Get Fit With Your Family 5 Easy Ways to Get Everyone Moving
What’s That Noise? Your Guide to the Strange Noises Your Vehicle Can Make There’s something refreshing about May. It’s the first month where the sun is regularly shining, and it’s the perfect opportunity to roll down your windows and … what’s that? Is that a new noise coming from your car? Should you be worried about it, or is it normal? What could it be? If It’s Whirring or Humming The friction between your tires and roadways provides the perfect white noise to lull babies asleep, but irregular humming or loud whirring could be a sign that your car’s wheel bearings — the small balls that allow the vehicle to turn smoothly — are going out. Identifying where the noise is coming from can determine which bearings are in need of help, so have a mechanic thoroughly inspect your vehicle before driving too far. If It’s Squealing Your vehicle can squeal in multiple spots. The most common area is on the brakes. This squealing occurs when the brake pads are starting to wear
May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. As a parent, you probably know exercise is important for your children’s physical development. It helps build healthy bones, muscles, and joints and reduces the risk of developing diabetes and other diseases later in life. But did you know that physical activity also has many mental and behavioral health benefits? It’s been shown to improve children’s cognitive skills and concentration, boost their self-esteem, and reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. One of the best ways to encourage healthy behaviors in your children is by modeling them yourself. Studies have found that more than 80% of adolescents and adults are not getting enough aerobic activity, showing that children often follow in their parents’ footsteps and that exercising together can benefit everyone.
You may be thinking it’s hard enough just to get yourself to the gym, but Stephen Virgilio, author of “Active Start for Healthy Kids,” encourages parents not to limit themselves to traditional forms of exercise. Instead, think of exercise more broadly as “leading an active lifestyle.” And remember that exercise can be fun and a great way to get in more family time.
Become And Save Mone
Here are five easy ways to incorporate more movement into your family’s day.
1. Create a walking ritual. Start walking around the neighborhood before or after dinner each night. Aim for a 20-minute stroll. 2. Have a dance party. Clear some space in the living room, make playlist with everyone’s favorite tunes, and boogie down for as long as you have the energy. 3. Turn chores into games. Dirt has invaded from outer space and must be eliminated. Set the scene with your kids, grab your tools, and get to work removing the enemy while having fun. 4. Incorporate simple exercises into screen time. Start by making up fun names for exercises like situps or jumping jacks. Then, challenge each other to see who can do the most during your favorite show’s commercial breaks. 5. Get fit in the great outdoors. Cleaning up the yard, planting and maintaining a garden, or just running around outside are all great ways to get in more movement.
This past fall, RV manufacturers reported a 31% increase in sales compared to 2019. This was no doubt related to an effort to stave off the spread of COVID-19, which had more families opting to
a
take road trips and camp instead of going on tropical and European vacations. While the great outdoors can be the perfect affordable backdrop for family vacations, it doesn’t come without a cost. You can hit the road without your bank account taking a hit with these three must-do tips! Stay for Free If you’re on a cross-country adventure, you will need a place to park and rest each night before continuing your adventure the next day. Rather than shelling out money every night, consider free options. Search for public land that’s part of the Bureau of Land Management or in a Wildlife Management Area that allows overnight camping. Walmart allows RV parking at no cost, but some locations pose safety concerns. To mitigate this, well-meaning RVers have listed Walmart locations with red flags. You can check them out at AllStays.com.
2
Sycamore 815.756.7413 • DeKalb 815.754.4200
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator