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Teens…Eating…Growing…Still Hungry?!

I have a little boy . . . who’s growing big — and tall. I have a little boy . . . who often said, “I’m full,” but still kept up on those growth charts — and on the playground.

I have a little boy . . . who is eating twice as much as usual and is — Still Hungry.

Oh, yah. I remember now. From all my friends. This day would come. The day my son begins eating everything in the refrigerator — and looks for more — and more. The day my grocery bill triples — each week. My predecessors with older children told me about it. And now it’s my turn. It’s just such a change — for my little boy. He eats twice as much as ever, and is…well…Still Hungry. He heads for the snack drawer. Isn’t that where all hungry teens go?

Wait, we need a different approach. Suddenly I grab the reins, realize the destiny of my reality, and refresh my thoughts toward expanding the “healthy snacks for teens” selections. If you are also in need of some “fresh” selections, here you go:

Cheese toast
Black bean dip with whole grain crackers
Hummus and pita wedges
Apple or banana slices with peanut butter and raisins
Grapes and string cheese
Popcorn mixed with dried fruits and nuts
Whole wheat English muffin with pizza sauce, veggies & mozzarella
Rice cake with peanut butter and honey
Hard-boiled egg and orange slices
Soft pretzel with mustard
Apple slices dipped in yogurt (try a little cinnamon sprinkled in vanilla yogurt)
Whole grain crackers with salsa and melted cheddar cheese
Fruit and yogurt smoothie

Happy, Healthy Eating . . . and Growing . . . and see you at the grocery store . . .

Honoring Martin Luther King

Published by Terri Shearer Trenchard

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., we honor him, his tireless Dream, and his long-lasting words:

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

“I have decided to stick to love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

“The time is always right to do the right thing.”

Let us forever honor him, his Dream, and his courageous, tireless endeavors for us all to achieve it.

Turning an Awkward Moment Into a Teachable One

Published by Terri Shearer Trenchard

There we are. Sorting the laundry. My 6 year old son and me. In front of the washing machine, I’m bending down, one arm full of lights, another full of darks, as my son looks cheerfully up at me and says, “Mom?”

“Did you take that pill to have me?”

That pill? What pill is my 6 year old asking about? What has he heard? I took that deep breath. You know, that d-e-e-p breath that we all have learned to (subconsciously) take. And I said (to myself), this is BIG. Big I tell you. Take another deep breath.

I took another deep breath, and journeyed . . . breeaathe . . . from an awk-ward moment into a teachable one.

Am I really going to have this (sex?!) talk before the Santa talk with my six year old son?

Then I ran right into that teachable moment. That’s what we gotta do, we parents. We gotta run right in to their open, little, inquisitive minds and in to their thirsty little souls. Right when that door opens. Inevitably, our precious little kids will catch us – just when we least expect it – with those big, embarrassing, sensitive questions that arrive before we have prepared our parenting script.

When you see these teachable moments and that door open to your child’s inquisitive mind, run right in….as awkward or ill-prepared as you may feel. When our children ask, they are ready to listen. They are looking to us as their saviors, their leaders, their confidantes; they are giving us their trust as we are gaining their credibility.

Go there when they want to know. Answer their questions.

Now, I’m not telling you to give them the whole kit and caboodle almost R rating. But satisfy their inquiring minds. They’re counting on you. And guess what? You probably won’t need to give them as much information as you might think. Give them just enough to satisfy their burning question. Then read their non-verbal cues. They’ll tell you when they’ve had enough. And they’ll go on their way . . . knowing they can trust that when they ask, you’ll give them the truth, and you’ll give them the answers.

In case you’re wondering how I answered my son, in front of the washer that day . . . I told him that there wasn’t really a pill that I took to have him, but if there were, I certainly would have — because the day I had him was one of the happiest of my life. Then I asked him if he (eeks?!) had any more questions. “Nope, that’s it.” Whew, I thought, wiping my brow. And then I wrote a book . . . on the facts of life . . . for him (a few years later) and all boys. Check it out here . . .

Wrapping Up The Happiness Advantage (in full force)

Published by Terri Shearer Trenchard

Going toward the Happiness Advantage and moving along strong.

Jump on, and bring your kids. In 2-5 minutes a day, we’re reaching a more consistent state of “happy” and making our brains 31% more productive. Cool. (Check out the video below by esteemed Harvard professor, Shawn Anchor – well worth the 12 minutes!)

We’ve been on the journey for 8 days, and we’re well on our way . . .
To Increased Happy. And A More Productive Brain.

It’s founded in science. We can actually rewire our brains, in 2-5 minutes a day, to scan the world for the positive, increase our happiness, and retrain our brains to work more optimistically, productively, and successfully. Here’s what we do, each day:

– Write down 3 new things for which we are grateful
– Write down (or journal about) 1 positive experience from the last 24 hours
– Do an act of kindness, or praise/thank someone

For those of you already on board, you’re almost there. For those just joining us, it’s a gratifying and pretty easy process — a small cost for increased happiness and a more productive brain, eh? Now, let’s add in the last bit: Meditation (or prayer) and Exercise.

That’s it. That’s the formula for the Happiness Advantage: 2-5 minutes a day, for 21 days, and you will evolve in a happier state, with a more productive brain. Here’s why (otherwise known as the science of happiness):

— Only 10% of long-term happiness is attributed to our external world, while 90% of long-term happiness comes from how our brains process the world

— If we raise our level of positivity, our brains perform significantly better. Our intelligence rises, our creativity increases, and our energy levels soar. Our brains at “positive” are actually 31% more productive than at a negative, neutral or stressed level. (In fact, Shawn Anchor found that only 25% of job successes are predicted by I.Q., while 75% of job successes are a result of our optimism levels (as well as our social support) and our ability to view stress as a challenge, rather than a threat.)

— When we are positive, dopamine releases into our system. Dopamine does two things: it makes us happier, and it turns on all the learning centers in our brains.

So, at the end of 21 days, we are happier, with more productive brains. Here’s a breakdown of each piece of the formula:

Writing down 3 new things for which we are grateful trains our brains to maintain a pattern of scanning the world, first, for the positive, rather than the negative.

Writing down or journaling about 1 positive experience in the last 24 hours encourages our brains to relive the positive experience.

Doing 1 act of kindness or praising or thanking someone creates ripples of positivity (enhancing our happiness and brain productivity levels).

Meditation (or prayer) allows our brains to work through the society-based ADHD that we have created by the need to do multiple things at one time.

Exercise teaches our brains that our behavior matters.

There it is. Work it in. 21 days. It will be a new year. And a new you. Happier, Healthier, More Productive. Founded in science. Happy Advantage to You.
http://bit.ly/VKFlvW

Day Six of the Happiness Advantage Come Along for the Ride!

Published by Terri Shearer Trenchard

Day Six of the Happiness Advantage

On our way to a more consistent state of happy and a 31% more productive brain . . . in 2-5 minutes a day. That’s a bargain.

Come along for the ride. It’s a good one . . . and bring the kids.

It’s really pretty easy.

Each day, we:
Write down 3 new things for which we are grateful; and
Write down 1 positive experience we’ve had in the last 24 hours

And now, we will:
Do a random act of kindness (or praise or thank someone for something)

That’s it. Today & tomorrow: 3 new grateful things; 1 positive experience; 1 act of kindness, praise or thanks.

Keep it up – we’re on our way . . . to a more consistent state of “happy” and a 31% more productive brain.

Today & tomorrow. Go ahead. Do it. See you then.
p.s. thanks to esteemed Harvard professor, Shawn Anchor, for his proven research on the Happiness Advantage

On Our Way to the Happiness Advantage

Published by Terri Shearer Trenchard

We’re on our way to the Happiness Advantage (credited to Shawn Anchor).

Jump on for the ride and bring your kids — 2-5 minutes a day.

(If you’ve just joined us, peek at the last post for more background.)

Each day, we’re writing down 3 new things for which we are grateful. We’ll keep that up. Now, we’ll add in Step 2: Write down 1 positive experience from the last 24 hours.

So, for the next two days: Write down 3 new grateful things & 1 positive experience.

p.s. This trains or brains to scan the world — first — for the positive, rather than the negative. And, it helps us relive the positive experience. It’s like an automatic retrain of the brain for “happy” and, by the way, 31% more brain productivity. Stay tuned…..