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Balancing Act Archives |
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August, 2006: Family Snack Smarts |
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July, 2006: Cooperative Co-parenting |
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June, 2006: Street Proofing Teens 101 |
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May, 2006: Harmony is in season: Harmony is in season: Warm Weather Activities To Bring The Family Together |
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April, 2006: Caregiving: Sensible Steps To Success |
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March, 2006: Healthy Eating In A Fast Food World |
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February, 2006: Stress Busters to Stay Lighthearted |
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January, 2006: Brain Gain in Life's Later Years |
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December, 2005: Holiday Budget Planning |
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November, 2005: Combating Childhood Obesity |
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October, 2005: Eating Away at Colds and Flu |
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September, 2005: Avoiding the Aches of Osteoarthritis |
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August, 2005: Growing Older, Eating Wiser |
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July, 2005: Nutrition Tips for the Healthiest Summer Ever |
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June, 2005: Long-Term Care Facilities/Nursing Homes - How Do I Choose the Right One? |
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May, 2005: Nutrition and Your Baby: Introducing solid food to the menu |
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April, 2005: When Baby Comes Home For The First Time |
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March, 2005: Stepping into the Role of Stepparent |
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February, 2005: Pumping Fitness into Your Day |
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January, 2005: Remedies for Financial Holiday Hangovers |
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December, 2004: Time Out: Making the most of the holidays |
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November, 2004: An Ounce of Prevention: Type 2 Diabetes |
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October, 2004: Dealing with Peer Pressure |
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September, 2004: Long Distance Caregiving |
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August, 2004: The ‘Be-tween’ Transition, 2004 |
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July, 2004: Easing into summer vacation |
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June, 2004: A family-friendly balance for working fathers |
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May, 2004: Communication Tips to Help Young Minds Grow |
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April, 2004: Tips for Making the Tax Season Less Taxing |
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March, 2004: The Dieting Merry-Go-Round |
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February, 2004: Keeping Your Financial Future in Check |
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January, 2004: Here Comes the Flu |
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December, 2003: Communicating with your Teen |
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November, 2003: Eating for Energy |
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October, 2003: Work-life Balance: Making it Work for You |
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September, 2003: The Homework Zone |
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August, 2003: Health Hints to Ease Your Family in to the Fall Season |
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July, 2003: Stay Alert and Stay Safe - Streetproofing your kids |
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June, 2003: Summer Activities for Stay-at-Home Kids |
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May, 2003: Helping Older Relatives Stay Active |
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April, 2003: Spring-cleaning: For the home, the family, and you |
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March, 2003: Choosing a Summer Camp |
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February, 2003: Baby couch potatoes: Tearing your kids away from the TV |
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January, 2003: Resolution Solutions |
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December, 2002: Holiday Stress Blasters |
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November, 2002: Beating the Winter Blues |
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October, 2002: Making the most of family mealtimes |
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September, 2002: Generation Relations |
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August 2002: Vacation Relaxation |
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July 2002: Swimming Safety |
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May 2002: Stuck in the Middle. The Sandwich Generation |
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April, 2002: Supporting Your Child's Social Success |
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March, 2002: After the Spring Break ... Take a Break For Yourself |
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February, 2002: Keep those loving connections alive |
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January, 2002: Ringing in a Balanced New Year |
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December, 2001: Holiday Safety Tips |
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November, 2001: It's Flu Season |
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October, 2001: Halloween Safety Tips |
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September, 2001: Back to school |
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Summer Activities
for Stay-at-Home Kids
Summer is here. The air is warm, the flowers in full bloom, and parents everywhere
are waiting to hear those dreaded words: “I’m bored.”
What’s a mom or dad to do with sulking stay-at-home kids? Below are some
key ingredients to help banish summer boredom from your home:
Be a tourist in your own neighbourhood. Explore historical buildings,
museums and other places of interest in your area. Whether it’s a local
dairy or a modern art gallery, touring your community is a great way for kids
to discover the exciting world just outside their door.
Encourage budding gardeners. The garden may not seem like
a hotbed of summer fun but dig a little deeper and you’ll realize it contains
all the ingredients for a good time: dirt, garden tools, flora, insects and more
dirt. At the end of the day your petunias may not look perfect, but your children
will enjoy learning a little about plant life and a lot about top soil.
Feed book worms with regular visits to the public library.
Even if your children aren’t avid readers yet, summer is the ideal time
to get them hooked on books. Most libraries host children’s reading clubs
which reward kids with a sticker every time they complete a book.
Arrange weekly visits with friends. Summers can be lonely
for stay-at-home kids because they miss socializing with school chums. Help your
children ‘stay in the social loop’ by hosting a friend once a week.
You may even find that their friends’ parents—grateful for the break—offer
to return the favour.
Nourish interests. If your child loves snapping pictures,
why not look into a summer photography course. Is he or she a fish to water? Then
investigate swimming programs. For a nominal fee, many community centres and schools
allow kids to explore their interests and meet like-minded mates.
With an ounce of planning, a touch of creativity and a splash of spontaneity
you can help stay-at-home kids appreciate summer for what it really is: a chance
to grow, learn and discover.
Need more information on parenting? Your Employee Assistance Program
(EAP) can help with a child to elder care resource and referral service
that is geared toward enhancing the quality of family life. Call your
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to see if you are eligible for the
child to elder care resource and referral service at 1 866.468.9461
or 1.800.387.4765.
This newsletter is meant for informational purposes only and may not necessarily represent the views of individual organizations.
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