~Summertime Fun for the Family~

by | Jul 29, 2013

 

hop scotchCan you believe it ~ we are half way through the summer season! Summertime isn’t a time to worry about the children being bored but it’s the time to enjoy some good quality time with family. Outdoor family fun can be done on any budget while helping everyone stay fit and healthy.

First, gather the family and have every member of the family write down their favorite activity. Second, look at the family’s ideas and compare them to what’s available in your local area such as: local parks, community pools, state forests and summer specials at area businesses for family-friendly events. Last, use the information that you collect to create a summer family “bucket list” and start moving.

Budget friendly activities for the family can include: walking, hiking, swimming, bicycling, tennis, kayaking (paddle sports) volleyball and bowling. Even activities such as gardening, camping, fishing, horse backing riding and boating can lead themselves to fun times and lots of movement. If you are picnicking don’t forget the Frisbee, softball or horseshoes. Get original and grab a piece of chalk and a rock to create some hop-scotch fun (add bubble wrap for additional entertainment). Summer family fun is limited only by your imagination.

Physical activity is any body movement that uses energy. People of all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities can benefit from physical activity. Being physical active can improve strength, flexibility, weight loss and/or maintenance, stress and energy levels as well as reduce the incidence of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and stroke.

 

Physical activity is the key to staying healthy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have set the following guidelines:

  • Children and adolescents (ages 6-17) should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity each day.
  • Adults (ages 18-64) need at least 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., brisk walking) every week and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest,  shoulders, and arms). (If you’re 65 years of age or older, are generally fit, and have no limiting health conditions you can follow these same guidelines.)*

Fitting regular exercise into your daily schedule may seem difficult at first but it’s easier than you think. Spread it out and break your activity into attainable segments. Ten minutes at a time is fine. Try going for a 10-minute brisk walk, 3 times a day, 5 days a week. This will give you a total of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity.

*When to Check With Your Doctor:   Doing activity that requires moderate effort is safe for most people. But if you have a chronic health condition such as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, or other symptoms be sure to talk with your doctor about the types and amounts of physical activity that are right for you.

See this print-friendly brochure for examples of physical activity.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Physical Activity

Remember: Play, Don’t Lay

If you would like to contact Ricki McWilliams for more information, you can reach her at the UF/IFAS Extension Walton County Office (850) 892-8172.

 

Traditions Help Bind Us Together as a Family

by | Jan 29, 2013

Family traditions bind us together.

According to the Free Merriam-Webster On-line Dictionary, there are countless definitions of family. Perhaps, one definition that  most could agree on is that a family is a group of people united by certain convictions or a common connection.

Don’t let the pressures of this hectic and ever-changing holiday season (or any of life’s changes for that matter) affect a positive family balance. Try to make the most of your family relationships and build meaningful traditions.  Traditions are the glue, the true and lasting bond that unite families with a sense of belonging, continuity, and routine that family members can depend on year after year, generation after generation.

If you don’t have any family traditions…don’t get overwhelmed.

Suzanna Smith, Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Life, Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, University of Florida, provides a great publication that lists characteristics that build strong and resilient families.  (Publication #FCS2057)

Listed are her ideas plus an example to get you started.

1.    Focus on commitment to each other.  Committed families provide a sense of safety and security that say we belong. Designate time exclusively for family.

 2.    Respect values, physical, spiritual, and emotional wellness.  A family environment is complex and involves many factors. As a family, decide what to do to help promote your family values.  Board games anyone?

3.    Encourage effective family communication.  Practice positive speaking.  Communication is not just talking.  Practice a flexible approach to listening, talking, and reacting. Positive speaking focuses on the things we value most.  Example…. “I love that you are a considerate person.”

4.    Promote appreciation of all family members.  Celebrate the wonderful qualities of those people you care about most.  In the words of Mother Teresa, “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”

5.    Providing meaningful and sufficient time together.  An effective way to build the skill of time together is to learn to share stories about your family.  These stories can be a means of conveying the caring and tradition of your family system.  Try eating family meals together, without distraction, as often as possible.

6.    Offering effective strategies to deal with stress.  Learn to recognize the signs of tension and do something positive to deal with it.  Physical activity of any kind is shown to work wonders here.  Go for a walk, get up and stretch, or just remove yourself from the situation.

Make time this season to review or build some new, strong, and resilient family traditions of your own. And remember, there are no rules and there is no “right” way to do this. Building family strengths (traditions) helps families solve problems, adapt to change, and have fun!

For more information, visit EDIS – the Electronic Data Information Source of UF/IFAS Extension, a collection of information on topics relevant to you. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/departments/fycs.html