Needham Farm Gardening Classes for Young Families

New Family Gardening Classes
at the Needham Community Farm!

The Needham Community Farm (NCF) just celebrated its 10th anniversary, but many Needham residents don’t know about this great non-profit.  The NCF has three intertwined missions: to educate about sustainable growing and nutrition; to provide food to those in our community who experience food insecurity; and to build community through volunteerism.  Visitors to the Newman School may have noticed the NCF’s pilot garden site next to the Needham History Center, but the primary garden site is off the beaten path at the former Nike Site, adjacent to Ridge Hill Reservation, and next to the Needham Dog Park.  

For most of the 10 years, the produce grown at the farm has been donated to the Food Pantry at the Needham Community Council.  A few years ago, distribution hours were added at the Needham Housing Authority sites.  Last summer the farm began to offer subscriptions for weekly farm share distributions (CSA) during the growing season.

The NCF has always held gardening classes.  Typically, a student signs up for a full bed or half bed, and it’s theirs to farm for the season.  The instructor provides lessons in layout, planting, pest control, and other sustainable gardening practices.  This year, in conjunction with Parent Talk, NCF is offering new Family Classes with a different model, suitable for small children.  The class members will all share several beds.  At each class the activities will depend on where we are in the growing season, whether it’s planting peas, weeding, pulling carrots, or picking tomatoes. 

Families can sign up for classes to be held on Wednesday afternoons or Saturday mornings.  Each class is one hour long.  Three sessions are offered:  Spring (9 weeks), Summer (9 weeks), and Fall (8 weeks).  For more details, costs, and registration, please go to the NCF website at www.needhamfarm.org/family-garden-class.

Author: Jane Evans, Needham Community Farm Board Member

Parent Talk Guide to Happier Kids with Pam Garramone

       

A few weeks ago many Parent Talk members braved the cold to attend "The Parent Talk Guide to Happier Kids", the latest installment of the Parent Talk Lecture Series. Presenter Pam Garramone was fantastic; not only did she provide lots of amazing info, but she was extremely funny and made the evening super fun. In case you weren't able to make it out that night (or if you were, but didn't take detailed nerd-notes like I do), hopefully I can relay some of the ideas and resources Pam shared with us that night; however, I'm not nearly as funny as she is, so I recommend you attend one of her talks if the opportunity arises in the future.
          There has been a good deal of research done to try to determine what it is that makes happy people happy - data has been collected and compared regarding where people live, what they do for work, how they spend their time, and pretty much every other possible determinant affecting how we feel. And it turns out that happiness may be far simpler to attain than many of us think. Based on this research, happiness is 50% genetic, 10% external, and 40% actions and thoughts.

          So 40% of what determines whether or not we are happy is within our control, we just need to think positive thoughts - easy, right? Not quite. Our default when it comes to thinking is what is referred to as "negativity bias" - on average we have 70,000 thoughts a day, and 85% of these are negative. Add to this that our awareness of our surroundings is so influenced by what we are already thinking that we tend to see what we expect to see, what we are already thinking about, and miss the rest. Take this video awareness test to see what I'm talking about.

The good news is we can increase our happiness without having to move or change our jobs. Instead we can focus on finding things that make us feel good, pursuing activities that we enjoy, spending time with others, finding meaning in our actions, and accomplishing the goals we set for ourselves. And we can bring our kids along for the ride.

Cultivate a Growth Mindset
"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." Henry Ford
You've probably heard the terms "fixed mindset" and "growth mindset" - in a nutshell, fixed mindset is thinking that we are inherently good or bad at certain things, while a growth mindset believes that we can achieve whatever we want if we put the effort in. From the perspective of a fixed mindset, mistakes, failures and rejections are devastating and final, indicative of permanent weaknesses or inability. From the perspective of a growth mindset these same experiences, while still disappointing, do not define us, and can be learned from to further us on the path to success.  We can help our kids develop a growth mindset by teaching them to enjoy the learning process, mistakes and all. How? Rather than praising our kids, we can praise what they are doing/have done. Example: instead of "You're great at math!" try "Wow, I'm so impressed with how much you've been learning in math!" Instead of "You're such a good dancer!" try "I love watching you dance!". If kids feel they have to live up to an expectation of "being good at" something, they will be afraid to make mistakes. Here's a short video about growth mindset: http://www.letitripple.org/films/science-of-character/

Identify Strengths and Use Them
When we use our strengths we feel good about ourselves and engage in less negative thinking. Different people have different strengths - this survey can help you determine what yours are, and there's a test for kids too: www.viacharacter.org
How can we help our kids identify and enjoy their own strengths? Here's an example: "I noticed that you [insert strength here] when you [insert behavior here]"

Practice Gratitude
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life." Melody Beattie
When we consciously think about the things that are good in our lives we dominate our internal dialogue with positive thoughts, which can tip the thought scales and overcome our negativity bias. Make a regular gratitude practice part of your routine, and you will start noticing and appreciating all the good things going on around you.

Some ways to practice gratitude on your own, or with your kids:
Gratitude jar – keep a jar and a little bag of dried beans on the table, and at meals have each person share something she's grateful for and put a bean in the jar. Watch the jar fill up.
Gratitude call – make a phone call to someone you are grateful to have in your life.
Gratitude journal - every day write down a few things you are grateful for. A morning ritual I've found effective is writing down 10 things I'm grateful for, 10 people I love who love me, and 10 personal goals.
Gratitude visit – write a letter to someone you are grateful to have in your life, find a time to meet with her, and read her the letter.
Gratitude message – every day text/message/email someone in your life thanking or praising them in some way.
What Went Well exercise – Write down or share 3 things that happened in the last 24 hours that made you feel good. I've started doing this one every night before bed with my daughter, and she loves it; a friend of mine does it on the car ride to school in the morning.

Connect With Other Human Beings
"You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with." Jim Rohn
Social connection is the greatest predictor of a happy personal life and of academic success. The people we choose to spend time with have a profound effect on our general wellbeing. Make it a priority that your child spend some time with a friend (other than at school) every week.

Help Others
Unsung Hero Video
We are hardwired to care about other human beings. Our brains even fire mirror neurons when we witness another human being suffering. There is no faster, more direct route to feeling good than helping or making someone else feel good, especially when the someone else is a stranger. Research suggests that helping others benefits our physical wellbeing as well. Find opportunities to volunteer in your community with your child. Parent Talk offers opportunities for family volunteering such as making overnight bags for Project Night Night, in which even very young children can participate.

Consider becoming a Parent Talk member to gain access to more great programming year-round.
And visit https://www.pamgarramone.com to invite Pam to come speak to your group and spread the joy of simply being happy!

About the Author:

Laura Perras is a mom and Realtor who grew up in Needham, lives in Brookline, and makes up half of the Perras Group at William Raveis Real Estate.  She’s involved in Parent Talk as Board CoChair of Marketing and Communications & Blog Coordinator.  Please reach out if you would like to submit a post to the blog or have feedback or ideas regarding what you’d like to see here : Laura.Perras.Realtor@gmail.com

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How to Ensure Holiday Cheer for Your Whole Family with a Sound Morning Routine

Image courtesy of Pixabay

How to Ensure Holiday Cheer for Your Whole Family with a Sound Morning Routine

When the holidays roll around, families and stress seem to go hand-in-hand. However, by establishing a concrete routine for the mornings, you can set your whole gang up for success. Here’s essential advice for ensuring the holiday season is smooth sailing for you and yours.

Holidays and Stress

Everyone loves the idyllic version of the holiday season we all see in classic films. However, dreaming of a sentimental and relaxing celebration and living it out aren’t typically one and the same. In fact, some studies indicate 45 percent of Americans would actually prefer to skip right past the biggest holidays of the year, avoiding the drama and angst the season brings with it. Thankfully, you can help your whole family through the holidays with a few simple strategies. 

Let Go of Perfection

One of the biggest obstacles to enjoying the holiday season is perfectionism. You might not even realize you’re hanging onto unrealistic expectations, but you might be putting pressure on yourself to find the “perfect” gifts, bake the “perfect” holiday desserts, decorate a “perfect” tree, have the house looking “perfect” for your guests — well, you get the picture. Instead, focus on making memories. Enjoy your children, sing some carols, let the kids put together the tree, and play silly holiday games. If guests are coming and you can squeeze it into your budget, hire a cleaning service to cut time and energy spent on chores, which will be better spent doing other things. What’s more, it also improves your family’s efficiency in the morning. Just keep in mind that the national average to hire a professional cleaning service ranges from $116 to $235.          

Steady on Through Special Times

Time away from school, work, and other commitments can often mean your family members end up with schedules that are all over the place. Sleeping late, eating at odd times, and rushing to your obligations can lead to feeling harried and off-kilter. According to experts at Utah State University Extension, simply establishing a solid routine and sticking with it can help every member of your family feel better, from the youngest to oldest — including yourself. Setting expectations can help everyone feel prepared and provides a sense of control, which reduces stress and anxiety and eases any sense of confusion.

While the holidays can be more relaxed than other times of the year, prioritizing normal sleeping and eating habits can help body rhythms remain the same, lowering strain physically and mentally.  Real Simple recommends hanging onto some other basic practices as well, such as brushing and flossing teeth. It’s a great way to reinforce what’s important for your kids’ health.

Hone in on Unhealthy Choices

Holiday celebrations often include indulgences. While you want everyone in your family to enjoy the season, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Keep in mind that your family members need good sleep in order to stick to the morning regimen, and it’s important for adults in the family to stay on track as well as the kids. Similarly, when it comes to special snacks and drinks, pay attention to how much you and your children consume, especially later in the day.  Sugary foods and beverages, caffeine, and alcohol can all wreak havoc with sleep habits. If you’re looking for festive nibbles that won’t interfere with sleep, Reader’s Digest recommends foods such as walnuts, cheese and crackers, pretzels, hummus, and cereal. 

When the holidays are coming close, it’s more important than ever to reinforce good habits in your family members. Clarify priorities and stick to a strong morning regimen. With a healthy plan in place, you and your loved ones can enjoy the holiday season with good cheer.

About the Author:

Daniel is a single dad raising two children. At DadSolo.com, he aims to provide other single dads with information and resources to help them better equip themselves on the journey that is parenthood.