Tag Archives: burn

Caution, Items in Sun Get Hot

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Summer is quickly approaching and the sun’s heat can be very intense. When we take our toddlers outside to play, we have to exercise caution against many things. We put sun block on our little ones so they don’t get burned. We bring plenty of fluids so they don’t get dehydrated and we try to keep our little ones out of as much direct sunlight as we can. What precautions are we taking at the playground? There aren’t any reminders that playground equipment gets hot. Even if the playground is not in direct sunlight, heat will permeate surfaces. We wish … Continue reading →

Finding the Chill

It’s been a busy few days. Let me rephrase that: it’s been an insanely busy few days. It’s been so busy that we’ve barely been able to function. Well, all right, my daughter went to her grandparents’ house today while I worked a 12+ hour day, so her day went well. This morning I was in a foul mood. I was feeling sick and I was not looking forward to said 12 hour day. However, I thought back to yesterday. It was also a busy day (see a pattern here), but for a brief moment my daughter and I stopped … Continue reading →

I’ll Do It Tomorrow

I went outside this morning for the first time this week. You might think that going three days without ever leaving the apartment is crazy, but there have been weeks this winter when we haven’t ventured out. It’s a beautiful, sunny day, and if I wasn’t able to look at the temperature or see the snow, I’d think it was spring. The sky is blue, there’s a breeze rustling through the trees, and I can hear the mellow clanging of our neighbors’ wind chimes. Sure, I could bundle my baby up and take her for a walk in the stroller. … Continue reading →

Why Walk With Your Baby?

Today was a walking day. We walked and we walked, my four-year-old and I. We’re walking sorts of people. Yes, sometimes we complain, and often we get wet, but we walk everywhere. Here’s why: When you have a baby, walking helps keep you fit. It’s a gentle way to get leg and pelvic muscles into shape again. You can walk quickly or you can walk slowly, you can walk for a long time or a short time. It is the perfect exercise, and you don’t need a gym membership to do it. Walking keeps you sane. When you’re sleep deprived … Continue reading →

Creating a Quiet Space

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a quiet space where you could just relax and be zen? A place where kids, animals and the outside world don’t come near? If you have a home of any kind, you can create that quiet space as your own personal retreat. Here are some ideas. Pick out a quiet corner and make it your own. You might choose to turn the space under the stairs into a nook or just grab a corner of your bedroom to turn into a retreat. Another nice spot for a secret space is a large stair landing. … Continue reading →

My Experience with Hypnotherapy

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I was at a writing retreat in March 2007 in the Quinault rainforest in Washington State. Four days of nothing but rain and writing — no cell phone service and no internet. It was heavenly! (And productive — I wrote ten thousand words on a novel over the long weekend.) One of the writers there was a licensed hypnotherapist. While we were both taking a break from writing, he offered to hypnotize me. I’d never been hypnotized before, and said so. We chatted for a few minutes about what hypnotherapy could do, and how it worked. Curious, I agreed to … Continue reading →

How Can we Make Evenings More Relaxing?

For many single parent families, evenings can be incredibly hectic. When my children were younger, it was a toss-up between crazy mornings and hectic evenings, but over time, I developed some strategies for making at least some evenings more relaxing and less chaotic. I think carving out a more relaxing evening takes both planning and letting go. Prioritize what absolutely has to happen and then see if you can figure out a workable way to do it. Does everything have to happen before dinner? Can you spread things out to make room for more casual connections with your kids? How … Continue reading →

Telling Them What to Do with Their Leisure Time

How in control do you have to be as a parent? How much “say” are you trying to have with your children? Are you someone who is pretty laid back, or do you have your family life scheduled and everyone has their own copy of the activities calendar? Regardless of how fabulously organized you are, it might be worthwhile to think about letting go a bit on the leisure time and allowing your children to have some completely unstructured time to do “their own thing”… Sure, it might seem like your kids are “wasting time” or doing something silly and … Continue reading →

The Importance of Relaxation

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Stress can kill a diet. If you’re a stress eater or a carboholic, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You may have the best of intentions but a bad day hits and, try as you might, there just are not enough Oreos in the world to eliminate the stress in your life. If you are serious about losing weight, you need to get serious about your relaxation. Some activities that may help you relax: Exercise You may be thinking that knocking yourself out like a hamster on a treadmill is the furthest thing from relaxation but, believe it or … Continue reading →

Instant Meditation

If you’d like to try meditation but aren’t sure how to start, here are some quick and easy tips for meditation on the go. Basic meditation in a quiet place: sit or lay in a quiet room without distractions like television or radio. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Breathe slowly and steadily — count to three or four on each inhale and exhale. Basic meditation with a mantra: sit or lay in a quiet room without distractions. Close your eyes and repeat your mantra — a short phrase, word, or sound — on each inhale and exhale. … Continue reading →