Healthy Expat Parent

'Look for the helpers... because then you know that there is hope.' ~ Fred Rogers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LGHtc_D328 I have nothing new and amazing to share here, just my thoughts on the current situation. Perhaps some useful thoughts, perhaps not. Most important and interesting may very well be the link at the bottom for the free concerts online, online tours of amazing museums, or the homemade playdough recipe. Unlike many of you, we just started our home/e-learn

Are we taking this ‘being mindful’ business too far? Let’s be completely honest: is it really that important to ‘tune in and connect’? Yes, absolutely, 100%. While we are on the topic, though, as much as it is helpful to talk about what mindfulness IS, it is just as important to note what mindfulness is not. What mindfulness is: Mindfulness is that A-ha moment. One of the most rewarding parts of parenting is that moment when you see your child really GET a new thing. It

What else can I possibly say? I know throughout this month, I have given you a lot of information to process. It is important to do what you can, and accept what you cannot. A huge part of wellness is accepting what you do, and being kind to yourself for what you can’t get to; beating yourself up for not being able to incorporate Wellness suggestion #357 in your (or your family’s) day is not accomplishing the goal here. Remember that every little thing you do, every little

As we continue our month-long dive into the different parts of wellness, what little things you can do for you, and for your family, this week I look at spiritual wellness. First, let's look a little at just what Spiritual Wellness is. One does not have to be of a particular faith in order to be spiritually well. On the contrary, one can be very spiritual AND not have a defined religion. Spiritual well-being can be described as a sense of inner peace, as well as the journey

As we continue our month-long dive into the different parts of wellness, what little things you can do for you, and for your family, this week I look at mental and emotional wellness. First of all: what is Mental and emotional well-being? Answer me this: how do you feel? How do you handle day-to-day life? The answer is likely to change from day to day, month to month … maybe even minute to minute (perhaps especially for parents, when dealing with preschoolers or teenagers who

Now is the time. Excuses stop here. You have made a decision and this time REALLY you are going to go on a diet and lose some weight. You are going to cut out all of those bad foods, eat only healthy things. You are going to start a regular exercise program, and be more active. You are going to just get.it.done. I can't tell you how many times I have heard these very phrases, and watched people I know go through the motions, and then fall short of their goals. Now is the

I often think that one if the qualifications for bring a parent should be having a strong stomach. I can’t even count the number of times some sort of body fluid has ended up on some part of my person, ranging from benign (I’d say urine, but everyone has their own preferences/opinions) to the most foul (trust me, you don't want to know). You don’t really get to pick what you are to be dowsed with nor the regularity; suffice it to say, it’ll happen. Take a deep breath, dea

As we get to the end of January and the shine of your New Year's Resolutions begin to tarnish a bit, maybe it is time to think about what you are really seeking with these resolutions. Is it a life-style change? Is it a healthier outlook on life? What about (fill in the blank) would we like to change? Maybe it's a good time to think about what, exactly, is wellness? How can it be defined? What does it look like? And what does wellness look like to you? Having studied this