Month: January 2011

The Importance of Family Meals

By Mariana Rossano
marianaRossanoCooking healthy meals requires a huge time commitment. It can be nearly impossible to keep up with everyone’s schedules. Most people would agree that time constraints on family time have become the norm. The world has changed since we were kids, and most moms don’t have the luxury to stay home and take the time to prepare healthy meals for the family.

One of the most important benefits to family meals is good nutrition. A balanced diet will help your child grow up healthy, and family meals are a great way to establish good eating habits. Family meals are much more than a time for kids to sit at the same table with siblings and parents. Kids take comfort in the family dinner ritual, and eating dinner together on a regular basis is a routine they can count on. (more…)

A Meaningful Valentine’s Day

Tips on how to make Valentine’s Day fulfill your expectations.

By Samara Fabrick, LCSW
samaraSo you’ve made it through the holidays. Your extended family has gone home; expectations, disappointments, fun and frolic are behind you. Just when you thought you could relax, BAM, here comes Valentine’s Day. For many of us Valentine’s Day is a chance to sit down with our kids to make cards for their classmates, think of fun ways to surprise our honey or have an excuse to eat that box of chocolates. However, for many Valentine’s Day is another opportunity to have a million expectations that are so often dashed by our clueless spouses and our inability to express our wants. Here are a few suggestions to make sure that your Valentine’s Day is a happy one filled with whatever your heart desires. (more…)

Valentine’s Day Treats

By Catherine McCord
blood orange granitaI’m a total sucker for holidays. I love decorating, baking, and doing things as a family that reflect the happy spirit of whatever the holiday is for. Valentine’s Day always was THE Hallmark holiday to me, but now that I have kids, I have a whole new perspective on it and it’s even more fun celebrating love. (more…)

Choosing a Summer Camp

How to plan a summer they’ll talk about all year long.
By Jill Levin

summerNext summer may seem far away, but before you realize it, it will be June and your kids will be out of school. NOW is the time to start thinking about choosing a summer camp for your child. Summer camps help children develop new interests, choose a new direction and make lifelong friends. How do parents decide which is the right program for their child? Here are a few guidelines to help you make a wise choice. (more…)

Check Your Kids’ Feet Before Returning to School

Simple At-home Checks Help Spot Foot Problems

By Dr. P. Benjamin Nikravesh DPM, DABPOPPM, DABPS

Before returning to school after the winter break, Dr. Nikravesh, a local member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, recommends that parents take five minutes at home to check for signs of possible foot disorders that could prevent active children from participating in sports and other activities. (more…)

Cardio Tennis is the Workout of 2011

By Chris Ojakian
cardioThere comes a time in every gym-goer’s life when she feels the need to shake up her routine. Shuffle the deck. Take a break from the hamster wheel-like doldrums of the treadmill and elliptical machines. The answer to the workout blahs just may lie in a round of cardio tennis — a brilliant blend of cardio class, tennis camp, and the most enjoyable PE class you ever had. Cardio tennis gives you all the heart-pumping workout and the wacky satisfaction of a real tennis game — except that it’s OK if you’re truly terrible and have more chance of hitting the lottery jackpot than hitting the ball. (more…)