There Is Time!

I was recently interviewed on a local radio station. After my first interview with a Washington, DC station, I got over my nervousness and really enjoyed being on the air. Jewish radio hosts are energetic, humorous sorts who make it a lot of fun.

But after this interview, I was bothered.

To begin with, I found it a bit difficult to relate to the question:

"Can certain foods or eating habits help reduce parental stress while they're getting their children ready for the new school year?"

I certainly don't recall being stressed while getting my own kids ready for school. What I remember is feeling relieved at the prospect of a finally having a little peace and quiet!

But if you are stressed, there are things you can do and specific foods you can eat. So I suggested to my host that you sit down and eat rather than eat standing up or on-the-run. That's always a good way to relax.

"There's no time to sit down and eat," was the response.

Then I suggested eating foods like whole grains - healthy complex-carbohydrates that can help you feel calmer.

"But we don't have time to cook," I was told.

No time to sit and eat? No time to cook?

When my children were young, our lives were very full. Day school, sports, careers, friends and much more. But we valued family time and meals together. Breakfast at the kitchen table was a given. Somehow I found time to cook dinner, even if it was just the basics. How long does it really take to boil pasta and make a simple sauce? Pancakes were our "worst case scenario" fall-back dinner. The boys loved it.

I don't think we were unusual. We just had priorities. Family time, good food and relaxation were high on our list. So we made the time.

There's no magic bullet for reducing stress. No quick nutritional fix. There are foods you can eat and ways to eat them, but you'll have to make the effort and find the time.

If it's really a priority, you can make it happen.