My Son Has the Swine Flu - A Daily Journal

A Dad’s Point Of View

By Bruce Sallan

We just went through the swine flu with our older son, Will. We didn’t panic or allow the hysteria of the msm (mainstream media) to scare us. His first reaction was simply, “Darn, I’m going to miss Halloween.” I believe our media have become hysteria mongers, as well as all too often focusing on their agenda vs. objective reporting. They devote way too much time to subjects unworthy of so much coverage, such as the balloon boy or the tragic deaths of celebrities.

With the swine flu, we’ve been deluged with scare reports from the media, ignoring the fact that each year tens of thousands of Americans die of the regular flu. As with AIDS, the panic is over-wrought and generalized to scare everyone when the reality is there are more at-risk groups for just about every such illness. Read more

Home Alone For The Holidays?

By Deborah Moskovitch

The Jewish High Holidays are just days away, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I’m sure many are counting down the shopping days until Christmas. Celebrating holidays can be a stressful time when you’re divorced - but it doesn’t need to be.

I’ve written about this before, but I know it is top of mind for many, so I felt I should blog about it again. If you find yourself without your children or extended family at a time when you traditionally celebrated with them in the past, it can be a sad and lonely experience without them now. Read more

It’s Back To School: Developing Routine And Structure For Parents

By Deborah Moskovitch

As I prepare my children to transition from the spontaneity of life in the summer to the structure of school it occurred to me how they need to get back into routine. Not only is it important for our children to be in the habit of schedules, but the aspect of shared parenting needs to be formalized once again; especially if life has been a bit off kilter as our children are at camp, have their own activities without parents or in holiday mode.

If you are the resident parent where the children live most of the time, then not much will change. However, if your children don’t live with you most of the time, here are some ideas to consider to maintaining involvement in your children’s lives:

Parenting Tips for Transforming Your Family

Make A Family Calendar

Hang it wherever the children will see it, to show that you care. Make your children see that their lives are important to you and that they are your priority.

On the family calendar, list:

• birthdates

• school schedules

• other dates, such as dental appointments, dance recitals, sports games, and so on.

Establish Rules Such As The Following:

• Each parent must order his or her own tickets for children’s events.

• Each parent must make his or her own arrangements at school to get information.

• It is not up to your former spouse to do those things or provide information for you.

• It’s up to you to take the initiative.

• Don’t make your son or daughter into the man or woman of the house.

• Don’t turn your son or daughter into your best friend and confidant.

• Don’t fill the void in your bed by allowing your child to sleep there. If you eventually start a relationship and no longer allow your child into your bed because you are sharing it with someone else, the child could feel displaced.

If You Are The Noncustodial Parent, Here Are Some Ideas To Help You Maintain A Positive Relationship
With Your Children:

• Some schools allow children to leave the grounds for lunch; you may be able to take them out to lunch without affecting the custodial parent’s time.

• As much as you can, duplicate at your home the little things that your kids love at the custodial parent’s home–things like special Barbie dolls, books, and so on. Send out the message that you care. Duplicating items will remove the stress children may feel about taking their favorite things to the other parent’s home or about forgetting to bring them (but keep in mind that some items, like the favorite blanket or stuffed animal, can’t be duplicated).

Remember, your children still have two parents. They still have a family, it’s the dynamics which have changed and up to parents to minimize the conflict and make transition as easy as possible.

Deborah Moskovitch is a divorce consultant and educator, and author of The Smart Divorce: Proven Strategies and Valuable Advice from 100 Top Divorce Lawyers, Financial Advisers, Counselors and Other Experts. Deborah has become an opinion leader in the media and has shared her insights and research on television and radio to explain that divorce can be managed in smarter ways. To learn more visit TheSmartDivorce.com

Copyright ©2009 The Smart Divorce® and Deborah Moskovitch
All rights reserved. No portion of this material may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of Deborah Moskovitch and The Smart Divorce.

Relief For Lower Back Pain

by: Dr. Mark Walter

Low back pain is a common health care and social problem associated with disability and absence from work. One 2005 medical study of chronic spinal pain stated that the “lifetime prevalence of spinal pain has been reported as 54 to 80 percent, with as many as 60 percent of patients continuing to have chronic pain five years or longer after the initial episode.” Read more

Seven Foods to Power Your Libido

By Dr. Mark Walter

It is estimated that between 5%-7% of men age 40 and 15%-25% of men aged 65y experience erectile dysfunction.  Healthy blood flow is the key to a strong erection, so it is natural that what prevents diabetes and stroke will also help to prevent erectile dysfunction.  Fill up on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains… and lay off stuff that clogs your arteries.  Beyond the basics, the foods below will help to keep you strong. Read more

Osteoporosis - Not Just A Woman’s Problem

By: Dr. Walter

When we consider osteoporosis, we almost always think of women. However, men also are at risk for osteoporosis. Common risk factors include age-associated hormone changes, alcoholism, smoking and some medications, including those used in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Read more

How Safe Are Trampolines?

By: Dr. Mark Walter

www.vsas.com

Introduction of the Trampoline

Trampolines first became popular in the early 1960s when people were stretching fabric over large holes in the ground. Next, the fabric was put on legs or poles, but these left dangerously large gaps around the edges, and there was nothing to stop a jumper from falling off. Modern designs are supposed to be safer by ringing the trampoline with netting, but this hasn’t done much to decrease the number of injuries. Read more

Demystifying Chiropractic Care

By: Dr. Mark Walter

There are many misconceptions in the public’s view as to what chiropractic care is and what it treats.  Here is a brief and limited introduction to chiropractic. Read more

Can The Aging Process Be Delayed?

By: Dr. Mark Walter

www.vsas.com

According to a report in Reuters in 1999, the death rate from complications from diabetes, already the third-most common cause of death in the U.S., has risen 30% since 1980. Read more

Benefits of L-Glutamine Supplimentation

By: Dr. Mark Walter

www.vsas.com

L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the bloodstream and in the body. It’s involved in more metabolic processes than any other amino acid, fulfilling a number of biochemical needs. Read more