Spring into summer wellness!

During the month of May take the stairs, eat more greens and laugh until your belly hurts! Get in gear for a healthy summer with activities and tips to make this Family Wellness month, one to remember!

Dedicate the next 30 days to bettering your family’s mental, physical and emotional health by putting some of these practices into play:

• Family Fueled Foods– Share the kitchen counters with the family and allow for each member of the clan to create something they like to eat. Each week this month, pick one healthy and versatile ingredient that can be cooked in a number of ways. Whoever incorporates the most vegetables in their dish, along with the special ingredient, wins! This will encourage kids to put their thinking caps on and challenge one another in a healthy environment. The results are both delicious and rewarding! Winner doesn’t have to do chores for an entire week!
  
• Take it outside! – Explore new hiking trails; enter the family as a team in a race or mud run; plant a vegetable tree or two to promote preservative-free eating, and enjoy the sunshine safely!  Keep travel-size sunblock in the car for touch-ups in between outdoor activities and extra hats for unexpectedly hot days. Check to see if your make-up contains SPF protection.
  
• Make time to travel – Weekend trips to favorite vacation locations are always welcome by the family, but you’ve been there and done that! The exploration of new places and faces helps build family bonding.  Ask the family to name an activity they’d like to try or a place they’re interesting in visiting. Once you’ve collected your feedback, craft a three-day weekend that embodies all they want and more! Show your family their opinions do matter and that you are all able to work together to make the best memories possible!  Remember to schedule surprises along the way…

Implement these lifestyle habits 365 days a year and make every month Family Wellness month in your home.

“Mom, I’ll do it later!”

Everyone is guilty of pushing the “To Do List” to the side from time to time and opting for more pacifying tasks that don’t require as much effort and attention.  But it’s when we take the occasional “I’ll do it later” too far that we find ourselves in deep waters and far from shore.

Children often experience the “stalling” syndrome when it’s time for homework or help around the house. While procrastination is brushed off as just a phase, it can be a very somber issue that could need adult attention before it turns into a bad habit.

Easy steps to help your child manage their procrastination habits:

Family Desk Work – Designate a shared working space within the home. If you have a larger family, the kitchen table may be the best place to spread out the books and get to work! When it’s time for homework, sit down at the table while your children tend to their homework and pay bills, write letters, keep them company while getting some of your own work done.

Chores Chart – Children enjoy having their name on display for everyone to see; especially when they are being recognized for a job well done. Put together a chores chart that includes everyone in the family – mom, dad, and siblings- no one is excluded. List the necessary chores across the top and rotate the responsibilities amongst the family members. Pictures help with younger members of the family. If possible, include a snapshot of how the room should look after it’s clean and put together.
Apply a grading system. Maybe a Gold Star is an (A), Silver Star a (B) and Red Star a (B-). Whatever measure of grading you decide to work with, be sure that it is never discouraging. Offer a “notes” section with suggestions on how to help them get an (A) next time.

Clear Priorities – If we want our children to adopt good habits, we have to reinforce them on a daily basis. Help your children set and prioritize their daily goals. Lay it all out for them and discuss each project one by one and the steps they need to take in order to achieve them. Factor in how long it should take them to complete each task and what resources they will need. Keep the expectations realistic and equip them with directions and examples (when applicable).

Positive Reinforcement – Once you’ve put the priorities list together, keep it close to them and offer high fives, words of congratulation and praise each time they cross an item off the list. Remind them of how great they feel when they meet their deadlines and for not giving into procrastination.

Exercise. Exercise. Exercise! – Be sure that your child is getting enough physical activity. A child that isn’t physically active is more likely to be sluggish at home and school. Daily physical activity improves attention and concentration. It boosts endorphins and acts as an anti-depressant. Exercise assists with natural productivity; once you’ve started, you won’t want to stop until whatever you have to do gets done!

After a child experiences the satisfaction of setting and attaining personal goals, they will stray away from lazy behavior and learn how to apply structure and order in all aspects of their life for years to come.

“Get YOUR plate into shape”- National Nutrition Month

Every March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates National Nutrition Month® with the effort to highlight the benefits of making informed food choices, while developing solid eating and exercise habits.

As parents, we’re all familiar with the struggles of getting our children (from toddlers to teens) to opt for eating more green veggies instead of artificially colored snacks.  Although trying, smart eating is possible and PRO Martial Arts has four easy strategies to help get your family’s plate in shape this March!

Meal Time is Family Time – Allotting time for kin to sit and discuss daily accomplishments, troubles and goals brings comfort to both adults and children by reinforces the support system. A strong foundation is essential for developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Portions and Positioning– Sit down meals also offer parents a platform to introduce new foods to the family. Swap the larger serving bowls that are usually reserved for heavier side dishes of rice, potatoes and pastas for smaller dishes, and pack the larger plates with mixed vegetables. Kids will take less of the heavier options and are more likely to try something different.

Don’t Fight it. Fix it- Bargaining or bribing kids to choose fruit over cookies will get you nowhere fast. Instead, listen to what they don’t like; the solution could be as simple as switching up a preparation or cooking method to get them to change their mind. Grant your children some control over which healthy options they do want to eat and build from there.

Find Fun Foods – Healthy eating can stabilize children’s energy, sharpen their minds, and balance their moods. While the lure for junk food can make getting kids to eat well seem impossible, we have five creative treat suggestions that are guaranteed to be a success:

• Peel a banana and dip it in yogurt. Roll in (low-sugar) crushed cereal and freeze. Great for a summer day treat!

• Stuff a whole grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and Granny Smith apple slices. Add a dash of cinnamon. Breakfast CAN be quick and easy.

• Ants on a log!  Spread celery sticks with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese. Top with raisins or nuts. A suitable crunchy snack for tv watching.

• Snack kabobs! Put cubes of low-fat cheese and grapes on pretzel sticks. Good for a pre or post game snack!

• Rocky Road: Break a graham cracker into bite-size pieces. Add to low-fat chocolate pudding along with a few miniature marshmallows. Satisfies the sweet tooth without packing pounds.

Remember, eating habits are learned behaviors, not intuitive. What your children learn to eat at home early in life stays with them well into adulthood and into their own parenting skills. Help build a healthier lifestyle for you, your children and loved ones to come!

“Do as I Do” – National Parent Leadership Month

After we ring in the New Year, department stores prepare to line their shelves with teddy bears, chocolates and sweetheart candies. Our agenda books come with a built-in-reminder to pick up heart-shaped lollipops and a special little something for the loved ones on February 14^th.

In addition to Valentine’s Day, February brings you 28 opportunities (sometimes 29) to give your children more than just a bag of goodies to show them they’re special.

February is National Parent Leadership month. Twenty-eight days to provide solid examples of positive and productive behavior for the little feet and toes that follow you around; looking up to your every move and word.

We asked some PRO Martial Arts parents what they try to be mindful of on a daily basis to set the tone in their household:

– “Remember to say Please and Thank You TO your children. They will know to extend the words of kindness in their daily conversations,”

– “When you get home, put your purse, keys and coat away too. You can’t expect the kitchen island to stay book bag free if mom’s coffee cup and makeup bag are already taking up real estate.”

– “At sporting events, mind your language and your attitude toward the opposing team. Hate language breeds hate language and child never forget.”

– “When your kids are in a tiff, never enforce a punishment without first taking them aside to get to the root of the problem. Children need to know their parents will listen to them. They have to recognize that there are always two sides to every story. This will teach them to consider others feelings and find comfort in knowing theirs matter too.”

What have you said or done in front of your little ones today?

National Handwashing Awareness Month

Our core curriculum at PRO Martial Arts teaches fundamental characteristics that are valuable to shape students. PRO Martial Arts teaches the importance of Respect, Attitude, Discipline, Manners and Confidence with supporting martial arts techniques. Part of our curriculum includes treating yourself and the people around you with respect, living a healthy lifestyle and taking care of yourself! Sometimes, these acts aren’t easy to do, so applying discipline to make good decisions is key.

Among all the many things we celebrate in December, it’s also National Handwashing Awareness Month. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most important thing that we can do to prevent getting sick is simply washing our hands, but this can be a tough one for kids to remember.

How can students apply the principles taught at PRO Martial Arts? Use discipline to consistently wash your hands when necessary and respect your healthy body – and those around you – enough to stay clean and germ free!

Let’s respect ourselves and those we care about by washing our hands consistently and properly! It might take a little discipline, but it’s worth it. After all, nobody wants to spend the holidays in bed with the cold or flu. Right?

Have a Safe and Merry Little Kickmas

‘Tis the season for family, friends, holiday parties and lots of gift giving! Finding the perfect gifts for kids isn’t easy to do. We second guess ourselves and question if the gift is:

• Age appropriate?
• Safe?
• Educational?
• Fun?
• Pricey?
• Cool?

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recommendations for safe toys include reading all warnings and instructions on the packaging and avoiding purchasing toys with sharp or rigid points, spikes, rods, or dangerous edges. In fact, December is also Safe Toys and Gifts Month, as deemed by Prevent Blindness America to help avert countless accidents and injuries and to keep the holidays full of joy!

But, if you’re looking for something out-of-the-box (pun intended), consider a membership or gift certificate to PRO Martial Arts! We offer martial arts lessons for all ages, starting at 3 and up, and even for adults.

Students acquire more than just Black Belt kicking and punching skills: they learn the value of a Black Belt Lifestyle, a lifestyle of quiet confidence, poise and fulfillment. PRO Martial Arts students are taught how to set and attain goals, be their own greatest advocates and proactively pursue and achieve success in all aspects of life. Is there a better gift than that?

Call or stop by your local PRO Martial Arts and give the gift of confidence, health and FUN. It will be a Merry Kickmas to remember for sure!

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