July 2003

Welcome to the July issue of Your Healthy Life, and happy Independence Day!

This is a good month to focus on family, as indicated by the selected health observances. For example, note the National March of Dimes Mothers March—Summer Campaign—July/August. For more information, visit www.marchofdimes.com.

In case we need to be reminded about the perils of drinking and driving, July 1-4 is the "You Drink & Drive, You Lose" Mobilization. Find out more at www.marchofdimes.com.

July 28 is National Parents' Day. According to the National Parents' Day Council, commitment to family is an essential core value that may be increasingly compromised as our nation struggles with effects of family breakdown, youth violence, and a host of other critical problems. This organization calls for a re-examination of our priorities and fundamental values, pointing out that we may too often let other concerns take precedence over our responsibilities as parents. As the National Parents Day Council reminds us, Parents' Day provides an opportunity to recognize and promote nurturing parenting as a central vocation for our families and communities.

More than just a time to celebrate, it is an occasion to make a statement about what is important in our society. It is a chance to create a positive tradition based on a core axiom—that the role of parents is crucial in the nurturing and development of children, and thus requires investment, focus, and commitment. To learn more, go to www.parentsday.com

Cheers and wellness, and kudos to nurturing parents everywhere!

I encourage your questions and comments. Letting us know that this newsletter adds value to your life supports its continued production. I look forward to hearing from you at kiki@aboutnhs.com.

Do you have ten minutes to find out?

For July event information, please call Kiki Powers at 408.364.9742 or e-mail kiki@aboutnhs.com.

According to Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D, you can go a long way to instilling tolerance and respect in your young children by:

Making them feel special, safe, and loved. Be lavish with praise. A child learns to love. Creating learning opportunities. Expose your child to new places, people and cultures. Explore together a variety of perspectives through books, songs, foods, cultural events, and celebrations. Intervening when you see or hear intolerant behavior. Help your child find healthy ways to interact with others without being punitive. Using positive comments to shape behavior. Avoid giving instructions using the words "no" or "don't do that." Offering helpful alternatives, like "be kind to animals" will be more productive. Modeling tolerance and respect. Your child will learn to reach out and be sensitive and respectful of others by watching how you discuss, relate to, and value other people.

“When children are encouraged to observe and make connections,
evaluate their theories and ideas, and communicate their discoveries to you,
they are thinking critically. This is not only a source of pleasure to them,
but also the key to the academic work they will encounter in years to come.
Schoolwork tends to be easier for kids whose first teachers were their parents.”

~ Mary S. Rivkin, Ph.D. ~

“There is only one trick to raising a mentally healthy child:
a loving, nurturing, and mutually respectful relationship between you and your child.”

~ Dr. Benjamin Spock, M.D. ~

“While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it more fully in your heart.”

~ Saint Francis of Assisi ~