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Thinking about food

My wife Pam says that I think about food a lot. Once I get this column started, I plan to eat a pumpkin muffin that is out in the kitchen. I’m looking forward to that. At various times in my life, I’ve been chunky to a tad overweight. You don’t get to be that way without thinking about food. There are some cookies in the cupboard in case that muffin isn’t enough. Speaking of thinking about food, we are midway between the two big dinners of the year: Thanksgiving and Christmas. I was thinking about those. Of course. You could rank Easter dinner up there. But I’d put it ...

Caught between daughter and granddaughter

Dear Annie: My daughter, 31, left home at 19 to attend university. Within weeks, she began dating a boy she’d met through the school’s Facebook group. Coming from our cultural background, we weren’t comfortable with relationships outside marriage, but after two years, she moved in with him, mostly on her terms. They lived together for six years, bought a house, got a dog, eventually married and, two and a half years later, had my precious granddaughter. My daughter has always dominated her marriage. Everything has to be on her terms. She’s intelligent, determined and ...

When healthy habits turn into unhealthy critiques

Dear Annie: When my boyfriend decided to get serious about his health earlier this year -- cleaner eating, regular workouts -- I was super proud of him. I cheered him on and swapped out our snacks without complaint. For the first few months, it brought out the best in him. But somewhere along the way, his personal reboot turned into an ongoing critique of me. If I bring home a loaf of bakery bread, he reminds me how “simple carbs kill energy.” If I skip a workout because I’m tired, he sighs with disapproval. Last week he told me my evening glass of wine was “a bad coping ...

Very young kids dealing with trauma

What bad things could possibly happen to children in their first five years of life? What dramatic experiences could possibly happen to a child between birth and 5 years old? It turns out that there are many situations that can expose young children to trauma. Early victimization that can negatively impact how a child develops is more common than many people realize. Psychologists know that these very young children are more vulnerable to things like injury or even traumatic death then they will be later in life. It has been assumed that preschoolers, toddlers, and infants ...

Girls’ wrestling now fastest-growing sport in the country

When Ben Fallon was growing up in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, all he ever wanted to do was play football. Fallon was in fourth grade, and in Western Pennsylvania, pretty much every boy wants to play football. However, his parents had some strong feelings about that sport. “My parents wouldn’t let me play football, and I was just looking for a sport that I could be really physical in and get some of that energy out that I think all fourth-grade boys have,” Fallon said. Wrestling was a sport in which he competed during middle school, high school and college. It was a ...

Shovel and cold-weather safety – avoiding winter injuries

The winter season has begun, and our area has the snow to prove it. To help make this winter a safe one, read on for tips on shoveling and cold-weather safety. Keeping sidewalks and driveways clear of snow and ice is an important part of winter safety, but it can be hard work. Before heading outside, take a few minutes to stretch your body. Performing full-body stretches can help loosen muscles and reduce the risk of injury. To ease the strain of shoveling, go slow and take breaks as needed. When possible, push snow rather than lifting it. If lifting is necessary, avoid overloading the ...