Tag Archives: donate

Stand Up To This Challenge For A World of Healthy Kids

We all want healthy kids, right? So be a part of history in the making and take a stand by joining this challenge and maybe winning something for yourself.

Before I knew about this challenge from Tim Ferriss, I was already a backer of Standup Kids, an organization pushing to get standing desks in classrooms in all public schools across the US. If it really takes off, possibly kids all over the world will benefit!

When I worked in an office, before we had Avery, I was the only one on my floor to have a standing desk for a long time. And I really had to push and shove until I was able to have my desk converted to standing. Once they finally allowed it, all it took was a few bolts coming out, the desk getting lifted, and bolts back in…..simple. But geez, you would’ve thought I was asking for a group of servants to come and hold me on their shoulders as I worked all day!

Anyway, Standup Kids has a simply stated mission…..

The mission of StandUp Kids is to get every public school child at a standing desk in 10 years, to combat the epidemic of sedentary lifestyles and inactivity, and to better reflect 21st century education goals.

StandUp Kids provides education on the health risks associated with sedentary lifestyles and resources on why standing desks create an environment where children can become healthier and more active.

At StandUpKids.org, we believe children’s sedentary behavior is a public health crisis and that children need to MOVE MORE and SIT LESS. Standing desks are a simple and elegant way to create a movement rich environment where children are more engaged and perform better academically, burn more calories, eliminate or minimize orthopedic problems and disease, feel happier, and just plain move more.

While I don’t think they need to focus on the calorie burning effects of a stand up desk so much, the rising childhood obesity issue makes it a notable benefit to standing vs. sitting. And, well, if you haven’t noticed, kids do a lot of sitting.

Here is a downloadable PDF packed with info sure to motivate you to join the challenge and donate what you can for this to become reality: Standing vs Sitting_Standup Kids

 

Humans were never meant to sit for extended periods, and with recess time lacking in public schools, standing desks are a perfect way to keep kids healthy and learning better too. Check at these stats I found on the Standup Kids website.

  • Sitting too much causes disease and orthopedic dysfunction, and impedes children’s ability to learn.
  • Kids at standing desks burn between 15% to 25% more calories during the school day than the ones who remained sitting.
  • Obese students the desks had an even bigger impact, increasing calorie use by up to the 25% to 35%.
  • Small movements at standing desks, such as fidgeting, has a large impact on calorie expenditure.
  • Kids in standing classrooms are more engaged.
  • Classroom management is easier.
  • If kids are given the opportunity to move throughout the day, they will do so.
  • When students move more, their education improves.
  • Children feel happier when they can move more and aren’t restricted to a chair.
  • Classroom behavior improves with active learning.
  • Children who move more have greater creativity.
  • Educational test scores improve.
  • Students can shift their bodies and change position when they need to stay focused.
  • Standing prevents the body’s tissue adaptation to static positions (i.e. short hip flexors & hamstrings, rounded upper back, poor shoulder position) AND it does not erode the child’s physiology like sitting does.
  • Standing maintains the integrity of all the complex motor skills required for optimal physical function.
  • Reducing daily sedentary time literally reduces cell aging, which means kids will live longer and be more healthy.

Please check out the site to learn more on how you can help and why this means so much for the future of our kids. Oh yeah, and with the founders of this movement being Kelly and Juliet Starrett, the team behind one of the first 50 Crossfit affiliates and the site MobilityWOD.com which changed how we look at human movement and performance, I’d say they know a thing or two about why this is such a big deal.

I listen to several health and fitness podcasts where the well-known hosts in the industry are all getting behind this move and donating for the cause. Even a $1 will help get this project closer to its goal and the hopeful event that this will take off across the nation.

Here are the podcasts I listen to that have featured the movement:

Ben Greenfield Fitness

R Della Training

Tim Ferriss Show

However you get there, and whatever you do, please go to the donate page and give what you can and/or share with everyone you know to help spread the word.

As for the challenge Tim Ferriss is offering a giveaway for a round-trip ticket to just about anywhere worldwide as long as Star Alliance flies there. Supporting a feel good cause and possibly winning something like this? I’m in, are you?

Help Make The Great American Milk Drive Legen-Dairy

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As much as I enjoy joking around (hence the title to this post), keeping our family healthy is something I take seriously. Even before I became a stay-at-home dad, I was cooking all of the meals for my wife and I on top of having a full-time job. Yeah, it was hard at times, but to pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to good nutrition.

For this reason, my wife and I knew breast milk was the best source of nutrition for our daughter, Avery, right from the start. And now, at 18 months old, I am extremely proud and supportive of my wife for still nursing our beautiful girl even through so many hardships.

Over the past few months, Kelley has slowly eased up on breastfeeding which meant I needed to find another source of nutrition to fill its place. Luckily, there’s another nutritious beverage to fill the void, and it goes by the name of…..MILK!

Just like the food I bring into our home, I am quite particular on where our milk is sourced and how it’s produced. Avery was a bit hesitant about milk at first….

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….but she quickly made peace with her new beverage and, well…..

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Yep, she loves her milk and she has it every day with breakfast and as a calming drink before nap time. Having a nutrient-rich beverage packed with 8 grams of high quality protein per 8 ounce serving allows me to rest assured our daughter is getting what she needs for her body to grow strong and healthy and give her the energy to play (or swing kettlebells) with Mommy and Daddy.

Unfortunately, many families are unable to provide their children healthy meals and are missing out on the nutrition milk has to offer. These children are provided breakfast and lunch through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) when in school, but not when school is out.

Here’s the “Legen-Dairy” part…..To raise money and bring milk to families in need this June, Milk Life has created The Great American Milk Drive benefiting Feeding America. Since June is National Dairy Month, what better time than now to help deliver something many of us take for granted; MILK! Did you know…..

  • Milk is one of the most requested items by food bank clients year-round, and especially during the summer when kids are missing out on nutritious meals provided through school breakfast and lunch programs. But on average, food banks are only able to provide the equivalent of less than one gallon of milk per person per year. That’s because while Americans are generous with canned and dry goods, many don’t think to donate milk because it’s perishable.
  • More than 22 million children may miss out on milk’s nutrition in the summer months when schools are closed and they lose access to free or reduced-price milk programs.
  • You can help power the play of children in need in your community all summer long with a small donation by clicking here. A donation of as little as $5 will deliver a gallon of milk to a local family through the Feeding America nationwide network of food banks.

And since we all absorb information better when it’s in cool infographic form, here are the key facts laid out for us all.

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As a major advocate of all things health, I know how paramount good nutrition is for kids and adults alike. That’s why I’m honored to join Life of Dad and 24 super awesome dad bloggers to help Milk Life spread the words and raise funds for The Great American Milk Drive. This truly is legen-dairy, and we need YOU to help us keep it that way!

The 25 of us dad bloggers have been divided into 4 teams by region, North, South, East, and West. To make it even more interesting, the team that has received the most donations by 12PM EST on Monday, June 22 will get an additional $500 donation from the awesome guys at Life of Dad. Now I know you want to help my team, The South, win this, so please, hold off on the birthday gifts (it was on the 8th) and Father’s Day presents and please please please donate to this important cause.

Check out my fellow Team South friends and show us all some love by donating today.
Trey Burley – Daddy Mojo

Scotty Schrier – Dads Who Change Diapers

Jack Steiner – The Jack B

Rick Fauquet – Rick on the Rocks

We’re all great fathers wanting the best for kids all over, and this would make the best Father’s Day contribution to all of us.

Donate Button

And be sure to mark your calendars for Tuesday, June 16th at 8PM EST for the #MilkDrive Twitter Party hosted by @LifeofDadShow. Just follow hashtage #MilkDrive and get ready for a chance to win some great prizes and have fun while supporting Milk Life and Feeding America!

Disclosure: I have partnered with Life of Dad and Milk Life for this promotion. I have received compensation for my participation, but my passion and thirst for Milk is my own.

Less Than a Year to Live: What Would You Do?

It’s a question no one wants to face, let alone answer, but the harsh reality is that many of us do every day. Oren Miller, the founder of a lively Facebook group for dad bloggers, is now faced with answering such a question.

Oren Miller

Almost a month ago, Oren went to the hospital when he had severe back pain from what he thought was a muscle spasm. It turned out to be much worse; stage 4 lung cancer that has now spread to his lymph nodes, kidneys, liver, and brain. He wrote about his diagnosis on his blog, A Blogger and a Father, in a post he titled “Cancer”. After reading his touching story, I could hardly swallow from the giant lump in my throat.

I never met Oren, but since becoming part of the Dad Bloggers Facebook group that he founded, I am forever grateful for everything he’s done. There are over 800 members of the group today, and I share thoughts, stories, and rants on a daily basis with all of them. These guys have helped me as a father, husband, and with my small blog by sharing lessons they’ve learned along the way, and I am a better person and blogger/writer as a result.

I haven’t met any of them in person, but I consider these dads my friends as all have something in common and always help each other out. I’ve even connected with a few local dads who I will be meeting soon. All of this, because of one man who is also a loving husband and father to two children.

As I stood looking down at Avery playing with a “new” activity board I just made for her, Oren’s situation was weighing on my mind. What if I were told I had less than a year on this planet?

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That giant lump returned as I looked at my precious little girl smiling at the board I made her as I thought the unthinkable. I don’t cry very often, but I felt that the slightest thing could’ve opened my floodgates right then.

Never, ever, would I want anyone to face a situation like this. Being a relative “newb” to the Facebook group, I was moved at how fast all of the dad bloggers were to respond upon hearing Oren’s news. Automatically, my respect for this guy grew like Jack’s beanstalk.

Within days, a fundraising page was created with the goal to raise enough money to send Oren and his family on lovely vacation. The original goal of $5,000 was quickly met and is now nearing $30,000!This truly will be the vacation of a lifetime.

The donations have been overwhelming, and I’m happy to have contributed what little I could, but now I’m asking YOU for help. With cancer treatments and medical expenses quickly adding up, it is evident that additional funds will be needed to help cover these as well. Not to mention help Beth, Oren’s wife, provide for their children.

Seeing how many people have already flooded Oren and his family with support and donations, it’s easy for us to fall into the “Bystander Effect“. This occurs when others do not offer help to someone in need if there are others (bystanders) already around.

We see others around and think “What else can I do besides offer kind words?” Well, each and every one of us can help by making a donation we are comfortable with, be it 5 or 5,000 dollars, and know that together we make something huge!

Please help by going to Oren’s Fundraising Page and giving whatever you can.

I am a firm believer in the power of mind, and would like to think I could remain optimistic like Oren should the news ever befall me. If you believe you will fail at something, you inevitably will fail, but if you tell yourself you WILL succeed, then you can overcome any obstacle.

The more donations and words of encouragement given on his page, the more power we give to Oren and his family to remain optimistic and fight this obstical!

Oren with is wife and two children.
Oren with is wife and two children.