Tips to Fight Summer Weight Gain

When we think of summer, most of us think of outdoor fun. So it seems like we should naturally lose weight over the summer—not gain it. 【小题1】 Lots of summer activities can work against our efforts to stay at a healthy weight. The good news is that it’s easy to avoid problems if we know what to look out for.

Get going with goals. When we don’t have a plan, it’s easy to spend summer moving from couch to computer, with regular stops at the fridge. 【小题2】 Just be sure to plan for some downtime so you can relax a little!

【小题3】 With school out, we lose our daily routines. If you don’t have a specific job or activity to get up for, it’s easy to sleep late, watch too much TV, and snack more than usual. Make sure your summer days have some structure —like getting up at the same time each day and eating meals at set times. Plan activities for specific times, like exercising before breakfast, for example. If you have time on your hands, offer to make dinner a couple of nights a week so your family can enjoy a sit-down meal together.

Think about what and how you eat. Summer means picnics and barbecues — activities that revolve around an unlimited spread of food. Pace yourself. Don’t overload your plate. Avoid going back for seconds and thirds. Choose seasonal, healthy foods like fresh fruit instead of high-sugar, high-fat desserts. 【小题4】

Stay busy. 【小题5】 In addition to helping you avoid the cookie jar, filling your days with stuff to do can give you a sense of accomplishment. That’s especially true if a dream summer job or planned activity fell through. Limit your screen time — including TV, computer, and video games — to no more than two hours a day.

How to Help Your Child Overcome Their Fear of Water

Your kids love bath time and seem excited about your family’s upcoming trip to the beach. But when you get to the beach, they scream, and won’t even dip their toes into the water. 【小题1】, you are not alone. It is very common for young children to develop a fear of water and for parents to feel at a loss when their children have an unreasonable fear of water. Here are some suggestions you can try.

It can be helpful to understand the reason behind your child’s fear. Some kids may be affected by a scary movie where they saw a monster living in the bottom of a lake or a pool. 【小题2】, it may be easier to help them overcome their fear and feel more at ease in the water.

Some kids will feel more comfortable when going in with some equipment. For example, colorful goggles (护目镜), water wings with their favorite cartoon images on them, a life-jacket. 【小题3】.

However, parents should never allow floating aids devices to give your children a false sense of security or use them as substitutes for hands-on supervision (监督).

【小题4】. A kind, patient swimming instructor may just do the trick. They have tons of experience with this issue and their own tricks-of-the-trade (诀窍) when it comes to getting young children more comfortable in the water.

Some kids are only comfortable if you get in the water with them. You can either carry them or hold their hands, and then gently ease yourself away. But even when you back away, never go too far. 【小题5】.

Gratitude is not only an art performed in daily life, but also part of our traditional virtue (美德). Has your mother or friend told you that you’re an ungrateful person? Do you feel unable to thank the world or people around you? Are you crazy for things you don’t have instead of being thankful for what you do have? 【小题1】, then you will definitely need to work on being a more grateful person.

Showing gratitude has been put forward in the last few decades. 【小题2】. But there are still some tips that help make it possible for you to practice gratitude.

Refusing to play the victim (受害者) is the first step you’re supposed to take. 【小题3】. If you want to be grateful, stop complaining to the world, your teachers, your friends and your family about not putting themselves in your shoes, and focus on how much they’ve helped and cared about you.

Volunteering in your community is another effective way to show how grateful you are for what the world has given you. Whether you’re helping clean up a local park, working in a soup kitchen, or teaching children or adults in your community to learn to read, your attitude towards life will change positively. 【小题4】.

【小题5】. You shouldn’t always be good only to your close friends or family members. You can help a neighbor look for a lost dog. You can also help an old lady carry her groceries. You don’t have to search for these opportunities purposely. Sometimes they will present themselves. So when they come, act with generosity. You’ll be more grateful for your role played in the world.