3rd Floor Views Chesapeake Family Life

Annapolitans and Marylanders in general have been eagerly awaiting the Annapolis Blues Soccer Group - a new soccer team in the state capital! Joining us is Fred Matthes, the team’s General Manager. 
Our discussion with Fred Matthes touches on the following topics:
Let’s start with a bit of background and context for listeners and viewers. Could you explain both the Annapolis Soccer Group and the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), and where the Annapolis Blues fits within both? The team- where did the idea for an Annapolis team originate? What was the evolution, and who was involved? Who are some of the team’s local/regional partners/sponsors? Listeners will definitely recognize some of these names (Rise Up Coffee, Watermark, Luminis Health, Hero’s Pub, Bread and Butter Kitchen, etc.). Why is it important to have local sponsors like these?The name: what does Blues represent? Piggybacking on the meaning behind the name, why did Annapolis need/deserve a team? What does it do for the community and region?The coaching staff and roster- what was the process like building those, and can you give us a sampling of their backgrounds and skills, what they bring to the table (pitch)?Season/looking forward: homes games at NMCMS, aways throughout Virginia through July. Hopes for future of club?For listeners/viewers who’d like to learn more or get tickets, where can they go? Lastly, why should folks- residents or visitors- head over to the stadium to catch a game? 

What's the best way to deal with seasonal allergies? 
We talked to Dr. Jennifer Dantzer, a pediatric allergist and immunologist at Johns Hopkins, and Johns Hopkins pediatric allergy and immunology fellow Dr. Aimee Magnarelli. We discussed something near and not-so-dear to many of us in the mid-Atlantic right now- seasonal allergies!
Questions about Seasonal Allergies
Let’s begin with what you do at Hopkins- what does the average day of a pediatric allergist and immunologist look like?Allergies- can you explain what an allergy is, how it affects the body, and the body’s response?How do seasonal allergies develop?How does climate change affect seasonal allergies?The Maryland/mid-Atlantic- what’s the allergy season timeline for our region?Can you explain the difference between allergies, colds, and other respiratory viruses? Although we’re heading into warmer weather, we’ve still got colds and other viruses hanging on, which can make it confusing to know what we’ve “got”.Why are some children affected by allergies and others are not?What are some helpful tips to deal with children’s allergies?When is it time to see an allergist and get allergy testing? 

Today, we’ll be talking about body image- a healthy body image and how it can be disturbed, the media’s effect on body image, and what parents can do to help their children love their bodies.
Joining us is Dr. Renee Engeln, professor of psychology at Northwestern University and author of Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women.
The interview answers the following questions.
You run the Body and Media Lab at Northwestern. Could you tell us your focus and work there? Body image- definition. What’s a healthy body image?
When and how might one’s body image be skewed/altered? Social media/culture/etc.?
Are there certain groups of individuals- ages, gender identities, orientations- who appear to have higher rates of “body image disturbance”? Why?
Beauty Sick
Beauty Sick: “After researching women’s battles with beauty for years, I can confidently tell you that girls and women who struggle to feel at home in their bodies are not some odd subculture of America. They are our daughters, our sisters, our students, our friends, our partners, and our loved ones.”
“Beauty sickness is what happens when women’s emotional energy gets so bound up with what they see in the mirror that it becomes harder for them to see other aspects of their lives.”
Manifestations of beauty sickness, who, etc? Why for women? Other individuals?
CAUSES of Beauty Sickness
Parents, Peers, Media
What's the answer/remedy? What can parents say or do to nip this in the bud for children (youth, teens) so they don’t head down the wrong road? Tips?

Caregiving and losing a loved one is different for every family. Authors of the book, Ok, Now What? A Caregiver’s Guide to What Matters, Nancy Taylor Robson and Sue Collins give the answers to questions that caregivers don't even know to ask.
 
They address how to talk to children about a loved one’s illness or the fact that they’re dying. Quoting from the book: “Some children want and need to be protected until they can’t be protected any longer. Others need to be included. It’s a soup-to-nut mix; whether or not to tell a child depends on a host of factors including the personalities involved, the ages, of the children, and the circumstances.”
Caregiving topics discussed
PRACTICAL: finances, paperwork, physical locations and considerationsSELF-CARE when beginning the journey: breathe, talk about it: what should parents, children, caregivers keep in mind as they are about to embark on the experience of caring for/living with/spending time with someone with a terminal illness?CAREGIVING 101: things to consider- medications, necessary items.CARING for the CAREGIVER: taking care, asking for help and support.HOSPICE: what is it, and when is it time to consider it?DYING: what advice can you offer families when a loved one is in his or her final days?

What are the benefits of Garden to Table for your family? Farm, or Garden to Table, or the process of growing and consuming your own food - from the nutritional benefits, to the process, to the recipes, is featured in Kayla Butts’s new Garden to Table cookbook.
A recent study has revealed that Americans now consume 25% more than they did in the 1970s. A big part of American diets consists of refined grains and inflammatory see grains. Corn and soy are in nearly everything that we eat. The average American now eats 77 pounds of sugar in a year.
 
Kayla answers the following questions:
Why is growing, freezing, preserving your own food better?Is DIY food growing in depth and time consuming?Could it be easier than we might think?What do you need to consider?Money- does it save or cost extra to raise your own food?Can the whole-family participate?Can growing your own food cater to all palates and dietary needs/considerations?Garden to Table is a practical and accessible guide that will show you how to grow a lush home garden, as well as how to preserve, can, and cook easy, healthy recipes from the vegetables you’ve cultivated all year round! No big gardening space or gardening experience needed!

We’re talking about mental health and teaching coping skills for children with Jenna Bernstein, assistant director of social work at Sheppard Pratt. They are the nation’s largest private, nonprofit provider of mental health services. 
A Pew Research study from January noted that more than being bullied or facing difficulties with drugs/alcohol, parents are most worried about their child experiencing depression or anxiety. 
The CDC’s recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey reflects a worsening of mental health trends among high school girls over the past decade. Nearly 1 in 3 high school girls report feeling anxious and having a negative view of themselves. They are constantly worried and comparing themselves to their peers. 
Coping Skills for Kids
Parents should start modeling positive behaviors to their children at an early age. If parents are angry it’s ok to say they are angry, and then model a behavior to reduce their anger. 
Foster connections with kids without making direct eye contact. Try talking while you are driving in a car. Play video games side-by-side, go fishing. If a child hangs their head while trying to have a conversation with you, don’t make it mandatory that they have to look you in the eye. It was probably hard enough to start the conversation, don’t make it harder by forcing eye contact. 
When a child shares their feelings, they are often looking for validation, not a quick fix from an adult. After making sure to understand their feelings an adult can then ask if there is anything they can do to help. 
When to get help
If parents see a lot of self-blame, guilt, loss in interest in favorite activities, loss of appetite, and especially self harm or aggression it’s time to seek help. 
Sheppard Pratt Mental Health Care Finder
https://www.sheppardpratt.org/care-finder/outpatient-mental-health-centers/
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