Adventures Of Sammy

What a beautiful morning to spend at the zoo. The sun was shining, the breeze took the flies away and Sending You Sammy gleams in the bright light. With everyone geared up for a run in the zoo for the great cause of building a new Tiger Exhibit for the Magnetic Hill Zoo, Sammy was on everyone’s lips.

Literacy, eating healthy and exercise all go together in Sammy’s world as they should in yours. Enjoy your day the healthy way!

On Sunday May 24, 2009 – bring your kids, your sunscreen, your spirit and make sure you stretch because the Magnetic Hill Zoo is holding a fundraiser to bring the tigers back to Moncton and I will be there!

I am donating $5 from each Sending You Sammy book sale at the zoo to the Tomar-the-Tiger Fundraiser . Come out and run or walk or stroll your support to the local Zoo and let your kid be a part of it forever!

Registration begins at 8:00 so make sure you’re there. I will be.

No matter how young or old your child is or children are, it’s important and easy to instill the skill of literacy into their repertoire. There are five simple tasks that I encourage you to merge into your every day life that will guarantee your child’s success.

The number one and most important is to read yourself. Whether it’s the daily newspaper, a good mystery or a text book – reading is contagious and will be something your children will do simply to be just like you. At young ages people learn through mimicking so why not have them mimic something that will last a lifetime? Take an hour out of your TV watching tonight, every night, and pick up something to read; out loud or to yourself reading will change your life.

A few other things in combination would be a matter of paying a regular visit to your local library. Take a bus, drive yourself, encourage your neighbours and carpool, however you need to get there please do. While there you’ll be able to get your child his/her own library card, have access to thousands if not hundreds of thousands of books at no cost and then you can keep up on their events. Who knows when you’ll be able to meet your child’s favourite author or play a game that will be so fun you and your kids will want to pass it on to everyone you know.

And last, but certainly not least, start reading out loud to your child as soon as you can. Don’t dwell on the years lost but savour the days you have now when you can sit and read together.

Simple, right? Absolutely and not out of any one’s budget. So why aren’t you doing it? I am!

Childhood obesity is still in the news but not in a positive way. Obesity rates are still disgustingly high and solutions are emerging but not making the front pages of newspapers.

Canada’s Physical Activity Guide advises children to aim for 90 minutes a day of physical activity. Are your children up to par? Are they eating the healthiest choices or are they even being offered a choice? Did you know that the federal government has touted its children’s fitness tax credit as one way to encourage parents to help their kids get active. Parents can claim a maximum of $500 a year for eligible fitness expenses? Activities must "include a significant amount of physical activity that contributes to cardio-respiratory endurance, plus one or more of: muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility or balance." Do you need that money to take your child to a park when it’s nice out or dance with them in your living room when it’s not? (Please see more information on this on CBC’s website ).

Turn off the television, turn up the music and dance! Go outside and run around the house. Play hide and seek, tag, or just race. These don’t cost a cent and can improve your health as well. There’s nothing better than coming in from a full day of play and having a sound sleep then waking up with energy to play even harder. Saving your child’s life shouldn’t cost the government money, and it shouldn’t cost you money – all it needs is time and dedication. Your child has it – do you?