HARD HIT ISSUE #2

Can you believe we are at the end of November?  Where does the time go?! In this issue I go over setting goals for your training, a few tips on our power food of the month and a few tips for child (teen) safety.

Setting S.M.A.R.T Goals for Your Training:

Specific: The goals need to be clear and defined.

Measurable:  Track your progress by logging in what you are doing each day/week

Attainable:  The goals should be realistically reached within the set time frame

Relevant:  There is a “Why” driving your motivation to reach your goal.  Example:  becoming more flexible for higher kicks, stronger for low stance horse stance or harder punches, and/or eats healthier to have more energy.

Timely: The goal has a deadline.  Weather it is in 3 months or 6 months.

Power Food for the Month: Green Beans

In our kids class each month we have power food of the month.  We teach this to help instill that it is important to eat healthy foods each day to be healthy, strong and have vibrant energy.    I have decided to start sharing this with the Adults, as a reminder that eating healthy is what makes you stronger and have more energy.    The healthier you eat the fewer problems you will have:

Green beans and French beans are a variety of legume and, hence, the relative of peas, peanuts, lentils and the many varieties of dried beans.  Their pods are edible because of selective breeding to make them flavorful at an early or immature stage of growth.  Like their cousins, the dried beans, they are high in calcium, potassium and B-complex vitamins.  Green beans are a good source of dietary fiber, a good source of vitamin A and C, are high in minerals especially magnesium.  They have a higher carotenoid content than the dried variety and are often more digestive  String beans were particularly r3commended by the late physician Henry Bieler (famous for his Bielers Broth) as a treatment for the pancreas and salivary glands because they are rich in alkaline-ash minerals.

Stir Fry Green Beans with Sesame Dressing:

Stir fry in olive oil or pasture raised lard

1 lb. organic green beans

2  minced garlic cloves

2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds

1 to 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seed oil

Optional: sprinkle with chili flakes

Mix Together:

1 cup rice wine vinegar

1 cup sesame tahini

1 cup water

2 tablespoons of coconut amino’s

1⁄4 cup lemon juice

4 cloves garlic, minced

1⁄2 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tsp ground black pepper

Sauté/stir fry the green beans with minced garlic until just tender.  Then add the toasted sesame seeds, toasted sesame seed oil  and optional chili flakes.

Meanwhile, make the tahini Dressing by mixing (or blend it in a blender) vinegar, tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro and ground pepper. Extra dressing can be stored for up to a month in the refrigerator.

Mix beans and sesame seeds with 1/2 cup dressing. Or dish up the stir fry green beans and let your family or guess put how much dressing they would like on them.

Also you don’t have to use the dressing.  I often just stir fry the green beans with mushrooms and serve it that way.

Stranger Danger vs. Stanger Behavior – Security Tips for Kids

Back in the day when I was teaching the Mighty Monkeys class I often talked about Stranger Danger with a big emphasis on Stanger Behavior.  My view back then and now is that we should be having conversations more about Stranger Behavior.  We should be having conversations with our children that the bigger risk of something happening was more likely going to be from someone the child knows.  Stanger Behavior is a very important subject to talk about, and I find that it is difficult for some parents to open up this conversation with their children.  It is a bit easier to talk about Stranger Danger than Stranger Behavior because that means we have to admit there are people out in our world that will harm a child that they know.

“According to the nonprofit National Center or Missing and Exploited Children less than 1 % of child kidnappings are committed by nonfamily members.  Furthermore, 90% of child sex abusers are people the child knows and may even trust.  This can be an uncle, a coach, a friend, a clergy member a teacher, a scout leader, a family friend, a babysitter and the list goes on. (Make no mistake; women are capable of predatory behavior, too.) “All of this makes it critically important to teach your children to recognize strange behaviors not just stranger danger.

When you talk to your children about abduction prevention, don’t focus on warning them about certain types of people.  Instead, teach them to identify and respond to threatening situations

With that said I recently I read a short article that I would like to share on security tips for kids that have some really great tips

When you categorize the behavior a strange, rather than teaching them to fear strangers they will be better equipped to recognize an unsafe situation,  The stranger danger narrative teaches children to fear all strangers, when in reality a child in a precarious situation may need to rely on a “good “ stranger.  If there is a situation that a child (or teen) might need a stranger for help the suggestion is that a woman with kids, a security guard or store employee can usually be relied on to help rescue them from a potentially  serious situation.

Also teach them to recognize luring tactics, not just from strangers but it could also happen from someone they know.  Luring tactics, such as asking them to approach a car for directions or saying their parents said it was ok to get in the car, offering candy or asking them to help look for a lost pet; requesting that they keep secrets regardless of whether its someone they know or somebody they’ve never met; isolating them at school, at a family gathering or at church; showing them inappropriate images or videos ; inappropriate touching; and asking them to pose for pictures or requesting pictures over the internet.

This is important – make safety a part of your everyday life, and routine. Ask questions and present scenarios to check your child’s understanding. And establish home and phone safety rules, including keeping doors locked and not answering questions about personal details (location, address, etc.) over the phone or over the internet.

But also, just saying “stranger danger” doesn’t mean something to some kids, and some strangers don’t seem so strange if they have ice cream or an adorable puppy. Remind them that anyone can be a tricky person, so if you haven’t met them before, then that is someone we shouldn’t go off with or talk to unless your parent/caregiver is there.

Conversation Examples;

Don’t say: Never talk to strangers.

Say: You should not approach just anyone. If you need help, look for a uniformed police officer, a store clerk with a nametag, or a parent with children.

Don’t say: Stay away from people you don’t know.

Say: It’s important for you to get my permission before going anywhere with anyone.

Don’t say: You can tell someone is bad just by looking at them.

Say: Pay attention to what people do. Tell me right away if anyone asks you to keep a secret, makes you feel uncomfortable, or tries to get you to go with them.

It is important to keep in mind that this is not a one and done conversation, this is especially true for the internet. Start with a calm transparent/honest, and developmentally appropriate conversation with your child.  It is really important to talk openly about strangers and don’t respond in an overly emotional way.  Modeling a calm style is important.   An ongoing,  age appropriate,  dialogue will help instill the principles and safety tips to keep your child safe.