can lead to irritability, an impaired immune system, symptoms similar to ADHD, and decreased reaction time. Children need more sleep in order to develop and function properly.
* A newborn requires up to 18 hours a day.
* A child one year old requires 14-18 hours.
* A child two to five years old requires 11-15 hours.
* A child six years through adolescence requires 9-11 hours.
* Adults require 7-8 hours a day.
GOOD NUTRITION
Good food habits are the foundation for a healthy body. Serve a variety of foods to insure that your family receives the nutrients needed to keep bodies healthy. When it's snack time, give your family nutritious snacks such as: fruit or fruit juices, vegetables, cheese, crackers, or meat slices.
Eat food from each food group daily for a well-balanced diet.
Milk group - 2-3 servings.
* Milk, yogurt and cheese are high in protein and calcium. These are important vitamins and minerals needed to build strong bones and teeth.
Meat Group - 2-3 servings.
* Meat, poultry, fish and eggs provide protein, B vitamins, and minerals that are essential to develop muscles, bones, and blood vessels.
Fruits and Vegetables Group - 5+ servings.
* These foods give you vitamins, minerals, and fiber with few calories. Vitamin C helps resist infection and heal wounds, and Vitamin A helps to keep the digestive tract healthy.
Bread and Cereal Group - 6-11 servings.
* These are high in B vitamins, iron and fiber to help the body obtain energy from food, use oxygen and metabolize.
Fat, Oils and Sweets Group - Servings from this group should be limited.
UNHEALTHY HABITS IMPORTANT TO BREAK
* Smoking - Half a million Americans die each year from smoking-related health conditions. Smoking decreases lung capacity for healthy exercise.
* Being a worry wart - If you have a problem, try to solve it. If it can't be solved, forget it. Worrying won't help.
* Overtime work - Overworked Americans have doubled in the last 20 years. Quality time for yourself and your family its important for healthy relationships.
* Alcohol and drugs - They deaden the ability to think and decide clearly.
HEALTHY AND WHOLESOME SEXUALITY
We have been blessed with an abundance of simple pleasures: sunshine and sunsets, brilliant flowers and cool water on a hot day. Sexual relationships, however, are complex pleasures because they involve the life of another person in a holistic way: physical, mental, spiritual and emotional. Above all, sexual behaviors produce new life. Faith affirms that life is a sacred gift from God.
The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention confirms that more than 65 million people in the USA have an incurable sexually transmitted infection (STI). Many STI's result in tubal pregnancies and infertility, cancer, or severe damage to body organs. Be aware of the consequences if you fail to limit your sexual partners to one mutually monogamous healthy relationship. Protect your sexual health.
PREVENTIVE CARE REDUCES ILLNESS
While we are the first line of defense in protecting out health and the health of our families, community health clinics and family physicians are essential in helping us protect our health and wellness.
Annual visits to our doctor provide preventive care through immunizations and screening of cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, and hearing, vision, breast exams and other exams.
Keep a file and record for each family member of dates of immunization, major illness and surgeries and the names of doctors who helped with each for future reference.
CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD
Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love;
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Psalms 51:1-2,7,10-12
References:
1. Kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=Kid...
2. www.organizeforfree.com/2012/05/09free-house-cleaning-printout/
Showing posts with label healthy sexuality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy sexuality. Show all posts
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Keys to Healthy and Loving Family Relationships: Session 4. Parenting Your Children
Happy and healthy family relationships grow from decisions to work through all the problems of life in a constructive and loving way. The materials provided here may be used to guide discussion and consideration for a 50-60 minute parenting class to help parents grow into strong, supportive and loving mentors for their children.
"Being a good parent today is a real challenge.
Here are some tips to help you create a loving relationship with your kids and still set and enforce the limits they need. 1.
* When children misbehave, let them know that you dislike what they did but not who they are.
* Rewarding good behavior is more effective than punishing misbehavior.
* Try to 'catch' your children being good. Be generous with your praise.
* Punishment should be used to help teach children about the consequences of their behavior...Never punish in anger.
* Setting a good example is the best way to teach your children how you want them to behave.
* Physical punishment teaches a child that hitting is okay.
* Words hurt. If you tell children they are stupid or lazy they will grow up believing that.
* Make it a habit to spend time together. For example, make bedtime into story time and read together."
Communication is More Than Words. 2.
There are five important goals in communicating with your children.
1. The first goal is to communicate "I love you.".
No one can do this like a parent. Children understand that we love them when we use more kind words than criticism, when we give them pats, smiles, and hugs and treat them with respect.
2. We need to communicate "You can talk to me and I will listen."
They understand this when we listen to their feelings without disapproval.
3. A third communication goal is "You are strong. I believe in your abilities."
When we encourage and support their efforts and celebrate their successes, even the small ones, they learn to have faith in their ability.
4. We need to communicate "You are responsible."
Children must learn to recognize the connection between their actions and their consequences. Protecting children from their mistakes will not build character.
5. We need to communicate, " I, your parent, am the boss. I care too much for you to allow you to misbehave. I will set limits and I expect you to listen to me."
Children will test the limits, but when they know where the limits are, they feel safe and secure.
Teach Your Children to Manage Money.
Teach them how to separate needs from wants,
how to save,
how to invest, and
how to share with others.
Allow them to manage money through an allowance or money earned from small jobs. Give them guidelines and allow them to make decisions.
Talk to Your Children About Alcohol and Drugs. 3.
* Make sure children understand the dangers and problems of alcohol and other drug use.
* Learn to really listen. Keep the lines of communication open.
* Help children develop strong values. This will give them the courage to make decisions based on facts rather than pressure.
* Be a good role model. Children are aware of their parent's habits.
* Help children deal with peer pressure. They may need skills to resist pressure from their friends.
* Set firm rules about drinking and other drug use. Family rules should be clear and consistent.
Marriage or Living Together - Does is Really Matter?
Living arrangements have changed dramatically. In 1970 1 million people lived together outside of marriage. By 2000 this number increased to 11 million. Some have no intention to get married. Others see living together as a trial marriage.
Children are born into these arrangements. Having a child is a lifetime commitment to support and care for this person throughout his or her life. Children deserve and need the love and support of both of their parents.
In planning for the well-being of children and family, it is important to consider all the information that will support a healthy lifestyle.
Conclusions from social science overwhelmingly show that a commitment to marriage: 4.
* increases the likelihood that both fathers and mothers have a good relationship with their children,
* reduces poverty and material hardship for women and children,
* is associated with lower rates of alcohol and substance abuse,
* is associated with better health and lower rates of injury, illness, and disability,
* reduces the risk of delinquent and criminal behavior, especially for boys,
* reduces the risk of child abuse,
* increases the ability of children to do well in school.
Including Dad in Parenting: Fathers are important too. 5.
With 40% of children now born out of wedlock, many men are failing to experience the important role of fatherhood and many children are growing up without a father for support, nurture and protection. An effective father supports and cares for his children's mother.
Fatherhood is the most important role for men because it helps them become pro social. Our schools, churches and community centers need to provide learning opportunities to help young men become responsible fathers for their families.
Teaching your Children Healthy Sexuality 6.
Healthy sexuality is about encouraging wholesome relationships and attitudes. The popular culture teaches that sex is about sexual desires. We want out children to have God-honoring attitudes about human sexuality. We should start conversations when our children are young.
For 3-5 year olds the theme is God created boys and girls and moms and dads and God wants us to honor Him with our bodies. We need to bring up personal safety issues and what is proper and inappropriate touch from others.
Ages 6-9 is a stage when kids are curious. Answer their question "Where do babies come from?" Introduce basic anatomy and how God is a part of families.
The Purity Code is the important message for ages 10-13 with the message that our bodies are gifts from God to be used in obedience to Him. Address guy/girl relationships, pornography, cultural influences, peer pressure, modesty and flirting.
For ages 14-18 conversations take place on dating, setting standards, sexual abuse, how far is too far, respecting sexuality, drugs, alcohol, partying and sexual integrity decisions. No conversation should be off limits for parents.
Raising Your Kids to Love the Lord. 7.
Start Children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.
"We can model true faith and continually pray that God will transform their hearts... The most powerful word is prayer...Praying with your children and for them. Praying in times of crisis and moments of celebration. Praying for no reason at all other than to thank God for his Goodness. Letting them hear you pray. Teaching them by example."
Get in the habit of telling them Bible stories at bedtime. Let that motivate you to learn the Bible along with them. Your young children will ponder the power of God as they fall asleep.
References:
1. Texas Coalition for the Prevention of Child Abuse. 11940 Jollyville Road, #395N, Austin, TX 78759.
2. Gibson, Elaine. "Communication is more than words." Bryan-College Station Eagle. Oct. 21, 1990.
3. Brochure: Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
4. Institute for American Values. Why Marriage Matters, Second Edition: Twenty-Six Conclusions from the Social Sciences. New York, NY: 2005:10-11.
5. Blankenhorn, David. Fatherless America: Confronting Our Most Urgent Social Problem. Harper. 1995:5.
6. Burns, Jim. Teaching Your Children Healthy Sexuality. Bethany House. 2008.
7. Stone, Dave. Raising Your Kids to Love the Lord. Thomas Nelson Co. 2012.
"Being a good parent today is a real challenge.
Here are some tips to help you create a loving relationship with your kids and still set and enforce the limits they need. 1.
* When children misbehave, let them know that you dislike what they did but not who they are.
* Rewarding good behavior is more effective than punishing misbehavior.
* Try to 'catch' your children being good. Be generous with your praise.
* Punishment should be used to help teach children about the consequences of their behavior...Never punish in anger.
* Setting a good example is the best way to teach your children how you want them to behave.
* Physical punishment teaches a child that hitting is okay.
* Words hurt. If you tell children they are stupid or lazy they will grow up believing that.
* Make it a habit to spend time together. For example, make bedtime into story time and read together."
Communication is More Than Words. 2.
There are five important goals in communicating with your children.
1. The first goal is to communicate "I love you.".
No one can do this like a parent. Children understand that we love them when we use more kind words than criticism, when we give them pats, smiles, and hugs and treat them with respect.
2. We need to communicate "You can talk to me and I will listen."
They understand this when we listen to their feelings without disapproval.
3. A third communication goal is "You are strong. I believe in your abilities."
When we encourage and support their efforts and celebrate their successes, even the small ones, they learn to have faith in their ability.
4. We need to communicate "You are responsible."
Children must learn to recognize the connection between their actions and their consequences. Protecting children from their mistakes will not build character.
5. We need to communicate, " I, your parent, am the boss. I care too much for you to allow you to misbehave. I will set limits and I expect you to listen to me."
Children will test the limits, but when they know where the limits are, they feel safe and secure.
Teach Your Children to Manage Money.
Teach them how to separate needs from wants,
how to save,
how to invest, and
how to share with others.
Allow them to manage money through an allowance or money earned from small jobs. Give them guidelines and allow them to make decisions.
Talk to Your Children About Alcohol and Drugs. 3.
* Make sure children understand the dangers and problems of alcohol and other drug use.
* Learn to really listen. Keep the lines of communication open.
* Help children develop strong values. This will give them the courage to make decisions based on facts rather than pressure.
* Be a good role model. Children are aware of their parent's habits.
* Help children deal with peer pressure. They may need skills to resist pressure from their friends.
* Set firm rules about drinking and other drug use. Family rules should be clear and consistent.
Marriage or Living Together - Does is Really Matter?
Living arrangements have changed dramatically. In 1970 1 million people lived together outside of marriage. By 2000 this number increased to 11 million. Some have no intention to get married. Others see living together as a trial marriage.
Children are born into these arrangements. Having a child is a lifetime commitment to support and care for this person throughout his or her life. Children deserve and need the love and support of both of their parents.
In planning for the well-being of children and family, it is important to consider all the information that will support a healthy lifestyle.
Conclusions from social science overwhelmingly show that a commitment to marriage: 4.
* increases the likelihood that both fathers and mothers have a good relationship with their children,
* reduces poverty and material hardship for women and children,
* is associated with lower rates of alcohol and substance abuse,
* is associated with better health and lower rates of injury, illness, and disability,
* reduces the risk of delinquent and criminal behavior, especially for boys,
* reduces the risk of child abuse,
* increases the ability of children to do well in school.
Including Dad in Parenting: Fathers are important too. 5.
With 40% of children now born out of wedlock, many men are failing to experience the important role of fatherhood and many children are growing up without a father for support, nurture and protection. An effective father supports and cares for his children's mother.
Fatherhood is the most important role for men because it helps them become pro social. Our schools, churches and community centers need to provide learning opportunities to help young men become responsible fathers for their families.
Teaching your Children Healthy Sexuality 6.
Healthy sexuality is about encouraging wholesome relationships and attitudes. The popular culture teaches that sex is about sexual desires. We want out children to have God-honoring attitudes about human sexuality. We should start conversations when our children are young.
For 3-5 year olds the theme is God created boys and girls and moms and dads and God wants us to honor Him with our bodies. We need to bring up personal safety issues and what is proper and inappropriate touch from others.
Ages 6-9 is a stage when kids are curious. Answer their question "Where do babies come from?" Introduce basic anatomy and how God is a part of families.
The Purity Code is the important message for ages 10-13 with the message that our bodies are gifts from God to be used in obedience to Him. Address guy/girl relationships, pornography, cultural influences, peer pressure, modesty and flirting.
For ages 14-18 conversations take place on dating, setting standards, sexual abuse, how far is too far, respecting sexuality, drugs, alcohol, partying and sexual integrity decisions. No conversation should be off limits for parents.
Raising Your Kids to Love the Lord. 7.
Start Children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.
"We can model true faith and continually pray that God will transform their hearts... The most powerful word is prayer...Praying with your children and for them. Praying in times of crisis and moments of celebration. Praying for no reason at all other than to thank God for his Goodness. Letting them hear you pray. Teaching them by example."
Get in the habit of telling them Bible stories at bedtime. Let that motivate you to learn the Bible along with them. Your young children will ponder the power of God as they fall asleep.
References:
1. Texas Coalition for the Prevention of Child Abuse. 11940 Jollyville Road, #395N, Austin, TX 78759.
2. Gibson, Elaine. "Communication is more than words." Bryan-College Station Eagle. Oct. 21, 1990.
3. Brochure: Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
4. Institute for American Values. Why Marriage Matters, Second Edition: Twenty-Six Conclusions from the Social Sciences. New York, NY: 2005:10-11.
5. Blankenhorn, David. Fatherless America: Confronting Our Most Urgent Social Problem. Harper. 1995:5.
6. Burns, Jim. Teaching Your Children Healthy Sexuality. Bethany House. 2008.
7. Stone, Dave. Raising Your Kids to Love the Lord. Thomas Nelson Co. 2012.
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