Taking Back Kids' Sports

Every winter, as soon as the temperatures go above freezing, and I can smell the earth and grass again, I feel compelled to write about youth sports. Spring training is just around the corner for many youth who participate in spring sports as well as their parents. This has been a ritual in my family for about twenty years, eight sports, and three kids. In that time, a few profound things happened that have stuck with me and impacted how I greet the sports seasons.

One night, at the end of soccer practice my son’s coach gave the parents copies of an article from the August 7, 2005 issue of PARADE magazine called “Who’s Killing Kids’ Sports?” He didn’t say much about it other than that we should read it and then write on the back, “My child is not a superstar”. Now, this tickled my curiosity like one of those scratch-off-to-find-your-discount cards at a JC Penney sale. I couldn’t wait to get home and read the article. But all the way there my son kept asking, “But why does Coach want you to write than I am not a superstar?”. Not knowing for sure if I was on the right track, I went on to explain that his coach wanted everyone to feel like they were a team, that no one player could do it alone. My then ten-year-old seemed satisfied with this explanation, at least for the moment.

We got home, ate a quick dinner, and then my son took a shower while I read. The article confirmed for me what I had thought about the fate of youth sports for a long time. Far too many parents are living vicariously through their children. While involvement in youth sports has been shown to be a real asset for children’s development in many ways, the over-emphasis on success and perfection of performance can be disastrous. The author refers to events where overly-competitive parents have gone so far as to fight in front of their kids, one situation even leading to a parent’s death.

There is a belief by many parents that if their child is not a stand-out athlete by the fourth grade, their chances of making the high school team or getting into a “good” college are nil. The pressure on kids to perform is incredible, and I myself have seen children walk off playing fields to face the wrath of a disappointed parent. It is time to get the culture of youth sports under control.

Youth sports are supposed to be about learning and fun. It is about team building, getting along, and respect for others. Unfortunately, there are parents who think otherwise, that it is a training ground for their own unfulfilled dreams.

When my son finished his shower, he found me sitting on my bed with the article in hand. He asked again why Coach would want to tell parents to write that their kids are not superstars. “Do you think I am not a superstar?”, he questioned almost sadly.

Well, I must admit, I didn’t actually write, “My kid is not a superstar”. But I did write this: “My kid gives 100%” I explained to him that what we expect is not that he be perfect, but that try his best at whatever he does, that he recognize and use his God-given talents as best he can. And most importantly that he have fun!

The Changing Face of Hunger in Delaware County

We had a great day on Friday when over 120 people attended the Changing Face of Hunger in Delaware County awareness day on Friday, March 6, 2009 at Widener University in Chester, PA. The keynote speaker, Dr. Mariana Chilton, principal investigator for the Grow Project at Drexel University, challenged the audience to think about the living conditions that contribute to hunger.

A panel of CityTeam, Loaves and Fishes, the Bernardine Center and the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger shared success stories regarding recruiting and retaining volunteers and finding funding for food cupboards and food resources. Good tips for any organization that depends on volunteer assistance!

Lunch provided an opportunity for participants to peruse displays from WIC, the Food Trust, Penn State Nutrition Links, DCIU Head Start, CityTeam, CAADC (SNAP-food stamps),Chester Food Coop, DIFAN, NDS-Archdiocese of Phila., Philabundance, SHARE, Bernardine Center, COSA and Greater Phila. Coalition Against Hunger. This was a wonderful chance to network and find out what resources were provided by these organizations.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are often missing in diets when money is tight. Panelists from the Food Trust Farmer's Markets, Philabundance's Fresh for All, SHARE and Penn State Urban Master Gardeners shared where to find these foods in Delaware Co. at low cost, free and where WIC participants and seniors can use summer farmer'smarket vouchers.

The day wrapped up with FRAC's Ellen Teller, advocate for hunger issues in Wash DC, who stressed that we all need to let our legislators know what we are doing to address hunger in our county, what our clients need and how our representatives can vote to support adequate food for all.

Many thanks to the planning committee of Amy Nardi, Marilyn Sileo, Linda Freeman, Kelly Hile, Karen May, Sr. Josandra Ciucci, Sr. Rose MacDermott, Linda Wolk, Cynthia Barrar, Filomena Ahlefeld, Kathy Hornberger, Anne Ayella, Alan Edelstein, Barbara Myers, and Fran Alloway.

Are you Food Secure?

Do you have enough food in your house to feed your family? Do you skip meals to stretch food throughout the week? Or until the next paycheck arrives? Have you begun to purchase food at the dollar store instead of the grocery store? Are you worried about providing for your children? Food insecurity is a term used to describe a lack of accessable food to provide a healthy diet obtained in an acceptable manner. While the use of food banks may provide food for the hungry, for most this is not a socially acceptable source. As the unemployment rate rises, food resources are seeing larger numbers of applicants and less donations. Demand at food cupboards increased 30% in 2008 according to a survey from Feeding America, which distributes more than two billion tons of food each year. These numbers were confirmed in Delaware County, PA food cupboards where directors reported a 34% increase in clients in September 2008 from September 2007. WIC, which provides supplemental food for low income pregnant women and children from birth to age five has also seen an increase that exceeds their capacity to provide infant formula, dairy products, beans and peanut butter and cereal to new families. A Philadelphia phone survey of 10,000 households in the five surrounding counties for the Community Health Data Base found that nearly one in ten suburban households, one in five urban households, skipped or cut back a meal due to lack of money. Unfortunately, cut backs can include healthy choices such as milk, vegetables and fruit. Lower quality food choices do not provide the nutrients needed to support good health and can lead to greater incidences of chronic disease. Ironically, obesity rates are highest in communities where food insecurity is highest. Fortunately the US Stimulus Bill that was passed this week will increase the money available for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps), funding for food cupboards (TEFAP), WIC site support and school lunch and breakfast programs. Food resources are also available for seniors and WIC clients through summer fruit and vegetable vouchers, hot lunches at senior centers and afterschool snacks and summer meals for children at low income sites. Penn State Cooperative Extension provides educational resources to assist low income households stretch their food dollars, prepare lower cost meals that meet nutritional needs, and make better food purchases that are nutrient dense, not calorically dense. The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and SNAP-Ed programs are federally funded to assist food stamp eligible persons to use their food dollars wisely. For more information on these programs in PA, check http://nutrlinks.cas.psu.edu. In Delaware Co, a conference will be held on March 6, 2009 to address many of the issues related to hunger, allow opportunities for networking and discuss solutions. The Changing Face of Hunger in Delaware County will be held at Widener University, Chester, PA . For a brochure, go to http://delaware.extension.psu.edu. Penn State Cooperative Extension, Southeast Region, has also assembled resources on a website, http://extension.psu.edu/livingbetter. Included are educational materials and classes to help you live better for less. Check out these materials and learn to grow a garden, stretch food dollars, purchase healthy food for less, find sources of free food and budget your money. I hope that you don’t feel food insecure in the year ahead.

Credit Card Rules to Change

Ever been surprised by a notice that your credit card interest just went up? Have you wondered why you seem to pay so much interest on your account balance? New rules that go into effect on July 1, 2010 will address these and other concerns. Increasing Interest Rates The new rules will require banks to disclose all interest rates that will apply to the account when you open the account. Furthermore, it prohibits increases in those rates, except in certain circumstances. The first exception is if a rate disclosed at account opening expires after a specified period of time banks, may apply an increased rate that was also disclosed at account opening. Second, banks may increase a rate due to the operation of an index. This exception would apply to variable rate accounts which are tied to an index such as the Prime Rate. Third, after the first year, banks may increase a rate for new transactions only after complying with a 45-day advance notice requirement Fourth, banks may, increase a rate if the minimum payment is received more than 30-days after the due date. Two-Cycle Billing Another part of the new rules pertains to the method of calculating the average daily balance on which the interest is charged. Banks will be prohibited from calculating interest using a method referred to as ‘two-cycle billing.” Under this method, when a consumer pays the entire account balance one month, but does not do so the following month, the bank calculates interest for the second month using the account balance for days in the previous billing cycle as well as the current cycle. In other words, you are being charged interest on a balance you have already paid. Card holders who are carrying a balance, however, are paying interest on their new purchases from the day the purchase was made. Allocation of Payments Different types of transactions such as new purchases, balance transfers, or cash advances, may carry different interest rates. When different annual percentage rates (APRs) apply to different balances on a credit card account, the bank will be required to allocate payments exceeding the minimum payment to the balance with the highest rate first or pro rata among all of the balances. Presently, it is a common practice to apply the excess payment to the lowest interest transactions first. This results in the highest interest rate transactions not being paid off until the balance on the entire account has been paid. Financing of Security Deposits and Fees The new rule also addresses concerns regarding subprime credit cards. The only option available to persons with a poor credit score or limited credit history may be a subprime credit card. These cards typically carry a much higher interest rate and come with extra fees such as an account set-up fee, a program fee, a monthly fee, and an annual fee. With a low credit limit of $250, after all the initial fees are financed, the account holder may have as little as $71 of available credit remaining. Now banks will be prohibited from financing the security deposits and fees for credit availability, such as account-opening fees or membership fees, if charges assessed during the first 12 months would exceed 50 percent of the initial credit limit. The rule also limits the security deposits and fees charged at account opening to 25 percent of the initial credit limit and requires any additional amounts (up to 50 percent) to be spread evenly over at least the next five billing cycles. http://www.credit.com/products/credit_cards/sub-prime.jsp Time to Make Payments Lastly, the new rule prohibits banks from treating a payment as late for any purpose unless the bank provides a reasonable amount of time for the consumer to make the payment. The rule provides a safe harbor for banks that send periodic statements at least 21 days prior to the payment due date. For additional information on the rules changes including those related to the truth in lending and overdraft services by lending institutions, go to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors web site at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerinfo/bcreg20081218a1.pdf You will also find helpful information on credit and banking issues at the web site of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, U.S. Department of the Treasury: http://www.helpwithmybank.gov/index.html

Teaching Children to Eat Locally

Recent concerns about E. Coli outbreaks and the ongoing debates about food preservatives and additives have resulted in consumers looking at local producers with more interest. Since it is impossible to know what pesticides were applied and the production and transportation procedures used with a piece of produce from South America, foods that are grown locally give the consumer more control over what they put into their bodies.

Most people agree that locally grown produce tastes better as the farmer has not focused on packing, shipping and shelf-life and instead has harvested his produce at the peak of freshness. The tomatoes we buy in the supermarket were most likely harvested and shipped green and ripened artificially as compared to those nice red tomatoes available at the farmer’s market or farm stand. Buying from the farmer down the road eliminates the typical 1,500 mile trek that the average food item normally travels before reaching your table. Think of the fuel costs being saved!

Another great benefit to eating locally grown foods is it helps the local economy. Farmers that sell directly to the public receive the full retail value. Keeping farmers in business means the preservation of farmland in your community.

Some people ask if they will save money by purchasing locally grown food. Unfortunately you don’t always save. The scale of production comes into play as the farmer in California may have produced 2,000 acres of peppers, compared to the local farmer with one acre.

So what does this “buy local” trend mean to you as a parent? Undoubtedly you have read about the increasing trend of childhood obesity and the need to promote healthy eating. One of the easiest ways to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables in children is to involve them in the selection and preparation of these foods. Strolling through a farmers’ market on an early Saturday morning is great fun for kids as they take in the sights and smells. Let the bright colors of the produce attract their eye. Often there is an opportunity to taste some fresh fruit or a fun recipe featuring an in-season veggie.

Involve your child in the preparation of the fruit and vegetable – you are almost guaranteed that they will eat it, if they help make it! By purchasing directly from a farmer, you have the added bonus of showing your child how food is grown. Take a look at the tomatoes growing on the vine or the ears of corn on the stalk. Some farms offer “pick-your-own” for some crops like strawberries which makes for a memorable adventure and learning experience for the preschooler!

The other thing you will notice when you purchase your produce locally is that there are seasons for every fruit and vegetable, unlike shopping in the supermarket. Knowing that there is a short window of opportunity for enjoying that delicious sweet corn makes it taste even better when it finally hits the stands!

If you have trouble locating local markets or producers, contact the Cooperative Extension office in your county or region. In Pennsylvania you can go to http://extension.psu.edu/extmap.html to find the phone number of your closest extension office.