Parental Stress has been declared a significant public health issue. How will you fight it?

The US Surgeon General has declared Parental stress as a significant public health issue. Dr. Vivek Murthy recently released a 36 page advisory on this important issue.
Click HERE to read more.

Dr. Murthy says that we need a culture shift. The advisory says: “It’s time to value and respect time spent parenting on par with time spent working at a paying job, recognizing the critical importance to society of raising children.” Parents and caregivers need societal support and to be able to talk openly about the stress of parenting. Like an earlier surgeon general’s advisory, it says more connection is needed to combat loneliness and isolation among parents.

“The bottom line is that we’ve got to start seeing mental health as health. It is no less important than our physical health,” Murthy said Wednesday. “If we can attend to both our mental and physical health, then we have a good chance, you know, of being happy, healthy and fulfilled, and that’s what we all want for ourselves and especially for our kids.”

The Morning Thing shared some ways for Moms and Dads to fight stress.

For Moms, we shared 5 shifts in focus that can help alleviate Mom Stress.
Click HERE to read the full article from imom.com
1. Focus on your breathing.

2. Focus on your inner critic.

3. Focus on what brings you comfort.

4. Focus on forgiving yourself.

5. Focus on what you can control.

For Dads, we shared 5 ways to address fatherhood stress.
Click HERE to read the full article from allprodad.com
1. Start the day early.

2. Write daily goals and journal.

3. Get active.

4. Find moments to read.

5. Connect with other dads.

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Skipping Fall Yard Cleanup? There’s Benefits!

We all love fall season, but not necessarily the cleanup that comes with it. Turns out, you might not have to do as much fall yard cleanup as you think. Today on The Morning Thing, we took a look at the surprising benefits to skipping fall yard cleanup this year, which includes:

  1. Your yard turning out just as healthy in the spring
  2. More food for birds
  3. More resilient plants next year
  4. Protecting beneficial insects

Click HERE to check out the full article!

We also shared about our least favorite fall chores as a kid, which of course included raking the leaves. Always remember, even when we have to do the chores we don’t like, find the fun in it and get the job done the best you can!

Thanks for listening!

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The Church at Chapel Hill invites you and your family to Fall Fest 2024

The Church at Chapel Hill is bringing back their Fall Festival for this weekend. You are invited to this fun and FREE family event.
Pastor Jon Whisner and Connie Jackson stopped by The Morning Thing to share details of ALL the activities.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation.

The event is from 4pm – 7:30pm. The church is located at 7530 Johnstown Road in Mount Vernon.
Click HERE to see a complete list of activities.

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Hey, Empty Nest Parents, here are 5 things that your adult children still need from you.

Parenting is tough at any stage, but navigating through the path of having an adult child can be challenging.

Crosswalk.com shared an article listing 5 things that your adult children still need from you. Author Stephanie Thompson shares practical insight on how to approach this time in your parenting journey.

Click HERE to read the full article.

  1. Empathy
  2. Empowerment
  3. Encouragement
  4. Refuge
  5. Mercy

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Hey Mom, we found some powerful prayers for your kids in school

Prayer is powerful! It should be our first response to any situation.
Moms, we know that your life is hard. You are trying to balance crazy schedules while you work hard to raise your children.
We want to help!
imom.com shares 7 Powerful Prayers for Moms to pray during this school year. We hope that these prayers can encourage and strengthen you.
Keep up the good work Mom!

Click HERE to read the full article from author Lisa Rowell.

1. A Prayer for Friendship and Kindness

Father, I ask that You surround my child with other kids who see the best and bring out the best in him. Peer influence plays such a big part in my child’s character development. Since I can’t pick my child’s friends during the school day, I ask that You steer him toward friends who practice kindness and show love and respect toward everyone. And, God, help my child be a positive influence over his friends and classmates. Amen.

2. A Prayer for Safety and Security

Hey, God. I admit I’m more than a little nervous sometimes sending my child to school. I feel scared that something will happen when I’m not there to protect her. It just seems like every time I scroll through the news, I see one more reason why I should feel scared. Father, please calm my worries. I don’t want to carry them around. Keep my child safe today. I’m asking not just for physical protection but to please guard her heart and mind from harm, too. Keep her safe from hurtful words or actions of others. I know You love my child even more than I do and are always with her, even when I am not. Amen.

3. A Prayer for Purpose

God, I know You have a purpose and a plan for my child’s life. During this school year, I ask that you give him opportunities to begin to discover his unique purpose and the courage to hone his talents with passion and perseverance. Guide my child’s steps this year so he can confidently walk through the doors you open.  And, Father, I want to parent with purpose. Help me parent my child from the perspective that Your purpose and plan for Him is not just about what he does today but also about who he is becoming. Amen.

4. A Prayer for the Love of Learning

Father, I want my child never to lose her love of learning. Give her the confidence to remain curious, not just this school year but throughout her life. Equip her with resilience so she doesn’t see failing as a reason to stop but only as a place to pause, assess, and try a new way. Of course, You already know that prayers for children’s success in school often include requests for good grades. And, yes, I want those good marks for my child; however, I want her to find joy in the process of learning, too. Amen.

5. A Prayer for Respect and Responsibility

Hey, God. I need your help. Please instill in my child a deep understanding of respect for himself and others. Give him opportunities to practice honoring the feelings, thoughts, and boundaries of kids in his class and on the bus. And, Father, show me ways I can step back a little so my child can step up in responsibility by taking the lead in places where he is ready, whether it’s in managing his homework or asking for help from the teacher when he needs it. Amen.

6. A Prayer for Peace for the Momma Heart

Father, I need some peace this school year. Not the peace and quiet of naptime, but peace for my heart. Sometimes I find myself caught up in the “what if” cycle of thinking. What if my child gets bullied? What if my child doesn’t make any friends? What if my child can’t do the work? What if something bad happens at school? I don’t want to think this way, so please guide my thoughts with Your gentle hand. Lead me away from fear and anxiety toward a place of trust and confidence in your unfailing love. I know in that space with You, I will experience peace and rest this school year. Amen.

7. A Prayer for Wisdom for the Momma Mind

God, You can read my mind, so you already know all the thoughts swirling around in there. It’s a lot—I know. Being a mom is heavy and light all at once. I’m winging it more than half the time, especially during these school years. My child is exposed to so much more than I encountered at that age. I need your help to make the right choices. Give me the wisdom to make the right choices for my family, even if they go against what everyone else seems to be doing. Amen.

What prayers for children’s success do you find yourself praying?

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What teachable moments can we find on the sports field?

Today, The Morning Thing talked about the power of sports. We shared some insight from AllProDad.com about how to have teachable moments on the sports field.
Click HERE to read the full article.

The article shared 7 invaluable lessons that can be learned through recreational sports. These are great lessons for kids to learn, but we also believe that any adult, at any age can pull wisdom from this list.

1. Perspective
2. Perseverance
3. Teamwork
4. Responsibility
5. Respect Authority
6. Teachability
7. The value of FUN!

We also had a special Wayback Wednesday celebrating the wonderful world of sports. We featured songs from the WNZR Vault from artists that are BIG Sports Fans.
Check out who these artists are cheering on this year!

  1. Mac Powell is the lead singer of the successful christian rock band THIRD DAY.
    A die-hard sports fan, Mac’s allegiances belong to the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Falcons.
  2. Bart Millard of MercyMe – fan of Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers (baseball)
  3. Matthew West – Chicago Cubs
  4. Steven Curtis Chapman – his daughter Stevey Joy goes to the University of Alabama  
  5. Jeremy Camp – Indianapolis Colts
  6. Natalie Grant – Seattle Seahawks
  7. Crowder – Georgia Bulldogs
  8. TobyMac – loves golf, went to Liberty University on a golf scholarship!
  9. Mandisa was a Tennessee Titans fan. She got to sing the National Anthem at one of their games
  10. Lauren Daigle – Joe Burrow fan – they both went to LSU
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The power of Communication – how are you using your words today?

Today on The Morning Thing, we shared some insight on communication from Crosswalk.com
We had a list of 5 things that Christians say that don’t help anyone.
Click HERE to see the full article.

Here are the highlights:

1. “Everything happens for a reason.”

2. “Time heals all wounds.”

3. “It doesn’t matter, only Jesus matters.”

4. “God needed another angel.”

5. “You’re in my thoughts and prayers.”

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. – 1 John 3:16-18

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Knox Public Health is helping teens with driver’s education training

Knox Public Health has exciting news to share. There is an exciting program for driver’s education – the Drive to Succeed Scholarship Program.
Suzanne Dapprich, the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator and Safe Communities Coordinator and Nicole Lybarger, Public Relations Coordinator stopped by WNZR to share about this wonderful program.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation.

Knox Public Health has received two grants from the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The first one totaled $15,000 which has been distributed to area youth. Knox County has now received the second phase of the grant – $142,000 to use for the Drive to Succeed Scholarships.

The ladies share the goals of the program and how these scholarships can help families in our community. They also take us through the process for applications and what happens once students are accepted in the program.

Students can apply by reaching out to Suzanne Dapprich at sdrapprich@knoxhealth.com or call 740-392-2200, Ext. 2225.
More information is also available at knoxhealth.com

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It’s time to have some FALL FUN!

Today on The Morning Thing, we shared some fun fall activities for your family from Crosswalk.com
Let’s all get out and enjoy this weather!
Click HERE to access the full article.

Here are some of our favorite ideas:

1. Go to the Playground

2. Go Fishing

3. Go Camping

4. Hunt for Treasure

5. Visit a Farm or Petting Zoo

6. Play Outdoor Games

7. Go to the Park

There are SO many ways to have fun together in one of the best seasons of the year. Be creative, grab a jacket and get outside to enjoy the beautiful colors of fall!

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