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Features
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Changing children's
eating habits
[MARCH
22, 2003]
URBANA -- At the end of a
long Saturday spent doing chores and running errands, it's tempting
to do the quick and easy thing and patronize a fast-food restaurant
on the way home from the mall. Fast food isn't necessarily bad food
if you make good choices at the counter, said Karen Chapman-Novakofski,
a professor of nutrition and a registered dietitian at the
University of Illinois.
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Choose the grilled or broiled
sandwiches over the fried ones, substitute a salad or baked potato
for the fries, and choose diet soda, low-fat milk or water to drink,
and you can feel good about taking the easy way out, she says.
Chapman-Novakofski knows that fast-food
habits are hard to break, so she suggests making little changes that
are gradual. Maybe you can't resist french fries, but you can buy a
smaller size or share an order.
Although childhood obesity is
approaching epidemic proportions, athletic kids or kids who are
going through growth spurts can eat a lot of food without gaining
weight. If calories are not the issue, she advises parents to think
in terms of lowering fat and making sure the diet is a little more
balanced.
"If your teenager wants the biggest
cheeseburger on the menu, pair it with a salad and ask him to eat
the salad first. He may not get to the end of the monster
cheeseburger." These small changes are the key to changing bad
nutrition habits, she said.
Children tend to be more active at
certain times of the year, but they maintain those eating habits
during months when they're more sedentary. Chapman-Novakofski said
that modeling good eating and exercise habits for your children is
more effective than trying to shame overweight children into cutting
back on potato chips.
"Exercise can be as simple as dancing
in the living room before dinner. It doesn't mean you have to invest
in a whole new fitness wardrobe and put yourself on exhibition. Any
kind of movement and activity will help," she said.
The nutritionist cautioned parents not
to demonize certain foods, which may only make your children long
for them. "I wouldn't suggest never having a cookie in the house.
What you don't want to do is eat a whole package of cookies in one
night," she said.
A ravenous after-school appetite is
often satisfied by the first thing that's available when children
come home. "If I leave a bowl of little candy bars out on the
counter, they'll eat those. If I leave a bowl of red grapes or
strawberries, they'll eat the fruit. You have to experiment with
what your kids will eat," the nutritionist said.
Another way to influence children
toward healthier foods is to let them cook. Chapman-Novakofski says
this works especially well with 10- to 15-year-olds. "It's going to
be messy, and it may not turn out right, but it does get them
invested in the meal. And you can put your two cents in about adding
a vegetable here or a fruit there in order to make the meal
balanced. Planning meals and cooking are life skills that you want
your children to learn anyway," she said.
[to top of second
column in this article] |
A teenager's eating habits are pretty
well established, and it's unlikely that teens will be as
susceptible to your influence. Whatever you have taught them about
nutrition may go out the window at this stage, along with everything
else, as they try on new ideas and identities, she said.
"But teenagers care about how they look
and how they feel, and if a teenage girl thinks eating a balanced
diet may help her appearance, you might be able to influence her
that way," she said.
"If a child is active in sports, stress
that good nutrition will make her more competitive. Or, if your
teens are working hard to get good grades, emphasize that good
eating habits will help them have clear, alert minds. The one thing
that I've noticed will make a difference is a boyfriend or
girlfriend with healthier eating habits," she laughed.
"People eat for different reasons, and
hunger is only one of them. They may feel tired and think a cookie
will be a pick-me-up, when what they really need is to go to sleep.
Kids may also eat because they're bored or because they need
comfort," she said.
"Usually comfort is just between the
teenager and the bowl of ice cream. But it may mean meeting a friend
for a pizza -- even though the kid's already eaten -- because she
needs to talk about what her boyfriend said on the phone just now.
Food is a cementing sort of activity for friendships."
"We make food the centerpiece of social
events, when it should be just a part of them. We all remember
birthday parties when our children were small and we scooped plate
after uneaten plate of cake into the trash can because they didn't
have time to eat. They wanted to get back to skating or playing
games."
"An adult
celebration is often centered around a buffet table with
conversation afterward. We need to carry our kids' philosophy on
through life and make food just one small part of the celebration,"
she said.
[University
of Illinois news release]
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Interpreting war talk
for children
[MARCH
20, 2003]
URBANA -- Children rely on
the cues they get from their parents, so mothers and fathers who
feel jittery about war with Iraq should confront their own fears and
get ready to talk with their children, said Aaron Ebata, family life
expert at the University of Illinois.
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Parents should limit
young children's exposure to war footage on television and act as a
filter for the information children receive. But once children are
in school, parents can't control what kids are hearing anymore.
Parents should be prepared to talk about the war, and Ebata is
getting ready to do just that with his own kindergartner.
"My son already has a
concept of battles and wars from videos and from TV. I've already
told him there's going to be a war and that people might get hurt --
without going into a lot of detail," Ebata said.
"I've tried to answer
some of the what, where and why questions. But I'm also going to
talk a bit about my own beliefs and values and how I feel about
what's happening," he said.
As children get
older, those talks become even more important. Silence can magnify
the fears kids are feeling. It also becomes important to grapple
with the fact that people have different feelings about the war, he
said.
"On the one hand, you
can say here's what I feel, these are my values and I wish you would
feel the same way. Or you can help them understand that other people
may feel differently about this and they're not necessarily less
American or less patriotic," he said.
If parents are
confused, they may have difficulty explaining their feelings to
their children, adding another layer of difficulty. "Parents should
try to articulate how they are feeling, but if they are conflicted,
they should try to say it in a way that doesn't scare kids --
because uncertainty can be scary for them."
"You have to help
kids sort out the part that's personal from the part that's
political. If friends or family members have been called up for
combat, teach your kids that they can support their friends, no
matter how they feel about the war," Ebata said.
Children and parents
may fear that a war in Iraq will lead to more terrorist incidents in
this country. "Managing these fears is tough, but a feeling of
control helps. Actually, we are far more likely to die in a car
accident than in a terrorist attack, but we don't live in a state of
fear about getting into a car accident because we believe we have
some control over that."
[to top of second column in this
article] |
"You don't live in
constant fear of a tornado either. But partly, that's because you
understand something about tornadoes, know there are warning systems
in place and have an idea what you would do if there were a tornado.
Having a strategy to deal with the thing you fear is useful," he
said.
Knowledge does seem
to be power, Ebata noted. When a disaster occurs, some adults become
information junkies, reading every article and watching all the
television coverage. Older children may feel the same way.
If it helps them to
have this information, parents should let them have it. It may be an
older child's way of managing anxiety, just as smaller children cope
with their thoughts and feelings by engaging in "war play."
Parents know their
own children and should be able to tell if such exposure is helping
or hurting. "If a child appears to be getting excessively concerned
or obsessed about something, you should seek help for that. It's
pretty rare for an emotionally healthy child to develop an unhealthy
obsession just out of the blue," he said.
Other children may
benefit more from "doing something." They may want to write letters
to a soldier, help out in the community or engage in some form of
humanitarian aid so they have a sense of being involved in something
bigger than themselves.
No matter how well
children seem to be coping, they still need to know that their
parents stand between them and the rest of the world.
"Reassure your
children that, in any emergency, you will help them. Make sure they
know you're going to do your best to take care of them," he said.
For more information about parenting in
wartime, visit
http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/familylife/war.htm.
[University
of Illinois news release]
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Animals for Adoption |
At Logan County Animal Control —
(Updated 2/1/03) |
DOGS
Big to little, most of these dogs will make wonderful
lifelong companions when you take them home and provide solid,
steady training, grooming and general care. Get educated about what
you choose. If you give them the time and care they need, you will
be rewarded with much more than you gave them. They are
entertaining, fun, comforting, and will lift you up for days on end.
Be prepared to take the necessary time when you bring home a
puppy, kitten, dog, cat or any other pet, and you will be blessed.
[Logan County Animal Control is thankful for pet supplies donated by
individuals and Wal-Mart.]
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[Hi! I'm Mike! I'm a 2- to 3-year-old male looking
for a family. My favorite activities include watching my
breath and licking your face.] |
[This is Jeff. Jeff is a 1- to 2-year-old mixed breed
looking for a good home.] |
[Just look at those faces! These 9-week cuties love to
roll and tumble and play.
But don't let their small size fool you. They are
Boxer-Collie mixes, so they'll get quite a bit bigger!] |
Want your ad to be
seen all over Logan County?
Advertise with
Lincoln Daily News!
Call (217)
732-7443
or e-mail
ads@lincolndailynews.com |
Our staff offers more than 25 years of experience in the
automotive industry.
Greyhound
Lube
At the corner of Woodlawn and Business 55
No Appointments
Necessary |
Lincolndailynews.com
is the place to
advertise
Call (217) 732-7443
or e-mail
ads@lincolndailynews.com |
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Ten reasons to adopt a shelter dog
1. I'll bring out your playful side!
2. I'll lend an ear to your troubles.
3. I'll keep you fit and trim.
4. We'll look out for each other.
5. We'll sniff out fun together!
6. I'll keep you right on schedule.
7. I'll love you with all my heart.
8. We'll have a tail-waggin' good time!
9. We'll snuggle on a quiet evening.
10. We'll be best friends always.
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CATS
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[Logan County Animal Control is thankful for pet supplies
donated by individuals and Wal-Mart.] |
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In the cat section there are a number of wonderful cats to
choose from
in a variety of colors and sizes.
Farm cats available for free!
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[This big boy is Sam.
Sam's a little pushy, so no small kids, please.] |
[This fine looking girl is Snake. She's just a kitten, and
she's ready to slither her way into your heart.] |
[Snowball and Sunshine, a beautiful girl-boy pair, can't wait
to bring joy and warmth into your home.] |
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These animals and
more are available to good homes from the Logan County Animal
Control at 1515 N. Kickapoo, phone 735-3232.
Fees for animal
adoption: dogs, $60/male, $65/female; cats, $35/male, $44/female.
The fees include neutering and spaying.
Logan County Animal Control's hours of operation:
Sunday
– closed
Monday –
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuesday –
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday –
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday –
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday –
8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturday –
closed
Vickie Loafman, animal control warden
Maurice Tierney,
deputy animal control warden
Tammy Langley, part-time assistant |
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