Sweet Spotlights

September/October 2008 Issue | Posted by Tom and April Hoopes in Features

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I really enjoy your magazine. I have two favorites. First, I love the beautiful photo spread with the wonderful prayers or devotions to go with it. I really enjoyed all of the past mysteries of the Rosary. We had cut them out and laminated them. We still use them today. My second favorite is the wonderful Catholic advertisements. It is so nice to have ideas and places to look for good-quality Catholic products. Thank you for all your work.

Amy Pautsch

Galva, Iowa

Eat Smart

Just wanted to make a couple of additions to the “From Fat to Fit” article from July/August 2008. Weight issues are multifactorial: Twin and adoption studies clearly demonstrate the role of genetics in weight issues, and many medications can cause weight gain.

Don’t compare yourself to someone else trying to lose weight. Do the best that you can to be the best you that God created you to be. God did not intend for all of us to look like the “supermodels” we see on magazine covers. If you are an emotional eater, one of the key principles is to make sure that you find other coping tools to deal with stress.

Helpful websites:

NationalEatingDisorders.org

DiabetesHealth.com

If your doctor is not familiar with side effects associated with psychotropic medications, encourage him to subscribe to Psychiatrist.com for journal article updates and continuing education unit activities.

Millicent Meeks,

MS, RD, CDE, CEDS

Certified Eating Disorders Specialist

Cross-Over Costumes

My All-Saints article on page 31 focuses on dressing up as saints, but if you don’t want to make an extra set of costumes for trick-or-treating, take a look at Saints for Every Occasion: 101 of Heaven’s Most Powerful Patrons ($15.56 at Amazon.com) by Thomas J. Craughwell. You’ll find a patron saint for nearly every occupation or situation.

Does your child want to be an ice skater? No problem — there’s St. Lyd­ wina. A fireman? St. Florian’s your man.

If you really want to get into the Halloween spirit, try Craughwell’s other book, Saints Behaving Badly: The Cutthroats, Crooks, Trollops, Con Men, and Devil-Worshippers Who Became Saints ($10.85 at Amazon.com).

— Susie Lloyd, senior writer

homework

Here’s where to send us your stuff:

Faith & Family Homework

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North Haven, CT 06473

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Fax (203) 230-3838

Do WHAT?   Dinner Discussions

We asked readers: How do you jump-start family conversations at the dinner table?

• Each child gets a turn to tell Dad one new thing they learned that day.
• My husband begins every dinnertime by asking our kids what they did today that was fun.
  They consider even a trip to the grocery store a fun adventure!
• Ask each family member what their least and most favorite thing about the day was. We take turns and it really allows us to know what’s going on inside.
• I ask, “Where did you see someone being charitable today?” or “What made you laugh today?”
• We use the historical facts in “On This Day” from Wikipedia.org. It has led to discussions about capital punishment, spying, and politics.
• I clip and save quizzes from Faith & Family’s Family Mind Games feature. We also have a set of individual cards with great conversation starting questions from TableTopics.com.

Say WHAT?  Speak No Evil

We asked readers: What do you say to someone who talks about anxiety-inducing topics in front of your children: “Did you hear ­ the news about the abducted 4-year-old girl?”

• “Whoa! Hang on a minute; little pitchers have big ears!”
• I would probably just give them a look, nod toward my child, and shake my head “No.”

• If we are at home or another’s house, I interrupt the conversation and tell my children to go play in another room.

• I say, “In honor of that childhood innocence that we adults all long for, could we please discuss this at a later time?” I have never had someone dispute!

• I say, “As St. Anna Wang and St. Maria Goretti show, God never abandons anyone, even victims. But that reminds me ...” and change the subject.

• “My kids saw an ad in our church bulletin saying Elizabeth Smart was missing.They began praying for her. They weren’t surprised when she was found. We should pray.”

Homework:  For the January/February 2009 issue, send answers to these questions:

Say What? What do you say at a gathering if someone suggests — and the crowd seems to go along with — some activity you didn’t anticipate and don’t want to participate in: Let’s get in the hot tub, let’s watch a salacious movie, etc.?

Do What? How do you keep antsy kids busy during long car rides?

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