The Most Overlooked Way to Connect with Your Child

The Most Overlooked Way to Connect with Your Child
How often have you seen a parent walking with a child and looking down at their mobile phone? Have you thought about how this may be a missed opportunity to connect?

When you are with a child, every moment is a chance to connect and our moments seem ever harder to find with parent and child occupied with school, work, play, social media, grabbing a snack, getting where we want to go in a hurry.

But with kids, there is no time like the present. Eye contact is what they crave. It only takes a moment to let a child know you care, by stopping whatever you may be focused on (except when driving!) and looking into their eyes.

This simple task is the most overlooked way to connect with a child. And yet it is the simplest and the quickest. And it has the added benefit of putting you the parent in touch with your parental love.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes we even avoid eye contact with a child because we know instinctively that it will change our focus and reset our priorities in an instant?

It is a lot easier to say no if we avoid eye contact, if we can tell ourselves the child is bothering us, being unreasonable, can wait a minute, or can take care of him or herself.

But what they want most in that moment is to know they are top priority. And a warm look into their eyes can empower them like nothing else to wait, or to find their own amusement, or to solve their own problems.

You may find this simple step can save you all kinds of time talking, consoling, making excuses, fixing problems, and so on. If a child knows they are tops with you, their confidence soars and they feel more capable, independent, and yes happy.

Randy's Take Home Tip: Next time you heave a sigh and wonder how you will ever get everything done if your child wants your attention one more time, give her or him the gift of your direct undivided attention, demonstrated by your warm glance into their eyes. Love doesn't wait. It is only now. I knew I had to write my first parenting book when its title came into my mind: "You Can Postpone Anything But Love."

Please visit my brand new website designed to connect you with the best tools on the planet for creating the life you want with your child. http://www,parenthoodtools.com.

And tell me what you think!  

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I hope you enjoyed these three important articles!
Randy Rolfe Take Home Tips: Be candid with your kids about how you feel about drinking. But do so only after you have really thought it through yourself, including your own behavior as a teen and now, and including a chat with their other parent, to see if you can get on the same page together. Children listen to their parents whether they want to or are conscious of it or not.  You want the voice of reason and caution and moderation to resonate in their heads when temptation appears. As for their health, let them know that our bodies are made to last a lifetime as long as we take care of them, and that the constant barrage of messages to convince them they need this or that medication is just a profit grab. Let them know that their health is their responsibility, not their doctor's. The vast majority of ailments people suffer today are caused by lifestyle factors over which the individual has a great deal of control. You set the pace by your example of how self-care is done. Finally, be sure your children know that one of the things you are most thankful for is them! Have a great holiday season!

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

As spring approaches, get the kids outside! I was amazed that few children got out in the snow to sled and make smowmen after the few snows we had this year in the northeast. As parents it is our responsibility to direct our children to healthy environments and healthy activities. Get them away from the digital screens for some time each day outside.

 To learn more about the real importance of the outdoors, listen in to the Family First program on avoiding the "nature deficit disorder." My guest Ellen Haas has been teaching kids about enjoying nature responsibly and deeply for decades and is author of several books on the subject.

Just click on this link and listen in, or download the show to your mobile dievice.  http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/54356/do-our-children-have-nature-deficit-disorder.

Our indoor air is far more polluted than outdoor air in most neighborhoods. So just for the sake of breathing, it's good to get outdoors! Also there is space to move, to run, skip, roll around on the ground. Encourage free-wheeling play. And go outside yourself to set the tone. Kids are programmed to want to do what adults do, so show them how to enjoy the outdoors. Make it a family time and they will go for it and look forward to it. Take time to watch the birds and planes, to study the cloud formations, to notice the trees starting to bud with leaves. Pick up sticks around the yard, kick a ball around. Let your child make up games and play along. Laugh out loud. And they love hellping in the garden.

The rebalancing of mental moods and the physical play which happens outside helps everyone, but especially kids who seem to have attention problems. Listen in to my interview about the benefits of nature at

http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/54356/do-our-children-have-nature-deficit-disorder. 

 

Randy Rolfe Take Home Tips: We are all meant to connect with nature. As sophisticated as our civilization is, we are still born of this earth and require the vital energies of good air, pure water, restful energizing sleep, safe environment, quality nutrition, sunlight, and the blues and greens of the outdoors. If you want your kids to appreciate nature, you must do it with them. Kids are programmed to do what the adults around them do. So set an example by getting outside yourself and inviting them to be with you.

Romance just for the young?

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

With baby-boomers hitting retirement, there is a lot in the news about staying young, changing the look of aging, grandparents who don’t slow down, and more. What about seniors who still believe in romance? The baby boomers were the love-in generation and for many of them the optimism about romance has not faded. Many stories have told of love in the mature years, but the baby boomers are bringing it to the fore. Consider the success of the movie Something’s Gotta Give, with Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson. My guest this week is Tim Carroll, author of the new book Don’t Ever Give Up on Love, which includes great stories of senior romance, including his own. Tim considers himself a “Senior Romantic” and encourages others not to give up ever on finding your romantic partner. Tim will share some stories and also share his insights on how to date in the modern world, how seniors are using social media, what to do about your past, how to handle disbelieving adult children, and more.
Simply go to: http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/57527/out-of-the-closet-with-senior-romance.

Randy Rolfe Take Home Tips: Setting an example of life-long love and commitment is one of the best things we can do for our children. Even if you are a grandparent, a belief that sharing your life with another is a high goal for all can be a great gift to your grandchildren and everyone around you. So don't give up on finding a partner to share your life. If you are on the second time around, avoid getting jaded or losing home. Do things you love to do and you will attract someone who feels the same way you do.

Preventing Colds and Flu

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

What happens around holiday time when so many people have cold or flue symptoms? How can you avoid them or limit their effects? Cold and flu are the most common infections that affect Americans. Children typically get 9 to 12 infections each year, and adults have about seven per year. Aside from making you feel miserable, these infections are the leading cause of lost work and school days. Also of not enjoying the holidays! Having the right strategies in place can cut your risk of getting sick this season. My guest this week is Jonny Bowden, known as "The Rogue Nutritionist." He is a well-known authority on ways to get and stay healthy naturally. He will tell us his top nutritional picks for cutting down the frequency and duration of colds and flu, and will explain how to protect the respiratory system, which is our first line of defense from air-born infection. A few good habits can make all the difference. So have your family listen in about keeping the holiday season healthy.

 To hear the program, simply click on this link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first, Friday at 1 pm PT, 2 pm MT, 3 pm CT, 4 pm ET, or any time afterwards online, or on podcast or apps.

Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, is a board-certified nutritionist with a master’s degree in psychology. He is the best-selling author of twelve books including “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth”, “Living Low Carb”, and “The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth”. He has appeared on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, and CBS and Dr. Oz’s XM Radio show as an expert on nutrition and weight loss, and has written or contributed to articles for dozens of print and online publications including New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Us Weekly, “O” The Oprah Magazine, The Daily Beast, Vanity Fair Online, Time, Oxygen, Marie Claire, and Diabetes. Men’s Health, Prevention, Natural Health, and more. Dr. Jonny is a consultant to the Natural Products Industry and serves on the advisory boards of several companies, including Barlean’s Organic Oils, Resverage and EuroPharma. His latest book, “The Great Cholesterol Myth”-- co-authored with renowned cardiologist Stephen Sinatra, MD-- came out this fall.

To hear the program, simply click on this link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first, Friday at 1 pm PT, 2 pm MT, 3 pm CT, 4 pm ET, or any time afterwards online, or on podcast or apps.

Randy Rolfe Take Home Tips: It is our responsibility as parents to see to it that our home environment is a safe and nurturing place for our children's health. Clean air, clutter under control, qiuet times, and comfortable temperatures are just as important as good nourishing food. And setting a good example for healthy habits out and about is important too. Like washing hands before eating and wearing appropriate clothing in winter. Remember: Kids do as you do, not as you say! Have a very happy holiday!

Recovering from Emotional Neglect - Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

As a society we are concerned about the trauma of childhood abuse or spousal abuse witnessed by children, about bullying, and about parental neglect, when kids are left on their own with little direction or attention to basic needs. All of these adverse experiences impact our kids into adulthood. They require conscious effort for recovery and public awareness to reduce their occurrence. But what about when none of these things has occurred and yet a person still feels not good enough, or strangely alone and unconnected?

My guest this week on Family First is Dr. Jonice Webb, who has identified and investigated this more subtle kind of abuse, which can go completely unidentified and still have profound effects. She felt compelled to draw awareness to the problem and has as her goal to bring this unseen force from childhood out of the darkness and into the light. She seeks to make people aware of it and its effects and to give them the words to talk about it and the tools to fix it.

To hear the program, simply click on this link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 pm PT, 2 pm MT, 3 pm CT, 4 pm ET, or any time afterwards online, or on podcast or apps.

Jonice Webb has been a licensed psychologist since 1991. Dr. Webb has worked in a variety of different settings over the course of her career, including a psychiatric emergency service and substance abuse programs. She has been the Director of several large outpatient clinics. For the past eight years, she has been running her private practice in Lexington, MA. Dr. Webb specializes in the treatment of couples and families.

During two decades of practicing psychology, Dr. Webb discovered a factor from childhood which weighs upon people as adults. This factor is extremely subtle. In fact, it’s so difficult to see that it goes virtually unnoticed while it quietly saps a person’s joy in life, causing him or her to struggle with self-discipline, or to feel disconnected and unfulfilled. Dr. Webb gave a name to this invisible factor from childhood. She calls it Emotional Neglect.™ Dr. Webb’s book, “Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect,” was just released in October.

To hear the program, simply click on this link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 pm PT, 2 pm MT, 3 pm CT, 4 pm ET, or any time afterwards online, or on podcast or apps.

 

Randy's Take Home Tips: When professionals identify problems in adults which stem from their childhood, it's a good idea to see if you are doing all you can to spare your child from those burdens. There is no substitute for sensitivity to the feelings of a child and to your own, and working them through in a caring compassionate comversation. "You Can Postpone Anything But Love" TM says a lot. It is the title of my first book, still available on www.amazon.com and www.bn.com, and it is my enduring trademark. When in doubt or quandry in a relationship, think of this idea and you will soon find your solution.

Incorrigible to Incredible: Some Dog Lessons

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Some relationships are more difficult than others. Sometimes a friend or even a child can be difficult to handle. They can try your patience and seem incorrigible. Can we learn some tricks from our four-footed friends? My guest this week on Family First says absolutely! Charmaine Hammond is an international transformational speaker, author, and radio host, helping people live inspired, resilient lives, and she is a leading trainer in corporate North America, helping transform workplaces.

Charmaine Hammond is the award winning and bestselling author of On Toby’s Terms and Toby The Pet Therapy Dog – and his hospital friends, and also Bounce Forward. She has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul - What I learned from the dog. She is now coauthoring a new book GPS Your Best Life. Her book On Toby’s Terms is currently in development to become a major motion picture! Get your whole family to listen in. Charmaine will be sharing Toby’s lessons!

To hear the program, simply click on the link above or on this link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 pm PT, 2 pm MT, 3 pm CT, 4 pm ET, or any time afterwards online, or on podcast or apps.

Charmaine Hammond, MA, BA, is an expert in Conflict Analysis and Management and opened Hammond International Inc. in 1997, a mediation and training company. For the past 8 years she has been speaking and consulting with business and community organizations. Prior to owning her own business Charmaine worked as a Contract Specialist for Government, was the Executive Director of several not for profit organizations, worked with municipal government in their contract management, and served as a Correctional Officer, Child & Youth Care Worker.

Charmaine’s passion for speaking led her to be the host of three radio shows: “Corporate Conversations with Charmaine,”  “PAWsitive Radio,” and “Your Book as a Business.” She has been featured on CBC, CTV, Global TV, 820 CHAM, Alberta Prime Time News, in many major newspapers including Metro News National Canada, US and New York, and in various magazines. She also supports many pet and children related charities and events as a result of her work with Toby.

To hear the program, simply click on the link above or on this link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 pm PT, 2 pm MT, 3 pm CT, 4 pm ET, or any time afterwards online, or on podcast or apps.

 

Randy Rolfe Take Home Tips: Our pets have personalities, stresses, and emotions just as we do. By watching our animal friends and paying attention to how to respond to their needs, we can learn to be more responsive to each other's! Having a pet is a great way for children to learn empathy for others when they have your good example to follow. So see that when you interact with your pets, you are modeling compassion and attention to their needs, not just for shelter and food, but also for attention, companionship, appreciation, and respect. 

Energize and Focus for the Fall Season!

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Energizing Your Family’s Fall Season!   

Does the end of summer have you feeling drained? Many parents look forward to the summer to do things with the children and be free of school and sports schedules. But then by the end of summer they are looking forward to the discipline of the school day and week, only to find the readjustment stressful and even overwhelming.

This week health author, fitness expert, and award-winning pharmacist Sherry Torkos returns to Family First as our guest to share great practical tips for making that readjustment with greater ease and with confidence that you are protecting your family’s health and well-being. Sherry Torkos has researched a number of critical health issues and is gifted at making the scientific information accessible to the general public through her many books on various aspects of health. As a mother herself, she has explored many child health issues. She now will share some quick energy dos and don'ts that will get you and your children feeling energized for fall.

To hear the program, simply click on the link above or go to this link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 pm PT, 2 pm MT, 3 pm CT, 4 pm ET, or any time afterwards online, or on podcast or apps.

Sherry Torkos is a pharmacist, author, certified fitness instructor, and health enthusiast who enjoys sharing her passion with others. Sherry graduated with honors from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1992. Since that time she has been practicing holistic pharmacy in the Niagara region of Ontario. Her philosophy of practice is to integrate conventional and complementary therapies to optimize health and prevent disease. Sherry has won several national pharmacy awards for providing excellence in patient care. As a leading health expert, she has delivered hundreds of lectures to medical professionals and to the public.

Sherry Torkos is frequently interviewed on radio and TV talk shows throughout North America and abroad on health matters. Sherry has authored 16 books and booklets, including The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, The Glycemic Index Made Simple, and most recently, Saving Women’s Hearts. 

To hear the program, simply click on this link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 pm PT, 2 pm MT, 3 pm CT, 4 pm ET, or any time afterwards online, or on podcast or apps.

Randy Rolfe Take Home Tips: There is such a thing as too busy! Be clear about your true priorities and when things get too hectic, cut back on the less important things. When we are feeling stressed, we are often tempted to skimp on self-care, like sitting down to eat, taking a walk, taking a leisurely shower or bath, choosing a healthy snack. But when things get wild, these activities become even more important because they allow your body to take a break and refuel, relax, regenerate. Forcing yourself to go, go, go when you are getting signals of overload mean that you will be forced to stop, probably when you can't afford to. What will stop you? Pain, accident, exhaustion, or a cold or flu. Chronic stress results in immune depression and you are more vulnerable than usual. So take extra care of yourself and urge family members to do so when the days get hectic!

 

Can Separation or Divorce Be a Less Costly, Healthier Process?

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Making Divorce a Healthier Process

At least half of our nation’s families have been touched by divorce. The high costs and stress on family members of completing the divorce process is legendary, especially if the process involves litigation. Is there another way? My guest this week on Family First is Crispino M. Pastore, Esq., whose mission is to help his clients avoid costly and destructive litigation.

 

Pastore founded the Main Line Family Law Center in 2011, together with his wife Sharon Pastore, after his years of conventional family law practice left him feeling that his hands were constantly tied as he witnessed the destructive nature of the litigation process. He now employs a uniquely integrated approach to assisting clients in resolving their separation and divorce matters. Using expert divorce and parenting mediators, life coaches, therapists, and financial planners, he can assure his clients that their settlements will be fair and reasonable while ensuring that all of their rights and interests are protected.

To hear the program, simply click on the link above or go to this link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1pm PT, 2pm MT, 3pm CT, 4pm ET, or any time afterwards online, or on podcast or apps.

Cris Pastore brings to his practice over 18 years of legal experience and perspective. A graduate of Villanova Law School, he has previously represented private family law clients in all phases of domestic law litigation, from child and spousal support to alimony, custody matters, equitable distribution, protection from abuse, and adoption matters.

When Mr. Pastore discovered a better way to help his separating and divorcing clients, he dedicated his career exclusively to mediation. He served as managing attorney for a prominent regional divorce mediation firm where he personally handled hundreds of mediation cases while being responsible for hiring, training, managing, and inspiring a team of attorney-mediators. Now as Main Line Family Law Center’s attorney-mediator, the goal of his practice is not only to assist his clients with these same principles in mind, but to revolutionize this area of practice by generating widespread community awareness of the great value of mediation.

To hear the program, simply click on the link above or go to this link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1pm PT, 2pm MT, 3pm CT, 4pm ET, or any time afterwards online, or on podcast or apps.

Randy Rolfe Take Home Tips: As a former practicing litigation attorney as well as a family therapist, I know there are ways to ease the transition from married to separated and divorced.  Always choose an attorney who puts the total welfare of the family and children ahead of mere dollar amounts. My work is focused on preventing family trauma, but if separation is inevitable, there are still many ways to prevent additional pain and stress around the process. Counseling, mediation, and other ancillary services are well worth the investment.

What Peace Day Means for Family

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Our children are exposed daily to news of violence, war, fleeing refugees, children orphaned by conflict. How do we help empower them to believe they can be part of making the world a safer, fairer, more peaceful place? This is one of the goals of the September 21 celebration of the United Nations International Day of Peace, a day of ceasefire and non-violence celebrated world wide. My guest on Family First this week is Lisa Parker, who helped to found Peace Day Philly in 2011, believing that Peace Day holds a great opportunity for cities across the world, including Philadelphia. She serves as coordinator of the initiative for 2012, and is Co-Chair of the CITIES Peace Team, an international sub-committee of the International Day of Peace NGO Committee at the United Nations. The CITIES Peace Team shares models, practices, and resources related to Peace Day observances and helps increase connectivity of cities across the world that promote and/or organize observances for Peace Day.

To hear the program , simply click on the link above or go to:http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first this Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

Lisa Parker is a Philadelphia native and a social worker by training. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in 1986 and a Masters Degree in social service program planning and development in 1993. Lisa has worked in various social services, educational, mental health, and public health programs in Philadelphia and especially with children, youth, and families, and with refugee populations. Lisa also has experience in the areas of non-profit consulting and anti-bullying activities in schools, as well as with visual and expressive arts. .In addition to her work with the Peace Day Initiative, Lisa is also a Representative for Global Education Motivators (GEM) to the United Nations Department of Pubic Information (DPI). GEM is a Philadelphia based non-profit that uses video conferencing to encourage a greater global perspective, especially among high school and college youth, through a wide range of intercultural dialogues and exposure to the work of the United Nations.  

To hear the program , simply click on the link above or go to:http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first this Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

 

Randy Rolfe Take Home Tips: Our children learn primarily by imitation. How do we resolve conflicts within our own home? It's a good idea to think about your patterns of interaction because these are the models our children take with them when they go to school, to work, create a home, or operate in the larger arenas of public and global affairs. Do we take time to hear the points of view on all sides? Do we avoid passing judgment or demeaning the party we disagree with? Do we stay patient until a mutually agreeable solution appears? Do we have cooling off periods if the emotions are running rampant? Do we use respectful language and tones? Our example goes a long way to creating a more peaceful home and world.

What Happens When a Loved One Is Very Sick?

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Most of us know someone who is hospitalized with medical treatment for a serious condition. Each patient and each family has their own unique needs for comfort and care. My guest this week on Family First has 30 years experience giving personalized nursing care. Listen to her stories this Friday at 4 PM ET, 3 PM CT, 2 PM Mt, 1 PM PT, or any time afterwards by going to this link! 

Episode Title:  What Can The Dying Teach Us About Living?

As our population ages, an ever bigger proportion of our population will be dealing with end of life issues. What can we learn from the experience of those dying? What can they teach us about life as well as about death, and how can we help to make their transition more peaceful and love-filled? My guest this week on “Family First” is Becki Hawkins, author of the new book TRANSITIONS: A Nurse’s Education About Life and Death.

 

Becki Hawkins is a natural storyteller and a great listener and she brought those gifts with her as she sat by the bedside of seriously ill or terminally ill patients for more than 30 years, as an oncology and hospice nurse. It is her compassion and warmth that encouraged so many of her charges to share their heartfelt thoughts and experiences with her. On “Family First” she will share what she has learned from her experiences and also reveal a kind of blueprint for how to help our loved ones to go through their end of life transition in peace, grace, and love.

To hear the program, simply click on this link::http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

Becki Hawkins became a nurse’s aide at age 19, which inspired her to earn her degree in nursing. Unusual for someone so young, she chose to start her career in the Oncology Unit in a large city hospital. She progressed to Outpatient Oncology, Hospice, and eventually became a Hospice Chaplain. Upon retirement in the 1990s, she began to volunteer her services for hospice patients.

 

Becki was also instrumental in the care of various family members. She loved the opportunity to work with the patients and their families, but she didn’t quite know how to face the reality of not being able to “save” every patient. After seeing the stress it left upon her and hearing the stories, her husband suggested she begin journaling. She began to write about what she was hearing, witnessing, and feeling. By 1986, she started penning a column in a local newspaper called “Beyond Statistics,” which became syndicated and led to the creation of her book, Transitions: A Nurse’s Education About Life and Death.

To hear the program, simply click on this link::http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

Randy Rolfe's Take Home Tips: Authenticity is most important when dealing with a sick loved one. Those who are hospitalized know that something serious is happening. Be gentle and loving and authentic. In discussing the situation with younger family members, keep the language and ideas age-appropriate. Take time to choose your words carefully. Avoid frightening them or dumping your more complext feelings on them. Think your answers through before you get questions. Or if you already have a child asking a question, ask them to let you get back to them about it and then follow up within an hour or two. Children know when you are sad or preoccupied so be sure to let them know what it is about and that it is not about them.

What Buy USA-Made Can Mean to You

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Are social media a distraction and obsession or can they be a force for positive change? Will our children waste time and energy and become sleep deprived searching yet another site, or go into debt consuming whatever is advertised online, or will they find a way to use this new tool to make their world a better place? My guest this week on Family First is dedicated to making social media an instrument of change. Sarah Mazzone is a Registered Nurse, active blogger, new mother, and leader in the movement to live simply and buy what is needed from American manufacturers and from one’s local community.

Sarah Mazzone developed her growing blog, “made in usa challenge.com,” to build on her love for writing and her desire to explore American consumerism and associated issues. Sarah specializes in health and wellness, informatics and technology, and research and writing. Find out how to build your family’s health and our nation’s economy by being conscious consumers and communicators.

To hear the program, simply click on this link::http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

Sarah Mazzone, RN, BSN, is editor in chief of Made in USA Challenge, where she explores conscious consumerism from an economic, environmental and human rights perspective. Sarah highlights products made in USA that help strengthen our economy, protect our environment, safe-guard our families from toxins and minimize our exploitation of developing countries. She has developed her site into a resource for concerned consumers to find the best products made in America as well as to generate a dialogue about consumerism. She also collaborates with businesses to promote ethically made products manufactured locally, and creates social media marketing strategies to help connect Made in America businesses and consumers. As a Registered Nurse, she has worked both in the hospital and outpatient setting, specializing in patient education. She currently works in the healthcare informatics industry, obtaining critical data measures and reporting patient outcomes. 

To hear the program, simply click on this link::http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or

 

Randy Rolfe's Take Home Tips: Voting at the voting booth is just one of the ways we affect the direction of our society. How we vote with our dollar matters too. If we read labels when we buy things for our family and try to favor those sources we are most comfortable wtih from a perspective of green living and supporting our local communities and country, we can have a profound effect all together. And we will be setting a good example for our kids of living according to our values and beliefs in our everyday life as well as in our larger efforts.

Our Adrenaline Nation

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Do you or someone close sometimes feel that you are never quite good enough or don’t quite measure up? Most Americans feel bombarded by constant messages that they must work harder, learn more, and be better to get what they want in life. This is just one form of the stress people experience every day. My guest this week on Family First says the pressure is killing us, literally. Author of the new book Adrenaline Nation, Peter M. McCarthy knows stress first hand as a former Air Force pilot and then a pilot for Southwest Airlines. But it was seeing all the health problems among his loved ones that led him to discover what stress was doing to us and to dedicate himself to revealing how stress is not only making us sick but also bankrupting our nation.

McCarthy earned his Doctorate in Traditional Naturopathy from Trinity College of Natural Health. He is President of the Texas Complementary and Alternative Medicine Association and Chair of the Texas Health Freedom Coalition, the nation’s largest state level grass roots natural health advocacy network,

To hear the program, simply click on the link above or go to::http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

Peter M. McCarthy, TN, board certified traditional naturopath, is a sought after professional in the field of complementary and alternative medicine, CAM. He is CEO of AHI Productions, a media company which is creator of NHN-TV, the planet’s first television network devoted to natural health and green living news, education, and entertainment. He is a past member of the Advisory Committee of the American Naturopathic Certification Board.

McCarthy graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1972 with a BS in Engineering Mechanics and an Air Force commission as a second lieutenant. A 20 year military veteran, he earned his MA in Management and Supervision from Central Michigan University while on active duty. He then became a Captain/First Officer for Southwest Airlines and later retired in 2009. During the 80s and 90s his interest in naturopathy developed as he saw the impact of stressors on the health of those around him. He and his wife Nancy live in Austin TX and have three grown children.

To hear the program, simply click on the link above, or go to::http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

 

Randy Rolfe Take Home Tips: There is much parents can do to minimize their children's stress but saving them from all challenge, risk, or pain is not helpful. Neither a neglectful nor a hovering parent be. Our job is to minimize stressors which have dangerous long term effects, like toxins in the home, emotionally burdensome comments, or constant pressure to achieve at the expense of play, sleep, and free activity. So make a regular review of your child's overall stress burden and make frequent adjustments, both in reducing unnecessary stress and improving lifestyle so that the child can respond to appropriate stresses with strong immune and hormone systems.

Getting to the Cause of Depression and Anxiety

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

It seems that more and more people today are being diagnosed and treated for depression and anxiety. The media advertisements for pharmaceuticals for these emotional states have increased dramatically. At the same time, the ads warn not to drive or work with dangerous machinery while under the influence. Yet people who are being medicated for anxiety and depression can’t afford to stop their work and home functions. And often the effects of the drugs shift over time. Is there another way? My guest this week on Family First is Dr. Jonathan Brower, who has pursued life-long study of the inner-workings of the unconscious and of how people suffer when they put up walls to avoid being conscious of their real feelings and impulses. His counseling practice focuses on helping people to discover the source of their anxiety or depression, so that they can overcome it by addressing the root cause. He specializes in a therapeutic process which can have dramatic results in a very short time.

To hear the program, simply click on the link above or this link::http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on demand, for podcast download, or RSS.

 Dr. Jonathan Brower experienced important people in his early life being “nervous.” He didn’t have the word "anxiety" in his vocabulary, but what he experienced was very real and disturbing. In addition to the nervousness, some of the people around him had low energy and would withdraw from others. He wanted to know more. At ten, he became a voracious reader of biographies and novels that involved the emotional struggles people tried to overcome. By age 16, he was reading books by and about Sigmund Freud. For the first half of college he was a psychology major, but he found that many courses were not about the human struggle toward optimal mental health. He changed his major to sociology, where he learned about the social psychology of emotions and relationships. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Says Dr. Brower, “We all have had some degree of emotional pain during our lives, but we don’t have to let it cause us to suffer.”

To hear the program, simply click on this link::http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first or the link above, on Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on demand, for podcast download, or RSS.

Take Home Tip from Randy Rolfe: Emotional states which cause pain and suffering need to be addressed first by seeking the cause and getting help to reverse the cause. Too many people today, even youngsters and young adults, are being medicated without proper attempts to correct the underlying causes. Teach your children that pills are a last resort except in crisis situations and seldom have long lasting relief without serious side effects. Emotional conditions instead need to be worked out with a trusted relative, friend, or professional if at all possible.

Keep young Drivers Safe on the Road

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

As our kids go back to school excited about the new year, parents worry about seeing them get into cars. Traffic crashes are the #1 cause of death for all people in the world ages 10 – 24 and for all people in USA under the age of 35. America has lost more lives (over 2 million) in 110 years of driving than all the wars we fought during the last 234 years. My guest this week on Family First is John E. Langan, a highly respected expert on traffic safety and crashes. He has testified in criminal and civil proceedings as an expert in traffic crashes in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

John Langan has been actively promoting traffic safety since 1969. He is founder and president of driveAWARE, a nonprofit traffic safety advocacy and victim support organization. In 1984, he founded and served as first president of the National Association of Traffic Accident Reconstructionists and Investigators. He has also testified before a Pennsylvania government committees on Teen Driver Safety.

Have your kids listen to this call! To hear the program, simply click on this link::http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

Mr. Langan served for over 15 years as a police officer with the Warminster Police Department in suburban Philadelphia. His assignments included traffic safety engineering surveys, traffic safety educational articles and public speaking, and traffic safety enforcement. He was responsible for reconstruction of serious traffic crashes and assisting the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office in prosecutions, including Vehicular Homicide.

Langan left the police force after sustaining debilitating injuries assisting a fellow officer who was physically assaulted by a motorist stopped for reckless driving. He then earned a BA in Organizational Management from Eastern U. and an MBA. He is certified in traffic crash investigation from Northwestern U., U. of North Florida, and Texas A&M U. He is also certified by the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction. He is an active member of the Fraternal Order of Police and a volunteer driving safety instructor with the AARP.  

Ask your children to listen to this call! To hear the program, simply click on this link::http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

Take Home Tips from Randy Rolfe: I recommend you drive with your child as many times as it takes for you to have faith in their caution, attention, and good sense. Don't assume because they have taken a driver's course that they know what to do!

Lisa Oz on Transforming Your Relationships

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Lisa Oz, relationships expert, to join radio host Randy Rolfe this Friday August 3 at 4 PM ET, 1 PM PT.   

Have you ever tried to change someone else to make them easier to deal with or more to your liking? Have you sometimes assumed that your own spontaneous reactions to the people around you were the most real and best to communicate or act upon? How have these worked for you? What are the most important relationships in you life? How can we be the best “me” for our spouse, our children, our parents, and all those we care about? My guest this week on Family First is Lisa Oz, an esteemed and respected worldwide authority on the subject of wellbeing and relationships. Lisa Oz inspires audiences at a multitude of speaking engagements and events. She is a moving speaker, producer, writer, actress, and coauthor of six New York Times best selling books, She will be sharing with our Family First listeners some important ideas and key strategies for transforming our relationships and ourselves. Be sure to listen in for Lisa’s wise and witty candor about what really makes our lives work.

Listen in! Click on the link above or go to:http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

Lisa Oz has been heard on The Lisa Oz Show on Oprah Winfrey Radio. She is also a frequent relationship expert on Good Day New York, Fox 5. Lisa has been on the New York Times Best Seller List for six books, including “YOU: The Owner’s Manual” series and her most recent book, “US: Transforming Ourselves and the Relationships that Matter Most.” She is President of Ozworks, LLC, a media and investment consulting company which she founded. She directs Pine Room Pictures, a production company specializing in family friendly media. Her latest best-selling book, “US – Transforming Ourselves and the Relationships that Matter Most” is inspiring thousands to have more rewarding relationships. Born in Philadelphia, PA, Lisa received her undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College. She attended Columbia University’s Union Theological Seminary. She lives in Cliffside Park, NJ with her husband Mehmet Oz of 26 years and their 4 children, Daphne (25), Arabella (21), Zoe (17), and Oliver (12).

Don't miss it! Click on the link above or go to:http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

Randy Rolfe Take Home Tips: Our relationships to those around us are really what determine our satisfaction with our lives. Whether it's with our family members, our coworkers, our friends, our community, our higher power, or ourselves, all are important relationships which we must nurture in ways that are creative, respectful, and loving. We must look for the common ground in each relationship, in the belief that we are both meant to prosper from our bond.  Listen to Lisa Oz on relationships!

Positive Touch - How to reduce bullying, violence, abuse, discontent

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

Today’s news is filled with atrocious cases of child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual abuse. Some parents are so worried that any touch might be misinterpreted that they avoid it. And many schools are becoming so sensitive, because of incidents of corporal punishment or sexual contact, that they are not allowing any touch at all. My guest this week on Family First is Eva Scherer. Eva has been the leader of a movement in New Zealand to teach children to massage each other.

Eva believes we are becoming a touch-deprived society, which may contribute to many of the problems kids have today. Her programs have helped kids gain self-esteem, be less aggressive, be better learners, and understand positive versus negative touch. She will share the reasons for her programs, the results they have had, and how facilitating positive touch between parent and child and between child and child can have many benefits for children of all ages and prepare them for a healthier adult life.

To hear the program, simply click on the link above or go to:http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first Friday July 20 at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

Eva Scherer is a professional body worker and the owner of several sports and therapeutic massage clinics in Auckland, New Zealand. As a result of her knowledge of massage and of how massage has helped children in Europe, she studied at the University of Miami’s Touch Research Institute to develop her own program to introduce positive touch for children. She is the founder of the Kids Love Massage Programme, the Children Massaging Children Programme, and the Child Connection Trust. Established in 2000, the Trust aims to introduce massage into the mainstream education system as a low-cost prevention for child abuse and family violence.

Her Children Massaging Children (CMC) Programme has won the North Shore Mayoral Community 

Award and has benefited children at community centers and schools in New Zealand as well as overseas. Her program also has a strong branch in Poland which extends the Children Massaging Children Programme from Kindergarten into homes. Eva Scherer is a member of Massage Australia, Infant Mental Health Association NZ, and Attachment Parenting International. She is also a mother and grandmother.

To hear Eva Scherer’s insights, simply click on the link above or go to:http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first this Friday July 20 at 1 PM PT, 2 PM MT, 3 PM CT, 4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on podcast or apps.

Take Home Tips from Randy Rolfe: Human experience has shown that close physical contact between children and their parents from birth helps to build confidence and trust which can last a lifetime. It can actually help prevent confusion between aggressive touch and respectful touch as the child grows older. Give your children lots of hugs and encouraging shoulder pats or hand holds and they will be less likely to crave attention in less safe situations.  

The Natural Approach to Total Wellness

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

If you watch a lot of TV you would think that we were programmed to fall apart and that only unnatural chemicals with all kinds of unpleasant and dangerous side effects can keep our bodies and minds running properly. But healers throughout history have insisted that Nature knows best and that if we work with our natural innate power to live in harmony with Nature, we can significantly reduce our likelihood of contracting disease and we can in all likelihood live healthy, happy, and long lives.

My guest this week is Gina Loree Marks, who has been living and teaching this approach for over 15 years. She first discovered what has been labeled the Continuum Concept when raising her own children and has evolved this approach into a holistic practice which focuses on the healing art of shiatsu to help bring harmony and alignment into her clients’ busy lives. She will share how her philosophy and techniques can help with almost any stressful situation a family member may face.

To hear my interview with Gina Marks, listen in Friday at 1 PM PT/2 PM MT/3 PM CT/4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on demand or podcast. Simply go to http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first and click on this episode to the right of the program home page. 

Gina Loree Marks is a shiatsu practitioner and co-director of the Lionville Holistic Health Center in Lionville PA. She has been in practice since 2005 and she draws on her past experience as a bodyworker and teacher of Qigong, as well as her experience as a Quaker and an unschooling and homebirthing mom. This broad background helps her to assist her clients in releasing restrictions in their bodies and minds so they can live their lives more fully and in alignment. 

Among Gina’s diverse clients are mothers and other caretakers who feel overwhelmed and lack time for self-care, athletes who seek to prevent injury from high performance tensions, people facing surgery or recovering from surgery, therapists involved in energy healing work who seek to reground themselves, women seeking stress relief and hormonal balance to facilitate pregnancy, individuals suffering from ongoing foot, knee, hip, or back pain, and people trying to heal from residual effects of trauma, injury, or accidents. 

For Gina’s valuable insights, listen in Friday at 1 PM PT/2 PM MT/3 PM CT/4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on demand or podcast. Simply go to http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first and click on this episode to the right of the program home page.

Take Home Tips from Randy Rolfe: Though each of us is different in many ways, our basic physiology is the same. We are energy beings and when we align our energy with nature and our natural surroundings, our bodies and minds work together and have amazing healing powers and the ability to maintain health throughout life. Share this philosophy with your children and they will have stronger resistance to disorders of the mind and body.

Want lasting, healthy, fulfilling, and easier relationships?

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

In today’s society we’re surrounded by the search for love – in books, in songs, in the movies, on TV, and now on the web – but how many of us know how to find it or even what we are looking for? As children we’re taught to go out there and find love without any cues or instruction on how to make it happen. It’s no wonder that so many adults can make messes of their relationships and end up questioning if being loved or finding love is even possible or meant for them.  

My guest this week on Family First is Cyndi Dale, a renowned author on intuitive and spiritual matters who has developed a guide that serves to open the heart, show you how to nurture your relationships, and give you new optimism and confidence about loving and being loved. She will share how our past experiences can keep us fearful or stuck and how to better understand our feelings and ways to keep them from spoiling our relationships. Listen in to find out great ways to find love or to keep your love fresh and growing. 

Listen in Friday at 1 PM PT/2 PM MT/3 PM CT/4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on demand or podcast. Click on the link above or go to http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first and click on this episode to the right of the program home page. 

Cyndi Dale is an internationally respected author and spiritual scholar whose book The Subtle Body earned The Gold Nautilus Award. Her book The Complete Book of Chakra Healing is currently in its 14^th printing. She is also author of The Intuition Guidebook: How to Safely and Wisely Use Your Sixth Sense. She is president of Life Systems Services, through which she has conducted over 35,000 client sessions and trainings across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.  

Cyndi has studied cross-cultural healing and energy systems and has led instructional classes in many countries, including Peru, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Japan, and many others, as well as among the Lakota people and the Hawaiian kahunas. Her newest book, Togetherness: Creating and Deepening Sustainable Love, is coauthored with psychotherapist Andrew Wald and serves to explain and demystify relationships without taking the soul out of them. Cyndi currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her two sons and various pets.

To hear Cyndi’s insights, listen in Friday at 1 PM PT/2 PM MT/3 PM CT/4 PM ET, or any time afterwards on demand or podcast. Click on the link above or go to http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first and click on this episode to the right of the program home page.

Randy Rolfe's Take Home Tips: Relationships are all about attention. Pay attention to the other person, what they are saying, what they want, what they are hoping to receive from you. Often it is just your attention! Take time to be with them and engage them in their own dreams and hopes. Then be clear and thoughtful about what are your dreams and wants. Make requests but be secure enough to not mind if they say no for now.

The Resilent Family!

Family First | VoiceAmerica™

There’s an awful lot of doom and gloom out there for families to contemplate. With persistent national and personal debt, shrinking resources, climate change, malnutrition along side of obesity, and adjustments in the very concept of family, families are feeling the stress of constant change. Fortunately, there is hope in the form of contemporary grassroots movements, according to my guest this week on Family First, James H. Lee. In his new book Resilience and the Future of Everyday Life,

 Lee shows how these movements can restore self-reliance and community engagement. He will discuss how families can take control of their own destiny and help to create the future they want for their children and grandchildren. Lee will be sharing such concepts as discreet consumption, transition towns, repurposing, the elder boom, moving beyond the adolescent culture, do-it-yourself banking, barter and digital commerce, and edible landscaping. His ideas will definitely expand your current options.

 Click on the link above or go to http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first at 4 PM ET, 3 PM CT, 2 PM MT, 1 PM PT this Friday, or any time afterwards for on demand or podcast.

 James H. Lee is a Delaware-based financial advisor who engages in extensive research and analysis of emerging technologies and social trends. During his 20 year career, his system has identified numerous investment opportunities for his clients. Lee is the author Resilience and the Future of Everyday Life. James has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Financial Planning, and Medical Economics.

 Lee has also written for The Futurist, the Journal of Futures Studies, and Technological Forecasting and Social Change. Lee is a popular blogger for the World Future Society and has presented at their annual conference. He is also a member of the Association of Professional Futurists. Lee graduated from the College of William & Mary with a B.A. in Economics and received a Master’s degree in Studies of the Future from the University of Houston – Clear Lake. He is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and a Chartered Market Technician (CMT).

To hear James Lee’s exciting insights, click on the link above or go to http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1916/family-first at 4 PM ET, 3 PM CT, 2 PM MT, 1 PM PT this Friday, or any time afterwards for on demand or podcast.

Take Home Tips from Randy Rolfe: Our children must be equipped for a future we cannot easily predict. So our job as parents is to give them confidence, thinking and problem solving skills, and a sense of curiosity, compassion, and hope about their future and the world's future. We know things will change and we can give them the tools we have learned to use to respond to change and to create the world we want to live in..