Inspiration

You can have a lot of fun with sides by keeping tons of fun, colorful options around (they double as great after-school snacks). And if you're really in a pinch? Opt for a bento-box-style lunch and do multiple "sides" to make a whole. "You just toss in a few things—hard-boiled eggs, fruits, vegetables, popcorn, and a dip—and you have a full meal," says Feller. Shelled edamame: "These are full of protein and healthy fats," says English. Easy-prep veggies: "With young kids, you might hear them say that baby carrots are hard for them to eat, even though we think they...

1. Bake a Batch of Cookies Get your child involved by having him or her help you out in the kitchen. If you are a baking maestro, whip up the dough from scratch. If you are culinary-challenged, there is no shame in buying a premix. Kids will have plenty of fun with this indoor activity for kids you can do at home. Plus, you get to eat the results too! 2. Read a Book Together There is no more-classic indoor activity for kids that you can do at home than reading a book together. Cuddle up with your favourite tome...

There’s nothing like the warmth and security of a loved one being enveloping you in their arms.  The simple act of giving and receiving genuine hugs can completely change your mood.  You feel loved, cared about, safe, and unique.  I’m not sure there is a single action that can replicate the feeling of giving and getting a hug. It’s a good thing that giving is the same as receiving when it comes to hugs, right?  Now, science says you can be smarter for it. If you were about two feet long and weighed roughly 10 pounds, your brain would develop...

At first glance, Quiet Time – a stress reduction meditation strategy used in several San Francisco middle and high schools, – looks like something out of the om-chanting 1960s. Twice daily, a gong sounds in the classroom and rowdy adolescents, who normally can’t sit still for 10 seconds, shut their eyes and try to clear their minds. The practice of meditation in schools deserves serious attention from parents and policymakers. An impressive array of studies shows that integrating meditation into a school’s daily routine can markedly improve the lives of students. If San Francisco schools Superintendent Richard Carranza has his way, Quiet Time could well...

Well, the word yoga means union. When we dream, we see different people, animals, trees, buildings, cars, yoga mats and other objects. But who and what are all of these people and things in your dream? Are they really other people and other things?  No, they are all you. Your own amazing mind manifests all of these things. It is the same here in our waking reality. We are not as far from each other as we may think. For example, look at someone or something now. Where do you see them? Are they inside of you or outside of...