Boomerang Issue #3

BOOMERANG W I NTER & H O LI D AY

YOUR PLACE FOR FUN, GAMES & MORE.

ISSUE #3 • December 2019

Ready For a Winter Adventure?

BOOMERANG | ISSUE #3 | ©2019 | PUBLISHED BY HANCOCK HEALTH

In This Issue

Getting Along With Others ............ 2-3 Even your big sis & cousin Todd. OK, maybe not Todd.

Our Holiday Traditions ..................... 4 You already have some, why not add a few more.

Food I Don’t Like?...........................5-6 We’re fairly sure asparagus isn’t actually a poison.

My Cold is NOT Common ................ 7-8 And you have the mucus to prove it!

Fun Fitness Tips For All ..................... 9 Even you professional pie and fudge eaters.

Games, Puzzles & Jokes ................... 10

Peaceful CHOICES

Getting along with others

During Your Winter Break.

Holidays are mostly happy, fun and exciting

whole world has turned upside down. You may

times. There’s a break from school and a chance

even blame yourself. These are called emotions.

to see friends and relatives. There’s special

Emotions can flare up during the hectic

food, entertainment and family traditions.

However, the holidays can also be emotional and stressful.

PARENTS FYI Let kids be honest about their feelings. Don’t force them to act happy and excited if they’re feeling sad or angry. Instead, the next time you’re reading a book or watching a movie together, ask your child to suggest some reasons why a particular character might be exhibiting a particular emotion and teach them that while emotions may not feel good now, they will change just like the weather.

Sometimes families are separated, parents divorced, a loved one has died, or money is tight.

Sometimes you

holidays because your normal routine is different.

Here are some things you can Can do to give you a head start 1. Get plenty of sleep. While it may be exciting to stay up late, lack of sleep often leads to bad moods.

2. Eat regular meals. If meals will be late,

are tired, hungry

ask your parents if you can have a

or disappointed

snack so you don’t get hungry.

by not getting to do something or

3. Keep your daily routine. During the holidays, routines often fly out the window.

getting a certain

But it’s worth trying to stay as close to

gift. You may

your usual routines as possible.

feel sad, angry or scared. You may feel that your

4. Exercise. Go for a walk or some other physical activity. It’s a great way to improve your mood. (CON’T ON PG 3)

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GETTING ALONG…(CON’T)

Try these When your feelings ARE getting out of control 1. Distract yourself. If you find yourself getting upset, do something that will get your mind past what’s bugging you — watch TV, read, or do a craft.

2. Practice deep breathing. Breathe in slowly and quietly through your nose and out your mouth. Repeat a few more times.

3. Count to calm down. Count to 10, count your Legos®, or just count down from 100 to reduce stress.

4. Talk about your feelings with someone you trust. It will help.

Emotions aren’t bad, they are part of being human. You may not have a choice about what you feel, but you always have a choice about how you deal with or act out your emotion. Give yourself a break if you can’t control your emotions. Just try again next time.

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Family TIME

Holiday Traditions There are so many ways to celebrate the

get in the holiday spirit as you whip up

holiday season that don’t include gifts.

some goodies. Try decorating sugar cookies,

Holiday traditions are an important way to

making jam prints or no-bake cookies.

celebrate. Traditions are customs or activities

Just remember to save some for Santa.

that you and your family do together and important part in building a strong bond

Try one or all of these holiday traditions this year

between your family and your community.

1) HOLD A HOLIDAY MOVIE MARATHON Does

Traditions encourage family time, build

your family like “White Christmas” or “Charlie

memories and honor your family’s heritage.

Brown Christmas”? “It’s a Wonderful Life” or

Traditions give us a sense of belonging and a

“Elf”? Don’t forget “Rudolph the Red-Nosed

way to express what is important to us.

Reindeer” or “Frosty the Snowman,”

look forward to every year. They are an

3 Fun fun traditions you & your family may already celebrate

of course! And there are tons of holiday movies on Amazon and Netflix plus the regular cable channels. No It really doesn’t

1) TRIMMING THE TREE and Hanging Stockings

matter which movies your family likes best,

No matter if your tree is plastic or you

curling up together and watching the holiday

chopped it down at the farm, trimming the

movies you love, is a fun activity for all

tree and decking the halls is an event that

generations.

everyone can help with. String the tree with

2) MAKE A GINGERBREAD HOUSE Sometimes

lights, popcorn, and start hanging your

people forget about this tradition. Bring it

favorite ornaments to create a masterpiece.

back this year with a pre-made kit, baked

Go outside and find pine cones, tree

from scratch, or plain graham crackers.

branches, and other fun items for more

Pick out some fun candies and icing and play

decorations. And whether your stocking

with your food and have fun decorating.

has your name on it, or it’s just an old sock,

3) GIVE BACK TO OTHERS Gifts don’t have to

hanging one for Santa to fill is always fun.

be money. Ask your parents if you can deliver

2) LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS Load up

your baked goods to the neighbors or collect

in the car and drive around looking at the

coats for homeless shelters. Donate books

beautifully lit houses and neighborhoods or

you don’t read anymore to your local library,

local drive-through displays. Make it even

elementary school, or family shelter. Or help

more fun by wearing your favorite pajamas

an elderly neighbor decorate their tree.

and drinking hot chocolate.

While the old traditions are important,

3) BAKING HOLIDAY COOKIES Ask your

it’s never too late to start some new

parents to set aside an afternoon for holiday

traditions that can be cherished by

baking. Put on some Christmas music and

generations to come.

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Healthy Eating

PARENTS FYI Remember, that refusal to try a food is often an expression of fear or other feelings. Not being able to control their own food environment can be the primary problem. Not the actual food. When possible, let your child choose what foods to put on their plate.

Lima beans, turnips and beets, Oh my!

WHAT IF I’M SERVED FOOD I DON’T LIKE? It’s holiday time and that means food.

Sometimes it means food you might not want to eat. Maybe you have an allergy or intolerance. Maybe you have tried it and don’t like the taste, smell or texture. Or maybe it’s a food you have never tried before and it just looks gross. Before you hurt Aunt Ginny’s feelings or dust off your copy of “Green eggs and ham,” let’s talk about some ways to be prepared for the holiday meal:

1. Talk with your parents ahead of time about what they want you to do if you don’t like something. Coming up with a game plan can avoid hurting anyone’s feelings or embarrassing anyone.

2. Practice at home to come up with acceptable responses to a food you don’t want to try.

3. Never make a negative comment about the food being served.

When you do try a new or unliked dish Dish 1. Just take a small amount.

2. Ask if you can add a little butter, ketchup, ranch dressing, cheese sauce or brown sugar to a dish (to improve its taste).

3. Take bites small enough to fit in your mouth.

4. If it is something you just cannot swallow, ask to leave the table and spit it out in a napkin when no one is watching.

Remember to use your manners during the holidays. Good manners are social skills that help you succeed at school, with family and friends, and with future employers.

1. Chew with your mouth closed and don’t talk until you’ve swallowed.

2. Say please, and thank you. Saying please shows respect to those you are eating with and saying thank you shows gratitude, and always thank the person who prepared the meal.

3. Wait to be excused till everyone is finished eating.

4. Offer to help clear the table.

It’s important to eat nutritious food at every meal. Nutrition is the stuff in your food, such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats. It’s important to eat a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and grains.

Consuming nutritious foods help you grow, develop, do well in school, and feel good about yourself. So do yourself some good, and try at least one new thing this holiday season!

Common myths Myths I’ve tried it once and will never like it: It’s important to try something new more than once. Did you know it takes up to 10 times to try a new food before you can decide if you really don’t like it?

Contamination will occur if food is touching: Finding an unwanted pickle on your cheeseburger will not contaminate it. Just push the food you don’t like off to the side, or onto another plate, or offer to share it with someone else.

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WHAT’S S0 COMMON ABOUT You wake up in a cranky mood.

Fortunately, your body

or mouth after handling

Your head hurts. You don’t

already has the best cold cure

something with cold viruses

have the energy to even get

— your immune system. The

on it. Video games, the doors

out of bed. And you can’t

immune system defends your

at the mall, and your school

breathe out of your nose.

body against illness. White

desk are all hot spots for

What’s wrong? You may

blood cells are the immune

viruses. So be sure to wash

system’s main warriors.

your hands regularly.

They’re your own private

You sneeze because your

have a cold!

What is a cold?

A cold is an infection of the upper respiratory system.

This just means it can affect the nose, throat, and sinuses.

A cold virus gets inside your body and makes you sick.

The rhinovirus (say: rye-noVYE-rus) is the most common cold virus, but more than

better. Take that, cold viruses!

How We Catch Colds?

MUCUS (say: MYOO-kus) is wet, slimy stuff inside the nose, mouth, and throat.

When someone sneezes or coughs, mucus drops float

nerves detect the irritation in your nose and tell the lungs to push a blast of air out through your nose and mouth. A sneeze can travel at more than 100 miles an hour — faster than a car travels on the road, unless you’re at a racetrack!

droplets can spread a cold

What Are the Signs of a Cold?

there isn’t a vaccination, or

from one person to another.

SYMPTOMS (say: SIMP-tumz)

shot, to prevent you from

You also can catch a cold if

are signs or clues that tell

getting colds.

you touch your eyes, nose,

doctors you’re sick. Once

200 viruses can cause colds.

Because there are so many,

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army working to help you feel

in the air. Breathing in these

T MY LOUSY COLD? you’ve been in contact with a cold virus, it takes 2 to 3 days for cold symptoms to begin.

You may have some of these symptoms with a cold:

•

Low fever (100-101°F/ 37.2-37.8°C)

• • •

Body chills

• •

Coughing

•

Congestion (when your nose is stuffy, and it’s hard to breathe)

Itchy or sore throat Sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes Feeling tired and not hungry

How Can I Feel Better?

Having a cold is the #1 reason kids visit the doctor and stay home from school. Kids can get six to 10 colds per year,

Healthy Holidays

with each cold lasting an average of 7 to 14 days.

your body fit through regular exercise.

Here are some feel-better tips if you get a cold:

BLOW YOUR HORN. Blowing your nose is the best way to get rid of mucus.

BRING ON THE HEAT. Hot drinks helps your cough and makes your throat feel better.

So eat (or drink) your chicken soup!

GET STEAMED UP. A steamy shower helps stuffy or irritated noses. Or run a humidifier (a small, quiet machine that sprays fine cool mist in the air) to relieve your scratchy throat and stuffy nose.

PRACTICE HEALTHY HABITS. Your immune system will be ready to fight colds if you eat a balanced diet, get plenty of sleep, and keep

REST. Take a nap or go to bed a little earlier for a few nights.

DE-STRESS. Kids who are stressed out feel worse when they have colds. Relax and use the time to read, listen to music, or watch a movie. In other words, chill out and you might prevent a cold!

PARENTS FYI With most colds, home care is enough for full recovery. But call the doctor right away if your child: has a fever of 104° F or higher or a fever that doesn’t get better; is unusually drowsy or lethargic; won’t eat or drink; or is wheezing or short of breath.

Winter Fitness Fun

5 Fun Fitness Tips for staying active during this winter break During the winter break, it is important to stay active. When you are at school, you are getting some exercise, plus you may also participate in a sport. On warm days, there are plenty of things to do outside. As daylight grows shorter and temperatures drop, it’s easy to hibernate and just watch TV or play video games. But don’t! Stay active throughout this break and all winter long, and you will feel on top of the world. Regular exercise will give you more energy, improve your mood and strengthen your immune system (no colds!)

Here is a list of 5 tips to help keep you fit this break: GET OUTDOORS Dress in layers and breathe some fresh air while walking park trails or around your neighborhood or school track.

Volunteer to walk your dog or a neighbor’s dog.

AT HOME There are plenty of ways to stay active at home. Get moving during commercials! Do exercises like jumping jacks, squats, sit-ups, push-ups or run in place until your show starts again. Get your parents’

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permission to have a pillow fight or play musical chairs. Play active games like Simon Says, Red Light/Green Light, Hopscotch or Twister. They are easy to do inside. Just move some chairs. Be creative and make it fun.

FIND AN INDOOR FACILITY Try your local wellness center, ice rink, indoor swimming pool, school gym, bowling alley, library, or the nearest shopping mall. Plan fun contests with rewards to motivate and encourage you and your friends or family.

CHORES Yes, even doing jobs around the house will get you moving and give you some energy.

Make your bed, check the mail, empty the trash, unload the dishwasher, or vacuum the house.

Turn on some music and time yourself to make it fun. Maybe you can even earn some money.

“EXERGAMING” If you must play video games, find ones that require physical movement.

There are active video games for Xbox 360® Kinect, Playstation® Move, and Nintendo Wii®.

Choose an activity that you enjoy, so you’ll want to do it. But talk to your parents first.

Games & Puzzles

DR. Chuckle’s WACKY Review ‘Getting Along With Others’

Q: A:

How do you make an octopus laugh?

With ten-tickles!

St. Nick’s Mostly Amazing Mini Maze

Q: Why did the math book look so sad?

A: It has so many problems!

‘Holiday Traditions’

Q:

What do you call Santa when he stops moving? A: Santa Pause

Q: A:

What’s a cow’s favorite holiday?

Moo Year’s Eve.

‘…Food I Don’t Like’

Q:

What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple? A: Finding half a worm.

Q: A:

HOWTHE BODYWORKS

What do you call a fake noodle?

An impasta.

‘Colds’

Q: Why couldn’t the pony sing in the choir? A: Because she’s a little horse!

Q: What do you give a sick bird?

A: A tweetment.

‘Fun Fitness Tips’

Q:

Why can’t you play hockey with pigs?

A: They always hog the puck.

Q: Can a kangaroo jump higher than the Empire State Building? A: Of course! The Empire State Building can’t jump!

Immune System Word Find See how many words you can find from the list below.

V A C C I N E G L E E I T B O

P C L Z J E A I I N M G S A U

V A E Y J B A M U W X E C C H

O I W Z M S T M T E T D I T S

H Q R I P P M U I Y I S T E N

BACTERIA FUNGI IMMUNE IMMUNOLOGIST

I S C U T I H N C B G U A R Q

Y V H S S I F O U A N T H I U

W A T D R E G L C L U K P A L

Q K I D C A S O P Y F Z M D X

T F I T H T H G O A T D Y U G

INFECTION LEUKOCYTES LYMPHATIC LYMPHOCYTES

M G I P Z Z K I B T D E L S D

V O A N L F B S H E R U S F D

N E T M L P O T D O G K T D W

D S R U L E U K O C Y T E S G

PARASITES PHAGOCYTES VACCINE VIRUSES

©1995-The Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth®. Reprinted with permission.

S E T I S A R A P H B Y H N O

_________________________ _________________________ Boomerang Back Page CAN YOU FIND THE DIFFERENCES? There are 10 things that are different between the pictures. See if you can find them all. Feel free to color your own masterpiece once you’ve finished.

Impress THE parents J wow your friends!

1.

The world’s largest Christmas stocking measured 106.9 feet long and 49.1 feet wide. It weighed as much as five reindeer and held almost 1,000 presents.

2.

Approximately 28 sets of LEGO are sold every second during the Christmas season.

3.

A person’s sneeze can travel about 100 miles per hour and can spread a distance of six feet.

4.

Being happy, doesn’t just make you feel better mentally, it also makes you feel better physically. A happy person has a stronger immune system and doesn’t get sick as often and they feel less pain if they get hurt.

5.

The largest muscle in your body is your booty (gluteus maximus muscle). But, it’s not the strongest muscle. Your calf muscles produce the most force and your jaw muscle exerts the most pressure.

6.

Chocolate is the only edible substance to melt around 93° F, just below the human body temperature. That’s why chocolate melts so easily on your tongue. Plus, chocolate was once used as money.