When it comes to our health, or what really has us obsessed — diet and exercise — we’re gifted masters of “tomorrow.” Most of you don’t face the fabulous-yet-frightening mirror of an identical twin like I do. We’ve got freakishly similar bodies, mannerisms and aging lines. We’ve recently discovered our identical daily self-talk in our respective morning showers. Our days start by lathering up and optimistically reassuring ourselves that today’s disciplined diet and exercise will yield great things. And then, the day happens. We can inspire one another positively with our joint hot yoga addiction, or badly with our butterball cookie consumption (recipe share: The Silver Palate Cookbook p. 257).
The new year offers all of us the opportunity to learn, grow, and better influence our loved ones. Our health trends issue kicks off 2015 with inspired and practical content for you and your family’s mind and body nourishment.
Could you possibly travel with kids in tow to Costa Rica for a cultural adventure and Spanish lessons? Then book it, and don’t say “tomorrow.”
You, readers, inspired our launch of a new feature, Ask the Experts, in partnership with Seattle Children’s, which invites top health and development specialists to respond to your most burning parenting questions and challenges. We kick off the column with resolutions-themed hot topics: social media use and chores.
Often, it’s our kids who inspire our elevated behavior. My Maya, (age 13 and topping 5-foot-8-inches) provides me with daily lessons, if I’m wise enough to listen. My default food urge is to chase down a burger and truffle fries.
Maya, a committed dancer who thankfully does not suffer from body-image issues, steers us to consume her favorite treat: an Acai bowl with fresh berries and coconut.
Lastly, Maya and I were lucky enough to attend “Puberty Lady” Julie Metzger’s Great Conversations class a couple of years back. Julie is a master at breaking down the uncomfortable barriers that prevent us from having essential conversations with our kids about sexuality. We laughed a lot as Julie placed a Kotex pad on her head and cringed a bit as dozens of 10–12-year-old girls and their moms created a chorus by saying “penis” together. Apologies if we’re filling up your to-do list, but this is another “do not say tomorrow” experience for you.
