Editorial magazine

For the Well Being of YOUR Child!

Gender Bias Toys: Is it a problem?

“Mom, can I have Oreos for dinner?”

Anxiety and Your Child

November 2013

Issue 1 Vol. 1

Health

table of

Contents

November On the Cover Mom, can I have Oreos for dinner?:

3

11

inside look at male eating disorders in adolescence and children

11

Obesity is a serious problem in the United States. How can your prevent it in your family and create a healthy environment for your child.

Gender Bias Toys: Is it a problem?

8

Innocence Isn’t Always Bliss: Get an

Explore the common toys around your household and the gender biases that they hold. Is it negatively impacting your child?

2 Letter From The Editor This Month’s Collection

Anxiety and Your Child: Is your child overly anxious?

Read about the red flag warning signs and how to help your child cope with anxiety.

6

Raising Children in a Gender Neutral Environment: When should you teach your children gender?

10 Page 1

Our staff does their very best to research and find

topics that are glossed over far too often. This is the magazine that will talk about the things that anyone who is caring for a little one need to know. In this particular issue we are going to focus on Gender in children and how to help a child understand and grow into their own Gender

Identity. I hope you read, learn and enjoy the wonderful things that we have brought together

Letter From the Editor: Ian Hall Here at Kid’s Health we have a very important

job description. We do our best to provide our readers with important information that will help improve and enhance the life of their young loved ones. There is so much information out there that sometimes it is hard to find what is really needed. We aren’t a

parenting magazine, we aren’t a babysitting magazine and we aren’t going to provide “10 Quick and Easy Meals For Your Kids!”; we are here to help with the things that aren’t as basic.

for you in this issue.

today, we are known to be “fat.” Our portion

sizes are larger than what our bodies need and we do not exercise enough to counteract the intake of calories. This problem is now being seen in younger children which is effecting their entire lives in negative ways. Children are developing pre-diabetes and experiencing cardiovascular risk factors; these diseases are

transferring into adulthood and can become deadly at an early age. So who is to blame?

Have you said this phrase before?

“I’m going to be home late, eat what you can until I can get home.” Have you said this phrase before? “I’m going to be home late, eat what you can until I can get home.” Parents are largely to blame for their children becoming overweight or obese for a number of reasons.

As schedules become busier, parents tend to forget the most important thing children need: proper nutrition. Instead of making healthy

meals, parents are stopping at McDonalds

Mom, can I have Oreos for dinner?

In the United States’ society

or any fast food restaurant for a quick dinner fix. Maybe they pick up dessert too. This behavior is okay in moderation, but most of the time it is happening too often and becoming common practice. In most situations, parents are the care givers to their children until about eighteen years old.

In those eighteen years children and adolescents develop the most, both physically and mentally. The way parents are confronting their children about being “overweight” can be one of the triggers in becoming further overweight. Parents often will place the child on a diet which causes them to want to eat more. At the same time, parents are hurting the child in an emotional way, causing poor self-image in the child leading them into depression. All of these factors put together is actually causing the child to become more overweight. Instead of placing your child on a diet, provide your child with healthy meals and encourage them to exercise more frequently. Another way parents are to blame due is by being poorly educated about proper nutrition and health. A great way for parents to combat obesity in children is to educate themselves in food and nutrition. Maybe not even uneducated parents, but rather parents who buy their

children food to make them happy.

Major Health Problems Associated With Childhood Obesity According to LetsMove.gov child hood obesity can lead to the following:

Heart Disease Type II Diabetes Asthma

Sleep Apnea Social Discrimination Cardiovascular Disease

How can I avoid obesity?   

Eat Healthy (visit the USDA website for tips) Get MOVING! Learn the facts & get educated

Yes parents, it is okay to have “candy” or

Are you one of these parents that are

Sometimes parents do not have

“sweets” every once in a while, but when it

failing to teach their children about nutrition? control over what their children are

becomes the children’s dinner then there is a

This is a growing problem in the United

problem. Sometimes the problem cannot be

States that needs to be addressed sooner than grow into adolescents, they become

avoided by parents who have a low income. As

later. Children are experiencing very

more independent and spend more time

said by the UTNE Readers, “Low income

provide students with health classes that

at home alone. This means they can have

people don’t have access to fresh food.” This

teach them proper nutrition. If the schools are an “after school snack” without you

idea transfers into parents packing unhealthy

not providing the children with information

knowing what they are eating. The

school lunches for their children; or even letting

about nutrition, then you should teach your

media and new technology have a strong

the children pack their own lunches. Children

children about it. This is important to teach at connection with children and obesity.

are going to school with chips and pop in their

a young age in order to begin lifelong healthy The more time spent watching television,

lunch bags instead of meals with nutritional

eating habits. Children are unaware of the

playing video games, or on the computer

value meals. They may be enjoying their

effects that eating fatty foods has on their

will increase the child’s likelihood of

unhealthy lunches, but children do not

body.

becoming overweight. Food

understand the consequences in the long run.

“You are the role model to

commercials are continuously being

eating on a day to day basis. As children

played on children’s television channels.

your child; show them how to live a long healthy

Tips to pack a healthier lunch for you child:

life.”  Schools should be teaching them how to read Parents should be packing foods that will give their children energy and increase their growth and development.

Parents are not the only cause of childhood obesity, schools are contributing as well to this growing problem. According to The State of Education Standard, “The U.S. Surgeon General has identified the obesity epidemic as one of the greatest health problems facing the nation today, educators have had their attention elsewhere.” Elementary and high school children spend most of their week in school. Schools are failing to provide

nutritional labels and exercise properly. In the past few years, schools have been trying to improve their lunch menu but many are still providing children with items including pizza, cookies, and chips. Schools need to substitute these foods with healthier choices and educate them about making the right choice. Both parents and schools are contributing to this problem but there is another aspect that parents should consider

when learning about this topic.

High fiber, 100% whole wheat bread  Sliced apples instead of fruit snacks  Carrot or veggie chips  100% juice  Avoid foods with added sugars, high fructose corn syrup and preservatives

Anxiety is the number one most common mental health disorder in young children and

If a child goes through a traumatic experience in their life, they can be at risk for PTSD. Children with PTSD

Anxiety & YOUR Child

Written By Anna Schmitz

teenagers. It is important to watch for red flag

often have nightmares and flashbacks, which cause

symptoms that your child may display in order to

anxiety.

help them cope with and understand their anxiety.

According to WorryWiseKids.org a child who is

displaying red flag symptoms are “demonstrating

excessive distress out of proportion to the situation: crying, physical symptoms, sadness, anger, frustration, hopelessness, embarrassment.”

Some common physical symptoms that children often display are headaches, stomachaches and trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. There are also other non-physical indicators such as asking a peculiar amount of “what if” questions. Children

Red Flag Symptoms  Headaches  Stomachaches  Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep  Worrying about something days or even weeks ahead  Excessively asking “what if” questions for reassurance

with anxiety often do this so they can feel at ease and be reassured by someone trust.

If your child is displaying multiple red flag

symptoms, they may be suffering from anxiety.

There are multiple types of anxiety disorders that could be affecting them. Aside from normal anxious feelings that everyone feels every so often, there is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Phobias, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Panic Attacks, Agoraphobia (fear of panic attacks), and social anxiety.

OCD is often characterized by “obsessions” or thoughts that excessively preoccupy the child and “compulsions” or repetitive actions that the child preforms in order to relieve their anxious

feelings .

Jill Greenberg ©

According to the ADAA (Anxiety & Depression Association of America), anxiety disorders affect 1 in 8 children.

Helpful Tips for Parents:

Next, you need to contact you family’s

Dealing with anxious children

general practitioner. They can refer you to the best of



the best therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists. It

   

Reduce stress within the home Make a routine, eat meals at certain times and establish a bedtime Work together with your partner to help manage your child’s anxiety Encourage independence in your child Avoid giving too much reassurance to your child.

This can feed their anxiety and prevent them from learning to cope with it on their own

is important to do research on each of the places they refer you in order to pick the doctor that will fit your needs. Also, make sure they take your insurance.

Many places only accept a few insurance plans.

The very first appointment will be

something called an intake appointment where they talk to the child to try and examine the problem and figure out the best route of treatment and analyze the child to start a diagnosis. They will also ask to talk to you alone and some even have the child and parent talk in the room together, depending on how comfortable your child is with that.

Panic attacks are defined as “sudden and intense physical symptoms that can include a pounding heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, numbness, or tingling feelings.” (worrywisekids.org) Because panic attacks are so intense and can often be embarrassing if they occurred in public, some children develop agoraphobia, which is a fear of panic attacks.

Children with agoraphobia with often avoid places where they feel a panic attack could occur.

In order to get a better understanding of how your child is acting outside of the home, it is important to contact their schoolteacher. They may supply some insight on things that you have not witnessed. Ask them how they are doing on their school work and

how their social behaviors have been.

Dealing with children with anxiety can be a tough thing to do. But if you know how to manage it and help your child, it can become easier. And some of the first steps to making it better is to get your child the help they need. Ignoring the anxiety will only prolong the detrimental effects of any anxiety disorder. If left untreated, it can leave the child with an unsatisfactory lifestyle. So help yourself and your child and get them all the help that they need.

Helpful Websites     

Worrywisekids.org Adaa.org Kidshealth.org WebMD.org Aacap.org

Gender Bias Toys American Girl Dolls Are marketed to ONLY girls, and the

name itself holds a bias. They are often dressed in very feminine outfits.

The company also does not make any dolls that are boys. This could teach your child that dolls are ONLY for girls, when in reality they are unisex toys used in important development of young children.

Play Kitchens Are often marketed

towards little girls.

Weather it be the color of the kitchen or the standard stereotype that women belong in the kitchen.

GI Joe Dolls Are popular with younger boys.

They hold a gender biased because they are making the generalization that all military personnel are men and are all violent. They also are very masculine colors, which makes them unattractive to girls.

The game of LIFE Is a popular board game. BUT is very gender biased. In the game, they offer only two colors. Pink for a girl, and blue for a boy. These are very gender specific colors. The game should offer more gender-neutral colors. That way a boy wouldn’t feel weird if he wanted to be pink and vise versa for a girl

This Month’s Collection

Do you Subconsciously

Treat your Son Differently Than Your Daughter? By Kellie Weidinger

Do you treat your children equally and do you believe that it honestly does not matter whether they are a boy or a girl? Odds are you don’t. For some strange reason, parents treat their sons and daughters differently from each other.

These differences can affect how children grow up and their gender identities as adults. Parents who choose to enforce gender roles opposed to those who do not enforce gender roles can greatly affect the way their children regard the opposite sex later in their lives. Most parents truly believe that they treat their children equally, but in actuality they treat their children according to their designated gender role or the sex they were born.

In the academic textbook ‘Sociology,

the very moment a child is born they

Exploring the Architecture of Everyday

begin the process of gender socialization.

Life’, Sociologist David Newman discusses

The child is immediately thrust into its

how and why parents choose to either enforce

gender role after birth by being wrapped

or not enforce gender roles. He first begins

in a blue blanket if it is a boy or being

by defining the difference between the terms

wrapped in a pink blanket if it is a girl.

‘sex’ and ‘gender’. He believes ‘sex’ to mean

In the study by Sociologists Rubin,

a person’s biological maleness or femaleness

Provenzano, and Luria in 1974, they

and he states that ‘gender’ is the cultural

interviewed thirty first-time parents and

aspect of maleness and femaleness; such as

asked them to describe their newborn

psychological and social characteristics. I

babies. Parents with daughters described

happen to agree with him and I also believe

them as “tiny”, “soft”, “fine featured”

that although people are not born with the

and “delicate”. On the other hand, sons

knowledge of what gender is and how they

were described as “strong”, “alert”,

must act to fill their specific gender roles,

“hardy”, and “coordinated”.

This study was repeated about ten years ago and the results were that parents still

These gender expectations that parents

distinguish their children in gender-

enforce on their children can cause them to

stereotyped ways, but not as prominently as

grow up to feel suspicious and be

the parents in the first study. New parents are

disrespectful towards the other sex, which

also extremely sensitive about their children

can lead to disastrous marriages and

being identified as the wrong gender. They tend to make great efforts at presenting their child to society in a socially appropriate gender approved way. Parents typically use clothing and accessories as tools to do this.

To ensure that their daughters are identified as females, most parents shop in the girl department in stores and buy their daughters pink, frilly, and “princess-type” clothing.

“Some parents even tape pink

partnerships. Do you still believe you treat They then use these inaccurate stereotypes to your children equally? If not, here are influence their actions and to perceive others. some tips on helping your children form In various studies sociologists have come to their gender identities without pushing

the conclusion that parents do in fact speak them in one direction or the other: by and interact differently with their children providing anatomically correct female and according to their biological sex. One study male dolls for both boys and girls to play in particular has proven that mothers are with you will provide your children with more worried about their daughters’ injuries the knowledge of what makes boys and and safety than their misbehavior; in contrast, girls different physically, do not allow any mothers are more likely to enforce discipline putdowns about the opposite sex,

ribbons to their bald

when their sons misbehave. As children get

daughters head or pierce their

older, parents assign gender stereo-typed

encourage your children to make friends with the opposite sex, and last but not least, chores. Boys are most likely given the

daughter ears just to make

explain to your children that although boys outdoor tasks such as mowing the lawn and and girls look different; everyone is equal.

sure they will not be mistaken

shoveling snow, while girls are given indoor tasks such as washing dishes and doing

“Encourage their children

for a boy.” laundry. These divergences in responsibility By the age of three, children can accurately

mirror what is socially acceptable for the

describe themselves as either a boy or a

adult gender roles children will eventually

girl. Although they can describe

possess. Choosing to raise children with

themselves as being either male or female,

extreme gender values can leave children not

they cannot however grasp that everyone

knowing who they are besides the fact of

is either male or female. By the age of five

being either male or female. This upbringing

children begin to understand that concept

could cause the child to have problems later

and have even begun to pick up gender

in life when trying to form a relationship with

stereotypes.

the opposite sex.

to make friends with the

opposite sex.”

GENDER

Teaching Children

Written By Ian Hall

The trouble is that As young children begin to grow,

children’s gender

it is a natural thing for them to be

identity is being built

searching for things to identify with. One

off of what they see

of the earliest and most basic things that

their parents defining

they discover is whether they are a boy, or

the child’s gender as:

a girl. At the very beginning this is a simple

boys have blue, girls

as their physical body; namely whether

have pink. Boys are dirty and noisy and girls are made of sugar spice

they have a penis or a vagina. According to

and everything nice. Parents are teaching children gender, whether

Healthychildren.org, a website backed by

they intend to or not, based on a two-option system, where the only

the American Academy of pediatrics a

options are “male” or “female”. Boys begin learning that they must

child’s gender identity is stable by age

be manly men and girls are learning they must be girly girls and any

four.

deviation then becomes socially unacceptable.

Children can develop gender identity disorder.

Gender identity disorder is often misunderstood as

a child practicing habits that are typical to a child of the opposite sex. So this is a gender disorder based on biological sex? This exactly the point, gender should not be based on sex and when it is it can cause your child’s life to be more difficult than it needs to be. As a child grows it may not fit perfectly into one of those two categories and

THAT”S OKAY! Learning who you are is an important part of life and it is vital that as a parent you allow your child to do so. Gender isn’t a tool that should be used to categorize people, it should be a custom fit to help define ones self. When not allowing a child to explore, shape, and build its own gender identity a parent may be crippling the

These aren’t concepts that the children are inventing themselves. A child isn’t

potential that the child has for self-actualization.

born with the idea that he should like “blue” or that she “should” like pink, but

It’s okay for your little boy to want to paint his

at the very moment children are born they are bombarded with messages and

nails, and its also okay for them to do it! Your little

images of how and what they should be. As a parent it is important to

girl can play in the mud and roughhouse with her

remember to let the children be in charge of whom they become, allow them to

friends! Furthermore it is okay to help your little

explore, learn, and grow. Most importantly parents need to remember to

boy paint his nails, and to play in the mud with

support your child in the decisions that they make. Ridicule from parents

your daughter! Taking a look at very young girls

especially about being to masculine or too feminine can be terribly scarring for

and very young girls there isn’t much distinction

a child and can cause issues later in life. If, as a parent, you are genuinely

between who wants to play with bugs and who

concerned about your child’s well being based on “abnormal” gender qualities

doesn’t like to get dirty, the lines of simple

it may be a good idea to see a child psychologist.

examples like this just haven’t been drawn yet. At

gender, and one of their biggest role models is going to be parents. There isn’t

some point after that, one can observe as children

anything that can, or needs, to be done about this. The tricky part is what

slowly group themselves into boys and girls once

parents teach children. Telling a little boy who is crying that he is being a

they are noticing the differences.

sissy has no positive outcome. Telling a girl that she is not being “lady-like”

“Boys become “icky” and girls

doesn’t accomplish anything. Be there for your child and help them

have “cooties”.

understand what it is they are experimenting with.

Children are going to learn

Help them experiment with it. Don’t try and answer questions that they haven’t asked and answer the ones that they do ask. The

best way that a parent can support their child as they grow and develop their gender identity is to educate themselves on what gender means. Before a parent is able to teach a child what gender is, they need to learn what it is first. Don’t become prey to the societal misconception that gender is equivalent to biological sex.

“Biology may be a nice and simple way to generalize gender, but it should never be a thing to confine gender.”

Know what gender is and all that it means in order to help your child learn who they are.

Innocence Isn’t Always

BLISS

Written By Anna Liesch

Raising a child who is perfectly healthy is stressful enough;

of people who suffer from anorexia or bulimia were men. This stereotype

you need to make sure they stay out of trouble, have a

adds a huge barrier for men to seek treatment for their problems, and

bright and successful future, and be ready to live a long and needs to be fixed for a better future. The best way to prevent young happy life. You should not have to deal with the struggles of gentlemen, or any child for that matter, from developing an eating keeping your kid alive and healthy, yet in today’s society,

disorder is as simple as leading by example and building up their

eating disorders are beginning to be more and more

confidence with your love. Is there really a difference in how men and

prevelant. When first hearing the words “eating disorder”,

woman develop eating disorders? Dr. Ted Weltzin, a highly trusted

it is immediately associated with females. According to a

medical director of Rogers Memorial Hospital’s Eating Disorders Center,

study done by Harvard University in 2007: 25%

believes eating disorders develop in men that were overweight

in the past and were teased or taunted as opposed to woman who usually develop an eating disorder with expectations in a "fear" of becoming overweight. One approach to this solution could be as simple as this: confidence. This rule goes for boys as well as girls. Don’t only set an example by being confident, but tell them from the very start expressions that might seem useless but can be so impactful. For example: “You’re perfect just the way you are”, “Love the skin you’re in”, or even as basic as, “You’re so special”. This teaches children to grow up

Some are known to do both, but the

encourage healthy eating and

loving themselves, giving them a less likely chance to fall

problem with this is that sometimes

exercising, but all with balance; it is

into depression and feel the pressure to have that “perfect”

healthy can turn into obsession. Gary

important to recognize when it is

body. What about boys who cannot avoid the taunting and

Grahl, the author of Skinny Boy, who

taking over you or your child’s life.

wrote a book on his struggle with his

Regardless of all of these options

eating disorder, explained how his

for avoiding eating disorders,

exercising and dieting turned into a

sometimes it is just inevitable that

crazed obsession. He ended up having

your child will develop one at some

to be hospitalized 6 times between

point in their life. Just in case, you

1984-1989 and it took him a lot of

should be prepared to know what

help to get over it. I am sure there are

to do with it. A YouTube video

a lot of other boys out there with a

shared on November 28, 2012,

similar story to that of Gary Grahl’s,

explains a story similar to that of

less likely that your child will become overweight in the

which could all be avoided if some of

Gary Grahl’s, of a boy named Ewan

first place. There is one thing in today’s world that is

these “perfect body” images were not

Osborne and his eating disorder.

unavoidable: media. A word that sends shivers down my

put on advertisements and movies. If

It was the same thing: too much

spine.

these images are not fixed, our

dieting and exercising without

“The constant images of the “perfect

children will have to grow up in a

balance. The problem with Ewan,

world where these unattainable

is that his family had a lot of

images of what they should look like

trouble finding help because of

teasing of school bullies? What if their confidence just doesn’t cut it? Another approach to this issue would be, avoid becoming overweight in the first place. A recent survey conducted by Fairfax Media’s Essential Kids

website found that 55 percent of families surveyed exercise together, with weekend activities such as walking and bike riding being the most prominent form of family exercise. Doing fun activities such as family walks or bike rides will not only keep your family closer, but also will encourage a healthy lifestyle for your children and make it

body” are shoved on to everybody.”

Women are known to diet frequently, while men are

are imprinted in their brains and will known to increase their frequency of workouts in order to

damage them mentally and physically. achieve this impossible goal.

In conclusion, it is important to encourage healthy eating and

the perception that it was a disorder mainly developed among women.

If only there was more help out

The barrier that this stereotype is

there available, or even just

creating is extremely problematic

making this issue more known, a

because the research that is needed

lot of issues could be resolved.

for this issue is not receiving the

Educate yourself and when in

attention it needs. According to

doubt, talk to a doctor.

Austin Foundation for Eating

Parents can give their kid

Disorders (AFED), more males in

confidence, teach them how to live

the U.S. are affected by eating

a healthy lifestyle, and can do

disorders than people dying

everything right, but bumps in the

annually of heart disease or

road are inevitable. The best way

cancer. If these leading causes of

to help with eating disorders is

death, rightfully receive so much

obviously to prevent them from happening in the first place, but how can you prevent male eating disorders among your children if you don’t even know the problem exists?

attention, then why is not an eating disorder epidemic affecting two million males given the same attention in research and prevention?