Dr. Tanya Altmann, FAAP, a UCLA-trained pediatrician talks with Michelle about the importance of play. Experts agree, play is an integral component to a child’s development, as it builds important social and emotional skills. According to a recent study, due to COVID, kids are redefining the way they want to play, including seeking a safe space to play and the permission to say YES to play more. Yet where kids see fun and an opportunity to explore, parents can look at the same thing and see dirty surfaces, limiting kids’ freedom to play. This has uncovered a play gap between the way kids want to experience play and how parents are helping to facilitate it. To help close this gap, the FamilyGuard™ Brand is introducing YES, PLAY!, a new initiative that highlights the importance of having a dedicated, clean play space in the home, while giving parents the tools they need to be successful in today’s state of family play.

Last year over 100,000 Americans died after overdosing on opioids, including prescription pain medications. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Ashley Schmidt is the VP of Regulatory and Compliance at Inmar Intelligence and talks about National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, their drug disposal program and how people can get involved locally.

When school breaks for summer, many kids want a break from everything! It’s tempting to trade in alarm clocks, homework and gym class for sleeping late, screen time and snacking on sugary summer treats – but it’s obviously not in kids’ best interest, physically or mentally.The Society of Behavioral Medicine reports that physical activity for children between 6 and 9 years old drops by 53% during summer break, resulting in weight gain and bad eating habits. And the lack of stimulation leads to ‘summer learning loss,’ a phenomena where kids lose academic skills, like reading and math.But the struggle to keep kids entertained, engaged and eating well for three months is real for parents! Fortunately, they’re getting an assist. Who better to inspire kids to get off the bench and take a swing at adopting healthier habits than a woman who managed the diets of Chicago Cubs players for a decade?Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Dawn Jackson Blatner, has teamed up with Eggland’s Best to develop a game plan for motivating kids to stay active and eat healthy during their summer break and beyond! And first base is the YMCA’s nationwide Healthy Kids Day® event on April 29th, an opportunity for families to get active, have fun and jumpstart a healthy summer.

Kathleen Ashmore is a professional chef and recipe developer. In today’s often hectic lifestyle, it can be hard to find better-for-you options while on the go. Smoothie bowls are an on-trend solution to keep you energized while you tackle the day ahead. Packed with premium ingredients and whole fruits, smoothie bowls can be incredibly nutrient- and protein-dense, especially if they include superfoods like açaí or pitaya, commonly known as dragon fruit.To meet the growing demand for healthier and more satisfying options on-the-go, Smoothie King – the first company to bring smoothies to the masses – launched a new product lineup, the Smoothie Bowl.