Activities for VERY active 3 year old?

Proud Mama

My son is very active and rambunctious, I need some ideas for how to keep him entertained that isn't messy as I run a storage facility and have random times when the phone rings or someone comes in and needs assistance. I need activities that are OK for him to be left alone with for a short time without danger or the risk of him making a mess. Any ideas are welcome

Answer
My brother was like this. He was kicked out of play group as a toddler, and was known to climb store shelves if brought indoors. So, for a number of years, his mother would bring him to the park all day every day, where he could let out his energy.

Some indoor ideas for the situation you're talking about:
Buy a mini indoor trampoline for him to jump on (they fold up)
Let him play with some giant cardboard blocks (these are super fun, and don't hurt if thrown, as they're made of folded up cardboard)
Get him a mini tent, and give him soft toys and supplies to build a fort
Brio trains
Set him up with an activity table: drawing station, play doe station, Lego station, silly faces mirror station, puzzle station
Automatic bubble machine
Turn his favourite music on
Put on a children's CD with his favourite stories or songs

Some tips for the long run:
Make sure your child is getting enough sleep. For this age, he should be going to bed around 8PM, sleeping about 11 hrs at night, and getting a 1-2 hr nap in the early afternoon. Children often act more manic and wild when they're over-tired. A well-slept child is an easier child.

Make sure he's getting enough exercise. During his waking hours, give him plenty of opportunities to run around and get his ya-ya's out. Plenty of outdoor time to run around; a play-ground; and a foot-trike, tricycle, or bicycle with training wheels are all a 3-yr-old needs. As an extra option, if he seems ready for some structure, you might also enrol him in sports or dance lessons. Yoga, swimming, and ballet are great options.

Keep him away from refined foods such as white flour and sugar. Make sure he is getting 3 balanced meals and 3 snacks each day. Give him water to drink instead of juice (or if you do give juice, cut it with water).

Have him practice moments of stillness. Have him sit in a chair, starting with 1 minute, and gradually increase. Don't make it a punishment, but do it when he's getting too wild, to help him calm down. Children's emotions and energy can get so intense, that they don't know what to do with themselves; thus resulting in wild mania. By teaching him self-discipline (which actually means teaching) in a safe setting controlled by you, he will gradually build the skills to calm himself. You can make this activity fun by putting on some calming music, or reading him a story. It's not a punishment: it's quiet time.

questions about healthy living?

heather d

I am trying to lose wieght and know that crash dieting isn't for me nor does it actually work. I am 160 and 5'5, female. My ideal wieght is 130. I have been watching my calorie intake and am slowly adding in an exercise regimine, but I want to know if there is anything else I can do? I keep reading all types of online weight loss tips and books, but they all seem to have conflicting suggestions. I am also taking Hoodia, which does help me not feel hungry all the time (and I am taking the minium dosage)

Can someone suggest to me certain exercises I can do at home or in the car( I do lot of driving)?
Is there foods, other than celery, that has no fat and very little calories that I can eat? ( I hate celery)
Should I detox? I have lowered my calorie intake to 1500 or less, but should I go lower?
I would really appreciate some guidance.

Answer
Sounds like you have the basic building blocks of a healthy diet. Congratulations! Many people never get that far.

I started a program last year, and I have been in maintenance mode for 8 months so far. You are doing the right thing by starting slowly. You might want to tweak what you are eating to make sure that you are getting all the nutrition you are supposed to get. Are you getting 5-8 servings of fruit and vegetables a day? Are you getting 25g of fiber a day (that REALLY helps with feeling full)? Detox doesn't sound necessary, and if you are eating enough fiber and drinking 8 glasses of water a day - that will... er... get you regular and take out anything that's been sticking around too long. Water will also help you feel full.

If you are reading weightloss books, start taking notes. If you read something that really makes sense to you, write it down on a notecard. Then, stop obsessing over it. It sounds like your current calorie intake is fine if you are consistently exercising. If you go too low, you are in danger of hitting starvation mode.

For food, I love broccoli - I keep the frozen stuff with low-fat cheese sauce in my freezer for snacking. I have no-sugar added applesauce cups at work (50 calories a serving), along with mini whole wheat bagels (120 calories and high in fiber). A turkey sandwich on Low-cal, High fiber bread is 130 calories. The fruit bowl in the house is always stocked, and I just can't seem to buy enough bananas. As for exercise, I have a jogging trampoline in front of the TV - it's not the same as going for a run, but it still gets me moving instead of lying on the couch.

Good luck!

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Activities for VERY active 3 year old?

Proud Mama

My son is very active and rambunctious, I need some ideas for how to keep him entertained that isn't messy as I run a storage facility and have random times when the phone rings or someone comes in and needs assistance. I need activities that are OK for him to be left alone with for a short time without danger or the risk of him making a mess. Any ideas are welcome

Answer
My brother was like this. He was kicked out of play group as a toddler, and was known to climb store shelves if brought indoors. So, for a number of years, his mother would bring him to the park all day every day, where he could let out his energy.

Some indoor ideas for the situation you're talking about:
Buy a mini indoor trampoline for him to jump on (they fold up)
Let him play with some giant cardboard blocks (these are super fun, and don't hurt if thrown, as they're made of folded up cardboard)
Get him a mini tent, and give him soft toys and supplies to build a fort
Brio trains
Set him up with an activity table: drawing station, play doe station, Lego station, silly faces mirror station, puzzle station
Automatic bubble machine
Turn his favourite music on
Put on a children's CD with his favourite stories or songs

Some tips for the long run:
Make sure your child is getting enough sleep. For this age, he should be going to bed around 8PM, sleeping about 11 hrs at night, and getting a 1-2 hr nap in the early afternoon. Children often act more manic and wild when they're over-tired. A well-slept child is an easier child.

Make sure he's getting enough exercise. During his waking hours, give him plenty of opportunities to run around and get his ya-ya's out. Plenty of outdoor time to run around; a play-ground; and a foot-trike, tricycle, or bicycle with training wheels are all a 3-yr-old needs. As an extra option, if he seems ready for some structure, you might also enrol him in sports or dance lessons. Yoga, swimming, and ballet are great options.

Keep him away from refined foods such as white flour and sugar. Make sure he is getting 3 balanced meals and 3 snacks each day. Give him water to drink instead of juice (or if you do give juice, cut it with water).

Have him practice moments of stillness. Have him sit in a chair, starting with 1 minute, and gradually increase. Don't make it a punishment, but do it when he's getting too wild, to help him calm down. Children's emotions and energy can get so intense, that they don't know what to do with themselves; thus resulting in wild mania. By teaching him self-discipline (which actually means teaching) in a safe setting controlled by you, he will gradually build the skills to calm himself. You can make this activity fun by putting on some calming music, or reading him a story. It's not a punishment: it's quiet time.

questions about healthy living?

heather d

I am trying to lose wieght and know that crash dieting isn't for me nor does it actually work. I am 160 and 5'5, female. My ideal wieght is 130. I have been watching my calorie intake and am slowly adding in an exercise regimine, but I want to know if there is anything else I can do? I keep reading all types of online weight loss tips and books, but they all seem to have conflicting suggestions. I am also taking Hoodia, which does help me not feel hungry all the time (and I am taking the minium dosage)

Can someone suggest to me certain exercises I can do at home or in the car( I do lot of driving)?
Is there foods, other than celery, that has no fat and very little calories that I can eat? ( I hate celery)
Should I detox? I have lowered my calorie intake to 1500 or less, but should I go lower?
I would really appreciate some guidance.

Answer
Sounds like you have the basic building blocks of a healthy diet. Congratulations! Many people never get that far.

I started a program last year, and I have been in maintenance mode for 8 months so far. You are doing the right thing by starting slowly. You might want to tweak what you are eating to make sure that you are getting all the nutrition you are supposed to get. Are you getting 5-8 servings of fruit and vegetables a day? Are you getting 25g of fiber a day (that REALLY helps with feeling full)? Detox doesn't sound necessary, and if you are eating enough fiber and drinking 8 glasses of water a day - that will... er... get you regular and take out anything that's been sticking around too long. Water will also help you feel full.

If you are reading weightloss books, start taking notes. If you read something that really makes sense to you, write it down on a notecard. Then, stop obsessing over it. It sounds like your current calorie intake is fine if you are consistently exercising. If you go too low, you are in danger of hitting starvation mode.

For food, I love broccoli - I keep the frozen stuff with low-fat cheese sauce in my freezer for snacking. I have no-sugar added applesauce cups at work (50 calories a serving), along with mini whole wheat bagels (120 calories and high in fiber). A turkey sandwich on Low-cal, High fiber bread is 130 calories. The fruit bowl in the house is always stocked, and I just can't seem to buy enough bananas. As for exercise, I have a jogging trampoline in front of the TV - it's not the same as going for a run, but it still gets me moving instead of lying on the couch.

Good luck!

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I need to convince myself to hate food?

water trampoline dangers image

Michelle

Please understand, I do not want to be anorexic. I realize the dangers of an unhealthy lifestyle and this is not my intention.

The reasons why:
About 5 years ago I made a decision to lose weight and get down to my normal BMI weight (120 lbs). I am currently 160 and REALLY want to get down to a healthy weight. I try REALLY hard to eat right and exercise but I always screw up and get frustrated.

I need to reprogram myself to eat the right foods and to not want to eat the wrong foods. The only reason that I want to consume food is for my health and energy, but if eating becomes too pleasurable, I know I'll just start eating badly again.

I don't have a lot to lose, but not being able to get this weight off is making me really depressed and effects my self confidence. I just want to be able to look and feel healthy, but because I'm so short, those extra pounds really show up!



Do you have any pointers on how I can make eating not so enjoyable?

PS. I have successfully incorporated an exercise routine of 45 min. of jogging 5 times a week. The exercise alone is not helping me to achieve the desired results.

Answer
You're right, exercise alone is not enough. You can lose 40 lbs in just 4 mo. with a good, healthy, low carb food/exercise plan:

Breakfast: Cook 9-grain cereal (from health food store) in water with rolled oats and wheat bran. Make a big pot of it on weekends and nuke 1/2 cup each morning. Add low fat milk or yogurt, banana, walnuts and berries. Drink hot Ovaltine. Breakfast should be your largest meal of the day to raise blood sugar level which falls during the night.

Lunch: Egg, tuna or turkey ½ sandwich on whole grain bread with bean or alfalfa sprouts and yogurt w/fruit. If you had meat loaf for dinner, bring a meat loaf sandwich on whole grain bread (NO mayo). On cold days, a squatty thermos of hot chili, split peas with ham, or beef stew.

Snacks: Fresh (not canned) fruit: banana, orange, apple, kiwi, grapes, peach, nectarine, cherries, pineapple. No chips and nothing ever from a vending machine.

Dinner: salad with white meat chicken and fresh (not canned) veggies: tomatoes, 2 kinds of lettuce, 2 kinds of shredded cabbage, shredded or sliced carrots, alfalfa or bean sprouts, zucchini, green or red peppers, hard boiled eggs, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, tofu, cottage cheese...Instead of dressing, squeeze 1/4 tomato over it.

Or homemade bean/vegetable soups; great way to recycle leftovers.
Or grilled fish with steamed veggies.

Or omelet: In blender, whip together eggs, tofu, cottage cheese, onions, garlic powder. Cook with mushrooms, chopped tomatoes and green or red peppers.

Foods to avoid: junk food, fast foods, pastries, desserts, sugar, salty foods, syrup (even canned fruit in syrup), peanut butter, fat/grease (pork, wieners, chops, bacon, salami, pizza, chips, fries), pasta, potatoes, white bread, rice, canned veggies, ice cream, soda, chips. And of course no tobacco or alcohol in any form. Both of those add wrinkles and destroy your brain. No oil except olive and mac nut. Coffee also rots your brain.

To keep your skin clear, drink water. Veg. juice is good too. But not canned juice (too much sugar.)

Join a gym; they have all the equipment and staff to show you how to use it to get the look you want to achieve. Much cheaper than buying your own equipment. Go hiking, biking, jogging, bowling, swimming, rowing, jump rope, play tennis, badminton, volleyball, soccer, jumping jacks, lift weights, trampoline? To tone your tummy, do sit ups, push ups, pull ups, leg lifts and crunches.

If you lack energy, take Super B complex. Try appetite suppressants.

Why do I laugh uncontrollably?

No name

I've done this weird thing my whole life where I just start laughing over something and I just can't stop laughing. I start laughing over whatever stupid thing and then I find it hilarious that I'm laughing so hard over something that nobody else thinks is that funny, so it makes me laugh more, like self perpetuating laughter. I mean like silent, nostrils flaring, watering eyes, cant breathe kinda of laughing for a long time. When I see other people looking at me like I'm crazy, it just makes me laugh more because I think that's funny too! I used to get in trouble for this when I was a kid because I would laugh for like 30 minutes straight. Well fast forward to now I am 26 years old and I still do this. I may be sitting in a restaurant with someone who gets up to go to the bathroom and while their gone I think of something funny, that maybe even happened 2 weeks before that and I start laughing. I laugh so hard and I know thats weird and people will think I'm crazy so I put my phone up to my ear so it just looks like I'm talking on the phone to cover up my crazy laughing. Today in the college classroom during group study time I said something that struck me funny and the cycle began. After about 10 minutes I couldn't stop and i thought i was gonna get in trouble so I had to leave the classroom and stood in the hallway by myself laughing until I settled down but for the rest of the day I continued to laugh and giggle off and on for no apparent reason, other than just getting a kick out of myself laughing over whatever the originally funny thought was. Even now just thinking about it all makes me laugh. I know that sounds kinda weird. I'm just curious if this is a sign if something like bipolar or a neurological disorder or something. I rather enjoy it and don't want a "cure". I'm just curious. I am naturally a very energetic person with a warped sense of humor so it may just be that, I don't know.

Answer
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder causing the sufferer to have mania or hypomania and depression.

I developed it at 14 and was diagnosed at 18. I go through weeks and months of being depressed, feeling suicidal, hopeless and worthless, going days without leaving bed, never washing or dressing or eating. Trying to kill myself and hurt myself. Sleeping over 18 hours a day and only getting up for the toilet and even then one day i went the whole day without doing that as i was too depressed to get up. Then ill switch into mania and i am the complete opposite. Stay up all night for days and days or get like 3 hours a night and am NEVER tired, completely full of energy and confidence. Reckless and impulsive. Do things like sleep with strangers, steal and shoplift, spend every penny i have on anything, drinking every day, doing drugs or all of the above. I think i can do anything I want and do not care about the consequences. Aggressive and have fits of rage, i once trashed my mums apartment and tore her front door down. Nothing is going fast enough for me. My body can't keep up with me and i am full of ideas. My thoughts race and i talk a million miles an hour. I have no control over my behavior or anything i say. In my last mania i tried to trampoline a moving car and I once told my psychiatrist all about my sex life and how i f**k the sh** out of my boyfriend when manic and how it sucks to be a loonbag. I also hear voices telling me to kill myself and harm others and have hallucinations and delusions that lead me to be a danger to myself.

Bipolar moods are more than emotional highs and lows, its mania and depression, and when you are in either state you are in it for weeks and months on end and your mood doesn't change at all then after however long you switch to normal or the opposite state.

You clearly do not understand what bipolar disorder is. It is not laughing for no reason everyone does that. You just sound like a happy person.

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