It’s Canada’s 150th Birthday and Participaction is celebrating by encouraging Canadians to get healthy by taking part in the 150 Play List. The 150 Play List is comprised of 150 fun and truly Canadian activities you are encouraged to try this year. Visit the Participaction website to sign-up, track your activities, earn rewards and more.
“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” Michael J. Fox
Next Monday, February 20th is Family Day in many provinces across Canada. Family Day is a great reminder to take time to spend quality moments with those who matter most.
Take a look at our Top 10 Suggestions For Fun Family Day Activities:
According to The Canadian Mental Health Association “it is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder – the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide.” Parents can often easily identify and seek help for physical problems in their children, but mental illness can be harder to recognize. The following from Psychology Today provides changes and signs to watch for, and advice on how to seek help for a child.
Psychology Today: 13 Concerning Signs of Mental Illness in a Child
Selifies are everywhere! In fact, they are now even in the Oxford Dictionary which defines the term ‘selfie’ as: “ a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media.”
Why are selfies so popular? Why do we post them? Some find them narcissistic, others simply a means of creative expression. Many, especially young millennials, find them fun to do. With their dominance on social media people are starting to wonder what motivates people to take a selfie and what impact posting one has on self-esteem?
The following from CNN discusses conflicting studies on whether posting selfies is good or harmful to your self-esteem. Check it out here and let us know what you think– To selfie or not to selfie?
CNN: Selfies hurt self-esteem. No, they help. Scientists can’t make up their minds
During the winter months kids, and adults, tend to be less active as we are often kept inside sheltered from the cold and harsh weather. Keeping active is necessary for your body and mind and can help to ward off Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and the winter blues. Though many activities do exist, it can often be difficult to find suitable activities for children with disabilities. The Canadian Paralympic Committee has launched a site to help families, educators and medical professionals locate activity plans and providers in their area for children with disabilities. Check it out today!
Occupational therapists often help to address the common issue of picky eating. An important strategy used to help expand a child’s food repertoire and make mealtime more enjoyable is to remove the pressure! All meal time experiences should be kept positive to allow for the development of a positive association with food. Keep meal time playful and fun with no coercion or pressure to consume anything and this positive meal time environment will create the necessary foundation for food exploration.
The following article written by Casey Seidenberg, a Mother and Nutrition Counsellor, discusses how lifting the pressure worked for her family. Check it out here and learn more of her secrets to success!
Independent: Why you shouldn’t lecture your children about healthy eating
Learn more about resolving the picky eating problem in our informative OT-V Video: Solutions For Picky Eaters.
A recent survey suggests that 45% of Canadians believe children with disabilities lead less fulfilling lives. However, this is certainly not the case. While there may be increased struggles, families with disabled children are asking the public to change their views. Learn more in the following article from CTV News.
CTV News: Canadians urged to rethink their view of kids with disabilities
Mornings with children can be hectic… to say the least. Ensuring kids are awake on time, dressed, fed, and ready for the day, all while you are trying to get yourself to work on time, can cause a great deal of stress and set a negative tone for the day ahead.
Our FREE printable checklist will help kids become accountable for their morning routines and allow you and your family wake up on the right side of the bed each and every morning.
For more helpful tools visit our Printable Resources Page.
