Author: Laura Livingston Snyder

Laura Livingston Snyder is a writer and mother of four who lives north of Syracuse. She blogs at freshapplesnyder.com.

It’s a new year with a clean slate and the potential for 365 days of greatness. What better way to start fresh than with a whole food challenge. Try to eat six fruits and vegetables a day. This is different from a New Year’s resolution, and it’s not a diet: It’s a lifestyle change that can be a springboard for healthier living. This challenge also has welcome side effects: weight loss and feeling great. What are you waiting for? This isn’t the latest crazy diet idea. Eating naturally is how our bodies are designed to function. In the late 1980s…

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Stress is everywhere and affects everyone. Children are no exception. But unlike adults, kids are rarely mature enough to explain that they’re feeling anxious or figure out how to deal with it. And parents might have trouble recognizing when their child is having anxiety. Anxiety—another way of saying “stress” —can show up in several ways: frequent headaches or stomachaches, difficulty sleeping, moodiness or trouble paying attention. Helping your children learn how to manage stress early on will help them throughout their entire life. Start by telling your child what certain signs of anxiety feel like. Knowing what they’re experiencing can…

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We’re into the dog days of summer and my kids are running out of new things to keep them busy. Here’s a productive activity for one child or a whole group that will encourage exploration and discovery, as well as work their brains: a scavenger hunt! A scavenger hunt is easier and quicker to arrange than a treasure hunt because the items to be found are already in existence. If there is time to organize and the kids are more interested in solving riddles that will lead them to a hidden object, plan a treasure hunt. Both are loads of…

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Summer days will soon be here! Don’t forget to include your child’s drawers in your spring cleaning. I used to be intimidated by this chore. How do I organize everything so I’ll find it when I need it? What should be saved, donated or tossed? When do I give clothes away? Raising two girls and two boys in different age groups has made me aware of my limited space. I’ve become resourceful. Taking the time to organize early restocks their drawers with summer clothes and weeds out small, outgrown or totally destroyed cold-weather clothes, making it easier to plan for…

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Winter is when I get creative and have my daughters or friends join me for a henna party. And it can be done any time of the year. Mehndi is the art of painting designs on the body with henna. It has been practiced for thousands of years in India, parts of Africa such as Morocco, and Middle Eastern countries. Crushing the leaves of the henna plant into powder, a paste is made that temporarily stains the top layer of skin. In some countries it has been used medicinally for its cooling properties. Believed to bring luck, prosperity and love,…

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