14
in other words
january25
2011
Better Parenting: Why Focus On Homework? What Really Matters?
By Sonia Spackman MA, MFT
the chips can be exchanged as TV time-- middle school and high school. Develop has started at the WGS library two days
or whatever motivates your child. If you good habits now and high school won’t a week on Wednesdays and Thursdays
DON’T HELP TOO MUCH
from 3:00 – 4:00 P.M. for grade school
have to remind older children more than be as difficult.”
What kind of help, and how once, they lose TV or a privilege.”
students. Parent permission forms
much homework help should parents
HELP YOUR CHILD BE A SELF- were sent home with students. Middle
give? Experts agree parents need to have
school teachers will recommend middle
STARTER
SET A TIME AND PLACE
some involvement, but not too much.
Judy Dodge, a study skills When it comes to homework and school students for the Homework Club.
The goal is getting children to do their consultant, thinks that getting the kids planning for projects and tests, post a High school students will be selected for
homework themselves without having to involved to do their homework is the calendar on a wall, door or desk just for Twilight School as volunteers become
stand over them or do it for them.
tests and projects. Another available. If you are a middle school or
teacher’s job. And
The recommended homework the parents’ job is
large calendar can be used a high school parent, call your school for
Helping with
load is ten minutes of work per year of creating a home
for the family schedule. information.
homework is an
schooling through middle school. That environment where
Have
a
homework
important part of
means first graders would have ten kids can get their
completion chart and/ SHARE CONCERNS WITH YOUR
parenting. Helping or a contract with your CHILD’S TEACHER
minutes while sixth graders have about homework
done.
one hour. Give only as much help as is Homework needs to
Be sure to let them know if
child with a designated
your kids develop
appropriate for your child’s age.
time schedule, homework your children are having difficulty or
be at a time and place
discipline and a
A study by the nonprofit Public that has a quiet, well-
location, homework rules are unable to do most of the work by
proper work ethic is and special terms for themselves. Parent Assistant is an on-
Agenda group found that almost one- lit space, away from
fourth of American parents have done distractions and with even more important. rewards and consequences line tool that allows parents to view
part of their children’s homework for all the right supplies,
signed by child and their child’s academic progress and
them. This can be a problem because a dictionary, a desk or
parents. Free copies of attendance. You can access this tool
homework is a child’s first chance to table. It’s a good idea to have an hour of Homework Completion Charts and The from the school website www.vernonia.
develop a strong work standard.
fun and a snack after school, and then it Homework Contracts may be picked up k12.or.us or www.nwpartnership.org/pa.
at the library.
is time to do homework.
MOTIVATE YOUR CHILD
TOWN
HALL
MEETING
--
Doing their homework teaches BREAK BAD HABITS BEFORE GIVE YOUR CHILD A DEADLINE
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
kids to do something they sometimes THEY START
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Set a rule that homework should
don’t want to do and, in the process, they
Homework should start before be done by 8:00 P.M.; unfinished work from 6:30 – 8:00 P.M. There will be
gain a greater sense of responsibility 5:00 P.M. This routine helps kids simply goes back to school the next day, approximately seven stations set up to
and better self-esteem. Kids feel develop the habits for tougher and longer says John Rosemond, psychologist and inform the public about some of the great
good about themselves when they assignments that are required in middle author of Ending the Homework Hassle. things that are going on in our schools.
accomplish something that was hard school, high school and college. A sixth Deadlines focus kids and teach time Please make it if you can.
to do. Ruth Peters, psychologist and grade student said to me the other day: management skills.
author of Overcoming Underachieving “I don’t have to worry about homework
Resources: Sharon Cromwell, Education
suggests: “Think about using a reward/ until I get in high school.” David CONSIDER OUTSIDE RESOURCES World; Teri Cellina, Better Homes and
take away system. Make a chore chart Spackman, grade school counselor,
If your child is struggling with Gardens; Betsy Van Dorn, Family
that includes homework as a task. Then maintains, “Whatever bad habits kids a subject, and you can afford it, you Education.com; David Spackman, WGS
give your child game chips or tokens for have learned with homework will might want to pay an older student to be counselor.
finishing chores, including homework; become patterns much harder to break in a homework buddy. Homework Club
Natural Path to Health: Diabetes - Part 1
By Dr. Carol McIntyre
We should all be aware of what
diabetes is and how it can impact our
lives. For many of us, it already has
impacted our lives. Maybe you know
someone who has diabetes or you have
been diagnosed yourself… or maybe
you’re “pre-diabetic” and wondering
how to prevent further progression. I
hope to enlighten you to the basics of
this widespread illness and give you
some treatment ideas as well.
First, there are different types
of diabetes. The most common is “Type
2”diabetes (previously known as “adult
onset”). This type is acquired. One is
not born with this form of diabetes. Un-
fortunately, in the last decade, more and
more Americans have been diagnosed
with Type 2 diabetes and the age of the
patients continues to get younger and
younger! Because of this, Type 2 is no
longer referred to as “adult onset.” This
type will be the main topic of discussion
throughout this article series.
Although Type 2 is the most
common type, there is also Type 1,
which was once referred to as “juve-
nile diabetes” because it was diagnosed
in childhood or early adulthood. This
type occurs when the beta cells of your
pancreas are unable to produce insulin.
Without insulin, the body cannot prop-
erly utilize sugar to feed the cells of your
body. People diagnosed with Type 1
diabetes will take insulin for the rest of
their lives.
The third most common type of diabetes
is Gestational diabetes. This type is ac-
quired during pregnancy because of the
greater demand on the female body to
utilize sugar during fetal development.
Typically, this type will resolve after the
pregnancy, but it does put the woman at
a greater risk of developing Type 2 dia-
betes later in life.
So, what is diabetes you say? It
is a disease in which the blood glucose/
blood sugar is too high. This can hap-
pen when the body doesn’t produce in-
sulin (like in Type 1) or when the body
exhausts its production of insulin due to
insulin resistance. Let’s start from the
top…
Generally speaking, when a
person eats food, that food is turned
into glucose (or sugar) in your body
and transported throughout to feed your
cells. Insulin is the hormone produced
by the beta cells in your pancreas that
help the sugar get from your blood-
stream and into your cells so it can be
used for energy. Without insulin, the
food that is turned into sugar cannot get
into your cells to be used as energy and
just “hangs around” in your blood. This
can be very damaging to organs and
blood vessels, leading to all types of car-
diovascular and kidney disease, eye and
skin problems and much more.
In Type 1 diabetes, the body is
no longer producing insulin. Therefore,
insulin must be supplied in order for the
body to function and survive. With Type
2 diabetes, however, there is a process of
development.
Type 2 diabetes often begins
with what is known as insulin resistance,
meaning the body’s tissues are not prop-
erly using the insulin to move the sugar
into the cells to make energy. The pan-
creas will continue to make insulin to
try and achieve energy production until
eventually it becomes exhausted and no
longer makes insulin at all. This basi-
cally leads us back to the state of a body
without insulin and more and more Type
2 diabetics are having to take insulin
shots in order to survive.
As a physician, I do not want to
see the rate of diabetes continue to climb
in our society. I am hoping that through
this next series of articles, I can educate
you on the process of exactly how Type
2 diabetes develops and what you can
do for yourself to ensure that you are
not diagnosed with this devastating ill-
ness. Next, we will look at the risk fac-
tors associated with Type 2 diabetes and
ways to prevent them. Then, we will
discuss treatment. Looking forward to
having you along for the discussion!
Take care and Be well.
Dr. Carol McIntyre is a 2008
graduate of the National College
of Natural Medicine in Portland,
Oregon, and has lived in Vernonia for
over 4 years. She currently practices
from her office located at 786 Bridge
Street treating all types of disease
using Naturopathic and Chinese
medicine including acupuncture, spinal
manipulation, herbal and nutritional
therapy. Business hours are Tuesday
and Thursday by appointment. Call
(503) 481-4096 to schedule.
