Source: http://www.healthline.com/

Whether you’re packing your own lunch or one for every child in the house, there are real challenges when thinking about your midday meal.  You certainly want healthy options that keep you full enough to stay away from the candy and soda machines come mid-afternoon.

There’s also a real need to prepare those lunches ahead of time so you’re not racing in the morning to figure out what is tasty and nutritious.  Finally, how can you consistently prepare tasty lunches day after day?  After all, if it doesn’t taste good, drive-throughs and vending machines start to look pretty good after a while.

Yes, it can be difficult to eat healthy all the time, especially during lunchtime when McDonalds and Burger King are calling your name.  A lot of folks miss one of the best times to sneak in healthy foods, and the noon meal happens to be the most optimal time to eat healthy.  Why?  Because lunch fuels you for the other half of the day, a time when many are sluggish and fatigued.  And secondly, lunch gives you plenty of time to digest that food throughout the day and before you hit the sack so you’re food is not sitting in your stomach during the night.

Components of a Healthy Lunch

The most important part of a healthy lunch is to include a few key components:

• At least one to two servings of vegetables and fruits
• A serving of protein
• A source of dairy
• A serving of complex carbohydrates.

Try to find creative and different ways to mix varieties of these foods together to keep things interesting, and make them more tantalizing to your taste buds. Just eating an apple or banana isn’t likely to do a lot of good for the long haul.  You want to get to a point where you’re actually looking forward to what you’ve prepared for lunchtime, and you’re ready to dig in every time.

Try These Combos

Try fruit salads, or even green salads with cut up fresh veggies and seeds, with a little dressing.

Although protein is important, skip the grocery store lunchmeat.  It’s processed and contains a bunch of preservatives, salt and sugar that aren’t exactly great for you. Rather as a protein dish, use leftovers from dinner if there are any, like meatloaf, or hard boiled eggs, or even a peanut butter sandwich. And there are a whole host of other protein ideas as well. Cashew, almond and sunflower butters are all carried by most grocery stores these days, and they are protein-rich and delicious.

A pasta salad with meat or tuna and fresh fruits or veggies is also a great idea to keep things interesting.  Dump a little yogurt in there, and you’ve satisfied all of the groups recommended to include in your lunch: fruit and veggies, protein, dairy and complex carbs.  Chicken goes well with apples, grapes, celery and walnuts, for instance.  For leftover beef, try tomatoes, celery, corn and onions; for tuna, consider carrots, onions, celery and red bell peppers; and so on.

Just Remember….

Sometimes the schedules get too tight, or planning meals feels like too much. Or maybe, during your planning, you could prepare for an unhealthy lunch.  It’s not recommended that you go completely military with your lunch choices.  Instead, choose mostly healthy foods and allow yourself something sweet now and then to break the monotony.  Finding good food opportunities and healthy lunches can be something we over analyze or under analyze. So, you really need to find a happy medium.  Most people love to eat and socialize. Sometimes, we need to combine the two in the healthiest way possible.

Click here for more healthy lunch ideas.

About the Author

David Novak

David Novak is an international syndicated newspaper columnist, appearing in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV around the world. His byline has appeared in GQ, National Geographic, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, USA Today, among others, and he has appeared on The Today Show, the CBS Morning Show and Paul Harvey Radio. David is a specialist at consumer technology, health and fitness, and he also owns a PR firm and a consulting company where he and his staff focus on these industries. He is a regular contributing editor for Healthline. For more information, visit http://www.healthline.com/.

Engineering for Kids Learning Center

Open House August 24th from 11:00am-2:00pm at the:

• Engineering For Kids Learning Center
• 1586 Mountain Road Glen Allen
  

My almost-Kindergartner, proud in her new school shoes.

I can’t really put my finger on the source of my anxiety about the transition from preschool to kindergarten.

We, the parents, are not ready.

She, the eager excited 5-year-old daughter, is so ready.

Daycare is what we’ve known.  It’s been a very important part of the ‘village’ for 5 years.  I can recite all of her teachers:  Ms. Renita.  Ms. Terry.  Ms. Jessica.  Ms. Mariska.  Ms. Erica.  Ms. Leslie.  People with whom we developed relationships, who knew our daughter only second best to us and her grandparents.  They helped her learn so many things:  the normal stuff like ABCs and 123s, but also how to go potty, how to develop friendships, how to have manners, and how to be a caring person.  Together we’ve discussed new strategies to help her accomplish a milestone.  They’ve been our friends, and we’ve vented to each other about her challenging behaviors that we were both familiar with, a hard work day or sleepless night at home.

I hope I showed adequate appreciation for their special places in our lives.  They have been true partners to us, and invaluable ushers in her early growth and development.  I will miss that.

I worry what kindergarten holds for us.  We love her current teacher so much, and I worry about what a new teacher in her life will mean for all of us.  How many kids will be in her class?  Will she go from a class of 10 to a class of 20 or more?  Will her intelligence, creativity and spunk get lost in that crowd?  Will we be astute enough to help her navigate school – not just kindergarten, but beyond?  The step to kindergarten somewhat represents a step to “big S” School which could eventually mean (though I hope not) – a step to exposure to bullies, disappointment, hurt and failure.

I realize I’m getting ahead of myself.

My baby is growing up so fast.  I find myself reflecting on the past five years, and trying to bring to the forefront things I want to remember from when she was a baby, the special things she did, like blow raspberries while she swung like a monkey in her Johnny jump up.  It makes me sad that recalling those memories is harder and harder.  I have less free time and quiet space to make the nest that I need to focus on those details.

I have to remember that her going to kindergarten does not negate any of those memories, nor my ability to recall them.  But time is getting ahead of me.  I don’t want to lose them.

Maybe the question isn’t “Are we ready for kindergarten?” but “Are we ready for life to change, come what may?”  When you’re like us, satisfied in a life-moment with two precious kids who, despite the challenges of parenting, bring you more joy than you ever thought possible, the answer will always be no.

Wall art displayed in our playroom to remind us every day. (Mixed media by the lovely Suzanne L. Vinson)

I assured him, with genuine enthusiasm (tempered by the hesitation I felt from the weight of my own looming questions), that he was going to meet buddies at school and that, with the help of his teacher, they would work together to take good care of each other.

But the truth is that I couldn’t promise that kids would be kind or that his teacher would be available to help him if he was in need of rescue. I couldn’t guarantee that my little guy, who had been home with me for his first four years would follow direction, get along in a crowd, or manage his emotions as I know he can, but often doesn’t.

I parked the car and helped him out of his seat. He positioned his back pack just so and as we walked to drop-off  he trailed a step or two behind me. He perked up as I reminded him that I would be back in a few short hours and that the suspense would kill me until then: I couldn’t wait to hear all about his day.

It took some of my courage to pull his teacher aside and quickly relay to her a short few, and important, parts of my son that I thought she should know. It brought a lump to my throat the way she crooned back, “Ohhh, so this is a big day for you too?” Her tone was compassionate and knowing. Was it obvious? I felt a little silly, but told myself that she just had a good eye and a big heart for soothing yet another careful mother new to this whole thing. She briskly rubbed the back of my arm – firm and with confidence that everything was going to be great – it was just what I needed to gather up the rest of my courage to scurry off the playground after a few drawn out kisses passed from lips to cheek, and another blown from palm and caught midair. “Got it!” he shouted with a grin. And he was off.

Roscoe at camp, age 4

The way the world seems so much bigger with every passing year, it highlights his smallness and amplifies my vulnerability as his mother. The feeling shoots straight to my heart and tightly grips all the fears and the what-ifs that characterize the world as unpredictable and far too big to release into it the best pieces of myself for fear of losing sight of them, or worse. It is an act of courage to send off our babies, at any age, into a world outside the protected spaces we keep.

In September we’ll do it all again as both my boys enter preschool for the first time. We are diligently at work collecting their supplies, selecting a few new pieces to add to their fall wardrobes, and preparing to shift the whole house into brand new routines and yet to be known adventures.

My boys give me courage that the world is kind and that together we will find our way safely in it.

Diggity Dudes, The Sweet Frogs, Nutzy the Flying Squirrel and others will entertain and enjoy the festivities. And don’t miss the unbelievable balloon creations and a tour of a real fire truck, or romping on the huge Bouncy House!

Check it all out below and mark your calendars now for August 28th from 3pm-7pm. Richmondmom.com owners and writers will be there having a ball and we hope to see you too!

To that end we hope to create an environment where children are excited to learn through hands-on experiences. Robots and Mud Pies π Preschool will be opening in September and we are now holding open houses for families to come to meet us and learn more about our program.  The next open house will be on Saturday, July 27 from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

We are located at 2517 Grenoble Road, Henrico, VA 23294.  Please check out our website at www.RobotsAndMudPiesPreschool.com or call us at (804) 447-3329.

Photo Source: The Podium

The power of words has never been more important than in today’s world of technology and social media. And our youth certainly have a lot to say.

But some are just not sure how to say it – or where to say it. That’s where The Podium comes in.

A recent article in the Richmond-Times Dispatch highlights some of the work of Ashley Short, a recent graduate of Huguenot High School.  Ashley has been involved with The Podium Foundation for four years of high school, and it has had a real impact on her life.

Read her editorial in The Richmond-Times Dispatch published on Sunday, June 16, 2013 at this link. Her insights in “College costs imperil American dream” are thought-provoking, well-researched, and well-written.

Not sure what The Podium is and how it helps young people. Then you’ll be intrigued at what you learn here.

What is The Podium?

The Podium Foundation was established by novelist David L. Robbins and executive director Lindy Bumgarner in 2008. They both hold a strong belief that children of our City’s schools  should have the same opportunity as those available to surrounding counties. That includes programs designed to expose the creativity of high school students to their own community and receiving excellent writing instruction and programs.

What better way to do that than through teachers, mentors, and exposure through partners such as RPS, VCU, Communities in Schools, The Richmond-Times Dispatch, and the Virginia Voice?

The Podium:

• mentors hundreds of young people who are interested in writing, art, and design
• provides support and resources for teachers and educators
• finds ways to expose students to arts, culture, creative worlds, and outlets for expression to prepare them for the future
• helps students display their words onstage, on radio, online, and in print
• brings an intense, focused and local summer writing academy to teachers
• distributes over 12,000 free copies of the Podium Literary Journal to the Greater Richmond Metro areas
• expands their reach into the city’s middle schools

All of the programs provided through The Podium are produced free of charge to teens and our community. They rely on community support to provide their services, including:

• free literary journals in Richmond middle and high schools
• sponsoring teen editorial and design clubs
• ensuring every youth in our city has an opportunity to be seen and heard

They are always looking for great volunteers and mentors to help further the creative minds and talents of our young minds in the area.  Richmondmom.com founder, Kate Hall, has been an advocate, supporter, and mentor for students through The Podium for several years.

“This is a great program that helps inner-city kids, whose writing programs have been cut over the years,  develop valuable writing/communication skills,” Kate explains.

Kids like Ashley deserve a chance to be heard, and The Podium makes it possible. Visit their website to learn more, and consider mentoring a student.

Help make a difference in the life of a child.

“The Henrico Education Foundation Inc. has established itself as the vehicle for individuals and businesses to support public education in Henrico County, Virginia. By providing an opportunity for community participation in the school system, positive and enriching relationships continue to develop between the corporate sector and Henrico schools. Henrico County Public Schools is a nationally recognized system providing quality learning experiences for its students. The Foundation strives to link educators and students with financial resources in order to bring the school division to an even higher level of excellence.” ~ Henrico Education Foundation Website

The Henrico Education Foundation needs corporations, businesses, faith-based and other community groups to join the SS Challenge project.

The School Supply Challenge allows groups and businesses to provide school supplies for challenged students. Participants collect supplies during July and August and deliver them to their partner school before the students arrive.

Interested groups should contact Paula Roop, HEF program manager, at pdroop@henrico.k12.va.us for additional information.

How to Give Your Teacher A High-Five!:

• Who: Students from 2^nd to 8^th grade
• What: In 40 words or less, students write an explanation of why their teacher deserves a “High-Five,” including the teacher’s name, location, and school. Optionally, students can submit photos and drawings.
• When: Tuesday, April 16 through Tuesday, May 14
• Where: Submissions can be made online at this link.
• Honors: Five student submissions will be read on-air by one of the actors on Green Screen Adventures on the Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26 shows on Me-TV. Plus, an honor roll of an additional 50 “High-Fives” will be featured on the show!

For more information and guidelines, visit the brand new  Green Screen Adventures website or check us out on twitter and facebook for upcoming episodes, national coverage on student writers, and other news.

Source: http://sspinstitute.blogspot.com/

Sabot at Stony Point and University of Richmond to host Education Institute for over 120 educators from all over the United States.

Sabot at Stony Point is in its sixth year and finds itself at the forefront of an international effort to bring the Reggio approach into elementary and middle schools. The schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy are inspiring teachers all over the United States – and the world – by focusing on student engagement, inquiry and collaboration.  The Reggio approach brings together the work of Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky and many others in a practice which seeks to be socially transformative by putting the child at the center of the curriculum.

Sabot at Stony Point is partnering with University of Richmond’s Center for Leadership in Education in April (18th – 20th) to host Personal Pathways and Paradigms, a three-day institute geared toward educators who want to explore the Reggio approach as a context for teaching preschool – third grade.

On the evening of the 18th of April, there will be a Community Forum on Education at Sabot at Stony Point. On the one-year anniversary of the Richmond Forum presentation, “Revolutionizing Education” by Sir Ken Robinson and Rafe Esquith, this forum will gather students, parents, and educators who all want to build a different future for our schools. Moderated by Dr. Tom Shields, Director of UR’s Center for Leadership in Education, the forum will invite a variety of local perspectives, as well as national and international perspectives from David Kelly, Director of Curriculum and Pedagogy at NYC’s Blue School, and Lella Gandini, U.S. Liaison for the Dissemination of the Reggio Approach.

Friday and Saturday’s Institute at the University of Richmond will feature presentations from David Kelly and Lella Gandini. We will also hear from Pam Oken-Wright, author, speaker, and teacher-researcher at St. Catherine’s School and Debbie Lickey, co-author of Starting with Their Strengths, who has adopted the Reggio approach to teaching children with special needs.

Additionally, the institute features internationally-recognized teachers from Sabot at Stony Point:

• Mary Driebe, a Kindergarten teacher, uses questions and inquiry to support students in their in-depth explorations. Mary’s work was most recently presented at Lesley University’s 2012 Reggio conference. Her blog, Gleanings: Capturing the Moments in Kindergarten, provides an astonishing glimpse into the magical work of her classroom.
• Sara Ferguson, a Teacher-Researcher in the preschool, speaks internationally, and will share her inspiring work with three-year-olds.
• Anna Golden, Studio Teacher, author of the popular blog Atelierista: Stories from the Studio, and contributor to the recently published Nature Education with Young Children: Integrating Inquiry and Practice, will share the incredible work of small groups of children in the studio.
• Andrea Pierotti, a third grade teacher, whose work was presented at the 2011 University of Calgary’s Reggio Conference, will share the strategies she uses to support students as they delve into the mysteries of ordinary science.  Andrea’s reflections on teaching and learning may be found in her thought-provoking blog, To Put on One’s Thinking Cap.

On the Pre-Institute day (Thursday, April 18) participants are invited to see the preschool and lower school in action; there will be children involved in project work in the classrooms — and also in the outdoor classrooms.

Click here for more information.

NOTE about other upcoming events at Sabot at Stony Point:

On June 13, author Paul Tough (How Children Succeed) will be speaking at Sabot and will lead a discussion for policy makers and child welfare providers. His book focuses on “the notion that non-cognitive skills, like persistence, self-control, curiosity, conscientiousness, grit and self-confidence, are more crucial than sheer brainpower to achieving success.” (NYTimes review, 8/23/12). Details of this event are still being finalized.

In July (22 – 26), John Hunter will be teaching both a World Peace Game summer camp to rising 4th – 8th grade students, as well as a Master Class for Teachers. John Hunter currently teaches in the Charlottesville public schools; he is the creator of “The World Peace Game” as a platform for teaching his 4th grade students authentic, real-world problem solving skills. A documentary, World Peace and Other 4th Grade Achievements, has been screened nationally, and his book of the same title will be published next month.