Take it from me. Your kids need to learn to swim.  It is truly a lifesaving skill that they need to know. But, if they get to high school age and can’t swim—oh boy. It’s so embarrassing in gym class when they have to swim and they can’t. You know what that does to a [...]

To be kind is more important than to be right.  Many times, what people need is NOT a brilliant mind that speaks but a SPECIAL HEART that listens.”  -Unknown I really wish I knew who said this.  I Googled it but to no avail.  Found lots of plagiarism of the quote, not that I can [...]

You know today’s kids are known as the, “Everyone gets a trophy generation”. When I was at our gym’s meet the other day I was reminded of what a great opportunity for growth losing is. When your kids don’t remember their routines or don’t perform like they or you would like, that is a perfect [...]

In a recent article called “When did obedience become the epitome of good parenting?” author Annalisa Barbieri asks this interesting question. And it really is an excellent question.  Why is it that the parent who has a compliant child considered a “good” parent, but the parent who has a child who questions authority, challenges rule [...]

“My child wants to quit because she is not making any progress.”  These words begin so many of the meetings that I have with parents who are conflicted about having their child continue in gymnastics.  Quite often, the parent will say that the child likes gymnastics, is happy when she is at practice and is [...]

American children are getting fatter and fatter.  Current statistics tell us that over one-third of American kids are overweight or obese.  And the numbers continue to climb each year. Recent articles in Time magazine highlighted why both school age and preschool aged children are getting heavier—a lack of exercise. As standardized test scores in the [...]

When I am in charge of the world (I still can’t believe that hasn’t happened…wonder what the hold up is…?), I will eliminate the following words from my gymnasts’ vocabulary.  In the meantime, I share it with all of you so that you may get a head start on eradicating these words and the concepts [...]

Weightlifting Raises Resting Metabolism-Another common misconception is that if you lift weights and add muscle mass you will lose weight when sitting due to a higher metabolism. Scientific studies of muscle metabolism have conclusively shown that skeletal muscle burns about 13 calories per kilogram of body weight over a 24 hour period. If a man [...]

Weight training will bulk you up.This is perhaps the most common myth women fall for and it couldn’t be farther from the truth.  In fact, weight training is often the easiest and quickest way for women to look leaner, more sculpted and toned.  You’d have to be taking steroids to achieve the bulked-up look most [...]

You need to drink six to eight glasses of water a day After reviewing more than 400 studies, the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine concluded that men need about 15 cups of fluid a day and women about 11. But that includes fluids from all beverages, including the alcoholic and caffeinated kinds, and [...]

Recently, I came across a blog on pigtailpals.com, a web site dedicated to changing the way we think about girls.  In addition to the blog,  the site has lists of resources, print outs and a very cute shop. While there are a number of very well written, thought provoking entries, the one that  brought me [...]

According to the Wall Street Journal many children in the U.K. as well as the U.S. need to exercise more. Click here to check out this interesting article.