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New Year’s Blues
For many of us, the arrival of a New Year brings the promise of new beginnings. January represents a fresh start, a clean slate, and the chance to seek out new opportunities. For others, the New Year can usher in a time of stress and uncertainty. Even for people who don’t normally suffer from anxiety, staring down the prospect of twelve months of reaching new heights – personally and professionally – can be daunting. A few common issues people may experience in January include: Post-Holiday Blues These days the build-up to Christmas starts early, with holiday sales beginning the day after Halloween and radio stations blasting festive tunes long before we’ve cut the Thanksgiving turkey. We fret over what gifts to buy for whom and wearing the perfect outfit, but the day passes quickly, and once it’s over we are left with a sense that there’s nothing else to look forward to. Post-holiday blues are a very real phenomenon but can be overcome by taking some practical steps. Practice gratitude. Before going over a list of new things you want to have or happen in your life, be sure to look around and take inventory of everything you already have. Be thankful for the people, the pets, the home and the blessings that are already a part of […]
2. Jan 2019
Admissions Day at St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School
During St. Anne-Pacelli’s Admissions Day for prospective 2019-20 preschool through 12th grade students and their families, St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School will offer breakfast (served by families), tours (led by students) and entrance testing for prospective Pre-K4, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 9th graders. Families will have the opportunity to meet with administrators and faculty to learn more about educational opportunities for their children. Admissions Day is scheduled for Saturday, January 12, 2019 from 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Your completed application serves as your reservation. Visit www.BeAViking.com/Admissions-Day to RSVP. St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School is located at 2020 Kay Circle – just off I-185’s exit 6, near Midtown Columbus. For more information about admissions, please contact Julie Davis, Director of Admissions, at 706-561-8232, ext. 325 or jdavis@sasphs.net. Some facts about St. Anne-Pacelli:
2. Jan 2019
Being Your Kid’s Role Model
If you have already begun considering your goals for the next year, there is one that should be included near the top of your list – being a good role model for your kids. One of the most effective ways to teach your kids the traits you wish them to embrace is to model them yourself. Here are some traits that will help your child in both his endeavors throughout childhood and as an adult. Living a healthy lifestyle and taking care of yourself. In the past year, have you made an effort to eat a healthy diet and get enough sleep? If not, make that a focus in the coming year. If your child watches you eat too many sweets and never sees you exercise, getting her to eat healthy and get moving will be a hard sell. A willingness to learn and grow. It is never too late to learn something new or grow a skill you already have. Let your kids see you take the time to invest in yourself and build your skill set, and they will be more likely to want to do the same. Navigating difficult situations with grace and treating others with kindness […]
20. Dec 2018
Help Your Child Set Goals
Setting goals each year is not just for adults. Goal setting is a life skill that kids can learn and use to bring their dreams and aspirations closer to reality. Here are some tips that can be used to help even young kids set goals. Introduce goal setting by asking your child to come up with one or two simple but specific things he would like to complete in the short term, like finishing up an extra credit school project. These short-term goals provide a way to practice goal setting and prepare him to work towards more complex, long-term goals. The goals should be specific enough that you can assign criteria for completion and set a completion date. Once he feels the great sense of satisfaction that comes with successfully completing this short-term goal, he will be all fired up and ready to take on a more complex one. Let your child decide on what his long-term goals will be. You can ask him questions about what he wishes he could accomplish and inquire about the purpose of his goal to ensure it is not too vague, but do not select the goals for him. Your role is to […]
20. Dec 2018
Improving Your Child’s Memory
Once kids reach elementary school age, the ability to process and retain information becomes an important skill. Your child’s school day is full of math fact tables, spelling words, science and social studies facts and grammar rules. Here are some techniques to help your child absorb all the information and recall it when needed. Put the information in context and explain why it is important. This helps your child create a ‘mind map’ of related facts. For example, explain how the vocabulary words for social studies help describe a point in history or location and discuss the interesting facts about it with your child. Having a deeper understanding of a topic and of the ideas around the topic can improve how well the information is committed to memory. Break large spelling and vocabulary words or math facts down into smaller pieces. Sound out and spell long words a few syllables at a time. If your child has to learn the whole ‘9s’ multiplication table, for example, focus on a few facts from the table each day. Use a multi-sensory approach. Don’t just have your child read the information. Quiz him and ask him to recite it back to you. If he is preparing […]
20. Dec 2018
Cool Places to Stay Warm
With the colder weather in The Valley, our kids are spending less time outdoors and more time inside. Let’s be honest here—we’re all tired of being cooped up in the house. You may be more over it than the kids! Trying to be their number one source of entertainment day after day gets old; we can only make so many crafts and bake so much before we are all over it. So we’ve compiled a list of cool places to keep warm (and entertain the kiddos). You may have forgotten these places exist! Chattahoochee Valley Libraries: Our local libraries are a great place to keep the kids busy for free! Each library has a book full of engaging STEAM kit rentals, plus events, activities and movies! Check their website for a full listing of happenings. Chick-fil-A: All local Chick-fil-As are equipped with a play place for little kids to climb, free! Burger King: Bradley Park Drive & Manchester Expressway locations have large indoor play places for your child to climb, crawl and slide the day away, free! Columbus Museum: This free museum has an interactive space for children and educational exhibits for all ages. National Infantry Museum: Voted the best […]
20. Dec 2018
Unicorn Slime
Supplies 1/2 cup hot water 1/2 tsp. borax 1 bottle of glitter glue 1 cup water Glitter (optional) Directions In a small pitcher, add the 1/2 cup of hot water and 1/2 tsp. of borax. Stir and allow the borax to dissolve. Pour out the bottle of glitter glue into a bowl, and add 1 cup of water. Stir until fully combined. Slowly add the borax solution, mixing vigorously. Be sure not to add too much or the slime will become like putty and not stretchy. Start using your hands to mix the slime, to gauge how sticky it is. Once the desired slime consistency is reached, add glitter.
20. Dec 2018
Music Matters
Researchers at the University of Southern California Brain and Creativity Institute recently published results of a five-year study that links music appreciation and instruction to accelerated brain development in young children, especially in the auditory system of the brain that is also key in language and reading skills development. This finding builds upon previous studies that discovered differences in brain structure between musicians and non-musicians, and it adds yet another developmental benefit to the ones that have been identified by childhood development experts. Let’s explore further how including music instruction in your child’s list of activities can benefit their academic, physical, social, and emotional development. helps develop motor skills and coordination Playing a musical instrument involves moving your arms, hands and with some instruments, your feet, so it is a good way to develop coordination and motor skills. This is especially true with string instruments like the violin and keyboard, which require the right and left hands to make different motions. Also, playing pieces of music involves being able to keep time, a skill that helps in areas like dance and sports. Helps build understanding of math concepts Music and math are inseparable. Math concepts like patterns and fractions are […]
20. Dec 2018
Peanut Butter Energy Bites
Ingredients 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup old fashioned oats 1/2 cup ground flax seeds 2 tablespoons honey Directions Combine all 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Place in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes so they are easier to roll. Roll into 12 bites and store in the fridge for up to a week.
20. Dec 2018
Crockpot Love Served by Ronald McDonald House
After a long day, have you ever wished you could come home to a hot, homemade meal ready to eat? Now add to your long day the stress of having a critically ill or injured child in the hospital. During these trying times, feeding yourself is often forgotten at your child’s bedside. The Ronald McDonald House of West Georgia’s mission is to serve families of critically ill children with love, toiletries, shelter, a warm bed and food. Their volunteers cook and serve meals to 15-20 people every day in their Hamilton Road home. For 2019, they’re stepping up their dinner game, serving crock pot meals daily in their family room at Piedmont Columbus Regional. Newly renovated, the family room is equipped with a full-sized fridge, La-Z-Boys, a television, bathroom, activities for kids, snacks and coffee. It provides a quiet space for families with babies in the NICU or children in the pediatric unit. RMH’s Crock-Pot Compassionate Meals Program strives to serve hot meals to these families every evening, but they’re in need of volunteers to cook. Sometimes they even find themselves short on volunteers for the house dinners, and now they are adding a second meal every evening. You don’t have to […]
20. Dec 2018
‘I have a confession. I have a crippling fear my child will get taken.’
“I have a confession. I have a crippling fear my child will get taken. A close friend told me once, ‘Anxiety holds hands with fear.’ And the fear of losing one of my children at a park, or the zoo, or even the grocery store, has paralyzed me at times. I feel like I have held my kids back from incredible adventures. It’s like I’m keeping them from experiencing things I know they would love because the fear of someone taking one of them is so overwhelming that it is often easier and safer to just stay at home. Even as infants I was terrified to simply take the triplets in a walk down the block and back. I was consumed with worry and fear. However, in the last year or so I have taken steps to help me with my anxiety struggles. I am a part of an amazing moms group called MOPS. This was essential in helping me make friends in my area and walk through some of my daily challenges with moms who offer no judgement or criticism, just love. Last spring, our MOPS group held an Easter Egg Hunt at a large park in our city. […]
19. Oct 2018
Apps to Love
Shopular Apple | Android Get coupons, cash back, savings & deals at top stores with Shopular! Shop smart and take weekly ads with you, wherever you are. Save on your shopping? Always. Miss a deal? Never. Shopular helps you find the best price for hundreds of items. Shopkick Apple | Android Shopkick is the shopping app that rewards you with FREE gift cards for the shopping you already do! Join the millions of Shopkickers who have earned over $63.8 million in free gift cards to Walmart, Target, Amazon, Starbucks and more. Norad Santa Tracker Apple | Android Each Christmas Eve I waited for the weatherman to report updates on Santa’s current location. With the NORAD Santa tracker, you can provide real-time updates at any time. The app also provides a countdown to Christmas. Capture the Magic Apple | Android Need a little extra magic this Christmas? Catch Santa’s arrival in your living room with this app. So real, it’s hard to not believe. Any.Do Apple | Android It’s a FREE to-do list, calendar, and reminders app all-in-one. People use Any.do to add & track tasks, set reminders, create smart lists, plan their day and collaborate on shared projects, minus the […]
1. Oct 2018
Vita-Fuse Comes to Columbus, GA
Albany doctor, Alan Medley is bringing a boost to the Columbus, GA area, a VitaBoost. Vita-Fuse, an at-home IV hydration service, provides the same vitamins and nutrients you can pick up at the store but is faster and more effective. The science is simple. When you take medication or a vitamin orally, you’re said to only receive 20% absorption, even less for chronically ill patients. When you receive an IV infusion, you’re able to get nearly 100% of the same nutrients delivered to your cells for uptake. “We don’t eat the way our ancestors ate.” Dr. Medley admits, “All our foods are processed and most of our nutrients are cooked out. I wish I could say we have a chance to eat a nice, healthy home-cooked meal every day but we don’t.” Dr. Medley and his wife use VitaBoost on a regular basis. It’s infused with B1, B2, B3, B5, B12, vitamin C, glutathione, calcium and magnesium. These treatments are administered by board-certified, registered nurses, most with an emergent care background, in your own home under the guidance of Dr. Medley and his colleague, Dr. Azer. The nurses bring everything needed and most treatments take less than an hour. Vita-Fuse […]
27. Sep 2018
Acorn Marble Necklace
Supplies Acorn Caps Marbles Hemp Cord Drill Glue gun with glue sticks or E6000 Craft Adhesive Directions Play with your marbles and acorn caps to see which acorn caps will fit a marble. Not all acorn caps will work. Cut as many 26″ to 32″ sections of hemp cord as you need for the number of acorn caps and marbles that you have paired together. Drill two holes into the acorn cap on either side of the stem, or where the stem was. Thread hemp cord through holes in the acorn cap and tie together. Use a glue gun to place a dollop of glue inside the acorn cap and quickly place a marble into it before the glue dries. Courtesy of rhythmsofplay.com
31. Aug 2018
Inside look at Columbus Figure Skating Coach: Robbie Przepioski
It’s uncommon to have an ice rink in the south, but Columbus has one. It’s even more uncommon to have a nationally ranked skater in the south, but Columbus has one of those too! His name is Robbie Przepioski and he is the director of the Columbus Figure Skating Academy. He began a little over a year ago, and in that time, the program’s enrollment has grown from 75 members to 195! And it’s no surprise, considering Robbie’s accomplishments. Robbie, who is originally from California, didn’t begin skating until 14, which is considered a late start in the sport. By age 23 he was competing at the Olympic trials, an accomplishment many called impossible. Some national qualifiers start skating at the age of four! He came close to qualifying for the Olympics; however, he realized quad jumps were taking a toll on him physically. He made the decision to pursue a coaching career instead, but not until he completed a couple more goals: winning a pairs national skating medal and completing a back-flip on the ice. He accomplished both. “I did things I couldn’t imagine I’d ever be able to do,” Robbie admits, “It’s like winning the lottery…even though you […]
31. Jul 2018
New Book Written By Columbus, GA Psychotherapist, Dr. Ambroes Pass-Turner
Local psychotherapist, Dr. Ambroes Pass-Turner invites families to the Columbus Public Library on June 23rd from 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM for a launch party, book reading and signing of her latest book “Rex’s Journey”. Rex’s Journey is about a child who’s been struggling with understanding why and how he feels. From angry one minute to sad the next, he just wants to be a kid. What’s so hard about that? But, we can’t always control how we feel. Especially not as kids. Follow along with Rex’s journey as he learns to cope with his emotions in a safe and healthy way, something we all can learn from. Food will be served and children will be taught some fun, healthy coping skills. Dr. Ambroes Pass-Turner is a Doctor of Counseling Psychology and founder of APT counseling Services, LLC. She is a professor and author. Dr. Pass-Turner is an expert in working with behavioral and emotionally disturbed children, adults, families, and offenders within the criminal justice system. Rex’s Journey can be purchased from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Books A Million.
12. Jun 2018
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Welcome to Family and Kids Magazine‘s online parenting resource, serving families of Columbus, Fort Benning, Phenix City and the rest of the Chattahoochee Valley. We strive to be your #1 local magazine for family news, parenting tips, local events and business referrals. Check out our online localized directory for things to do, places to eat, where to shop and almost every other resource a growing family in the Chattahoochee Valley could need. While you’re here, enter our monthly giveaway or submit your child’s photo to be featured in our Hoo’s Cute section of our magazine. We welcome all families coming into our area, whether for a temporary stay or a new place to call home, and hope our magazine guides you through our large community. Pick up a copy of our Family and Kids magazine at our many distribution locations, including all local Chick-fil-as or read the latest issue here.
