As a parent, it’s my main priority (and responsibility) to raise a daughter who is well-rounded. I want my daughter to grow up having a healthy mind, body and spirit. Sometimes it’s easier said than done though. Parenting is definitely a lot of work, requires constant effort, and can often times be very challenging. I’m going to share some of the things I’m doing as a parent to raise a happy and healthy child.
One way I encourage my daughter to lead a healthy lifestyle is by modeling it for her. There are also some things our family does to stay active together and have fun doing so. We enjoy going on family walks together. We also love to enjoy other outdoor activities such as a hike in the foothills or a jog along the beach. Being active together a perfect opportunity to bond as a family.
We also allow my daughter to make choices of physical activities that she enjoys doing to maintain that active lifestyle. She is pretty athletic and has participated in a variety of activities ranging from dance & cheer to swimming & martial arts.
It’s also very important to teach children about the importance of making healthy food choices, whether they are eating at home with you or our somewhere on their own. Our family spends time together on Sundays doing meal planning and grocery shopping for the upcoming week. 
Since our work, school, homework, and extra-curricular activity schedule are somewhat busy ones, we try our best to prepare meals together in the kitchen about 4 times a week. Dinnertime is when we share about our day and talk about anything else we’re excited about.
It’s also important to teach your children to give back to the community. I believe that giving back is one of the most important things you can do for others. Also, by doing so, you are modeling the importance of thinking about others’ needs and serving others for your child(ren). We seek out different ways to give back including volunteering with the homeless and bringing necessary supplies to the animal shelter.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of America has a great resource for families trying to live an overall healthy lifestyle called Triple Play. The program is the leading comprehensive health and wellness program and serves young people at Boys & Girls Clubs. Triple Play gives kids the tools and awareness necessary to put them on the path to a great future. This is exactly what we want for our children.
As part of this program, parents can download The Triple Play Parents Game Plan. It offers a holistic approach with three key areas of focus:
- Mind: Develops a knowledge base for young people to acquire healthy habits, such as making smart food choices, understanding appropriate portion sizes and creating fun and balanced meals.
- Body: Promotes young people becoming more physically active through fun daily fitness, including activities to get kids active and moving.
- Soul: Strengthens interpersonal skills, positive behavior and good character through social recreation programs and activities.
At the start of the new year, Boys & Girls Clubs of American established a key mantra, “I Feel Better When..”. As many people recommit to improving their health and wellness practices at the start of a new year, the BGCA is committed to implementing this phrase, which can lead to how small, daily behavioral changes can have a long-term, lasting impact. Triple Play is focused on healthy lifestyle changes at a young age.
In our own family, we do a few different things to promote a healthy lifestyle. I feel better when…we model an active lifestyle, make healthy food choices, and give back. What about you and your family? What can you do to support this mantra?
National support from the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation and Coca-Cola make it possible for Boys & Girls Clubs around the country to operate Triple Play.
For more information about wonderful programs like this one, visit the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Triple Play Website here. Connect with Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and Twitter, too.
Well, I think I’ve found a solution! Charmin® Essentials are here to help! Just look at the size of their rolls! They’re huge! 
I’m not saying that having bigger rolls of toilet paper in my bathrooms is going to motivate my family more to help replace them when they run out, but it’s going to make my job as “toilet paper roll changer” much less demanding! Hehe!
Now you can participate in the #CharminEssentials TP swap! Have you heard about it yet? Charmin is inviting shoppers to upgrade their Angel Soft® for Charmin Essentials Soft and Scott® 1000 for Charmin Essentials Strong. All you have to do to participate is simply Tweet their TP swap out request to @Charmin using the hashtag #CharminEssentials and #Promotion, and Charmin will send you a free roll. For more information about it and to read the terms and conditions of this program, go 
As my daughter gets older, she seems to have gotten pickier about foods that she’ll eat. It seems like she’ll gobble down any vegetable on the planet (even Brussels sprouts) but fights me when it comes to fruit. It’s so strange. 
As a mother, I’m always concerned about my daughter’s eating, mostly concerned about her nutrition. I also feel like lack of nutrition affects learning and education is something we place a high priority on. 
Have you seen tried these with your kids yet? I found them when I was shopping at Target, near the pharmacy and healthcare section. They are definitely kid-friendly and she loves taking hers every morning before school. 
Nature Made® KIDS FIRST Multivitamin with Omega-3 Gummies provide 3 key nutrients, plus the essential omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. I worry about artificial colors but their colors are actually derived from natural sources and don’t contain any synthetic dyes.
I feel confident that we’re starting the new school year on track with healthy habits. Choosing high-quality vitamins and supplements from Nature Made® makes it easier. It also doesn’t hurt that I remind my daughter each morning before school that you can learn something new every day if…you take your vitamins! 
Since I’m also a mom, things like dirty hands and faces or runny noses don’t bother me when I’m in the classroom. I do, however, place importance on cleanliness both at home and in my classroom. I’m really particular about the products I choose, always trying to find cleaners that don’t contain chemicals. I know that I don’t want my daughter coming in contact with harmful chemicals and I”m sure my students’ parents want the same thing for them! 
In my classroom, we like to do art whenever it fits into a school day. Since we don’t have a sink in the room, I have to be creative with cleaning and hand/face washing, especially during art. I truly believe that art is supposed to be messy and I’m Ok with it. 
I was excited to learn about WaterWipes. Have you heard of them yet? They are chemical-free baby wipes that only contain two ingredients: 99.9% pure Irish water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract. I found mine at Babies R’ Us near the diapers and wipes. I carry around baby wipes with me at all times and use them for everything. For a store locator, go 
WaterWipes are just the perfect kind to keep on hand in my classroom though. I appreciate brands that are considerate about the ingredients they choose to include in their products.
I’ve found WaterWipes to be both durable and effective for cleaning up classroom messes and little first graders’ hands, without containing any of the harmful chemicals that may be found in other baby wipes. I’m looking out for my students so I choose WaterWipes as a safer, natural option for my classroom cleanup regimen.
Right now, you can enter to win one of five (5) $100 Babies”R”Us gift cards. You can enter below through August 18, 2016. Winners will be randomly selected from all of the entries. Good luck everyone!
It seems kind of awkward to have these things sitting right in front of where people gather, The big countertop is intended to be the focal point of the room. It’s also the area where everyone’s things “land” when they come home, like keys, wallets, planners, etc. I’m going to share a picture of what my counter top looks like on any given day with you, so please don’t judge. 
I realized that I needed help staying more organized in that area. So I decided to make a decorative sink organizer using a Mason jar, that I could keep right up on the counter. 
It was so easy to do. Honestly, if you feel like it’s not looking cute, just wait until you admire it from afar. There are parts of mine that turned out asymmetrical but don’t show. I’m kind of obsessed with my design! (see below to learn how you can make your own decorated Mason Jar) 
New Palmolive® Fusion Clean™ dish liquid provides a Modern Twist on Cleaning™ It’s specially formulated for tough cleaning challenges and as you could see from my previous sink photo, my dishes sometimes pile up and don’t get washed right way. Luckily, the unique formula removes 24 hour stuck-on food. It’s available in Baking Soda & Lime (the green one) and Baking Soda & Grapefruit (the pink one).
I found mine at Ralph’s,on the household cleaners aisle, and couldn’t decide between the two, so I bought both! You can find New Palmolive® Fusion Clean™ dish liquid at Kroger and Kroger Banner Stores. (Ralph’s, Fred Meyer, and Food 4 Less). 
