Healthy Holiday Beverages
IT’S CHRISTMAS AGAIN… and Christmas time represents family, fellowship, food and fun. This year will be no different for many of us, and of course, there is always the temptation to over indulge. Children are always a big part of Christmas festivities and while we want them to have a Merry Christmas and make many memories we also want them to stay healthy. Depending on your family favourites and your holiday traditions the drinks our children will consume this Christmas will range from sorrel to hot cocoa with marshmallows, ‘chawkit’ tea and everything in between.
SORREL is a good source of Vitamin C & flavonoids, provide powerful antioxidants that helps to improve the body’s immune system
COCOA is also high in antioxidants and provides important vitamins & minerals, so drink up & enjoy.
Keep in mind the importance of good nutrition along with portion control. There is always the temptation to over- indulge when celebrating, especially with children who are free and happy. Parents need to be aware of this and make adjustments to some of our traditional recipes, for example use:
- low-fat milk or nut milk in place of whole milk in Eggnog; Ponche Creme or Cocoa Tea
- fresh fruits in place of can or bottle juices.
Portion control is also important. Use a smaller “Christmas” cup so that your child will not feel cheated. Try this trick on yourself! Offer a serving of
- 4 ozs or 1/2 cup of hot cocoa and
- 6 oz – 8 oz of sorrel
during the day depending on the age of the child.
Start a new Christmas tradition in your kitchen. Let your child help to make these two fruit smoothies It will be FUN and they will also enjoy drinking them.
Cherry Banana Smoothie
1 ripe Banana
1 cup low-fat milk or nut milk
2 maraschino cherries ( to give color & taste)
Blend, serve with crushed ice.
Sparkling Pineapple Yoghurt Smoothie
2 slices pineapple
1 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup Cherry yoghurt or ice-cream
Blend, then
Add sparking water and serve cold.
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS
From your Nutritionists: Enid & Kerry
Learn MoreYou can’t hurry love: Handling your child’s Valentine’s Day blues
Heart Hands
by Alexis Goffe
The unfortunate truth is: Valentine’s Day is not a special day of love, flowers or chocolates for everyone. What is even more unfortunate is that the negative feelings of being unloved, not special, rejected, lonely or even unattractive on Valentine’s Day can be experienced by our children. This truth can be extremely hard for children as early as prep/primary school. A guidance counsellor once told me that his granddaughter who is in Grade 2 was heard asking a male classmate, “Do you love me? It’s ok, I can handle the truth!” Being hurt knows no age; or gender for that matter. We tend to think that Valentine’s Day is a potentially challenging time for girls. However, boys are just as susceptible to these feelings as girls.
Here are four suggestions for handling your child’s experiences around Valentine’s Day:-
Listen
Find out if your child is experiencing any feelings surrounding Valentine’s Day. Do they have plans? Are they planning to ask someone to be their valentine? How are they feeling about having a valentine or not having a valentine? During this conversation, listen to your child and listen well. Give them your undivided attention and create a space for your child to be open and honest.
Offer support
Once you know the child’s thoughts and feelings surrounding Valentine’s Day, thank them for allowing you into their world. Let them know how important it is to be able to tell safe people about their feelings in good and bad times. You can do two things at this point: i) Ask them how best you can support them or ii) Ask for their permission to give them some advice.
Validate feelings
This is one of my favourites. Let your child know it is ok to feel down if they do not have a valentine. One of the best ways to normalize their feelings is to tell them a story of a time you experienced similar feelings and how you handled them. It is important not to trivialize your child’s feelings or categorize it as “being young.” Legitimize their feelings as much as possible.
Encourage family time
Times of loneliness for our children are prime opportunities to reinforce the love you have for your child. Planning family activities on Valentine’s Day can be a great way to lessen negative feelings and strengthen the family bond. Possible activities include watching a movie, having a special family dinner, playing a game, creating an arts and craft project or seeing a play.
Parents must provide an environment of love, acceptance and warmth for their children. Show them the type of love and respect you want them to expect, demand and experience in their future relationships.
We know children may want to find love and find it quick. So parents, take this opportunity to remind your child that – while they can’t hurry love, they will just have to wait and it doesn’t come easy – the love you have for them is already present and everlasting.
Alexis Goffe is a counselling psychologist at Caribbean Tots to Teens. He can be reached at alexis@caribbeantotstoteens.com
Learn MoreIntro: The Doctor’s Visit
For the beginning of 2012, we will be posting tips and advice about visits to the doctor with your child. Whether you are going to stop in at your health centre, see your family doctor or your paediatrician or visit a referred specialist for the first time, we will walk with you, and help you to be truly prepared.
The more prepared you are, the better the visit will be for everyone.
Please feel free to share your own tips and ideas, we LOVE to learn from you! You can share with us on tumblr, twitter or facebook; you can send comments via our website;
We at Caribbean Tots to Teens, want to hear from YOU.
Learn More