Tag: family

Flying Horse Farms Makes Magic for Special Kids

WNZR’s Eric Brown speaks with Stacey Keyser with Flying Horse Farms. Stacey talks about the camp located near Mount Gilead and is a medical specialty camp. They serve kids with chronic and serious illnesses that can’t go to traditional camp settings.

Click HERE to hear the full interview

She talks about how the camps has grown in 15 years and has served over 10,000 campers including having family camps in both the spring and fall.

Stacey says camp is not just good medicine for kids and families to heal and grow, but it is great medicine. She says camp gives these kids a sense of belonging and just focus on being a kid.

She says this past summer marked the most camp sessions in the camp history including adding more opportunities for family camps.

Stacey says 1/3rd of campers experience camp for the first time at Flying Horse Farms and she talks about being a part of these kids “firsts.” She said they see as many tears from parents as they do from the campers.

She says that trust is a huge part of making the kids and families trust the staff.

She said they have campers from 15 different states due in part because camp is COST FREE thanks to donors of the farms.

Stacey says that demand exceeded availability this year and explains who their new rolling admissions works and how it allows more campers to attend camp.

She says that family camp welcomed 19 families this summer. She says when a child experiences an illness, the whole family is impacted. When families come together, the entire family can bond with different families, and it can grow into friendship.

Stacye says they had over 300 volunteers contributed this summer and how they build the “magic” for campers so they and their families can have fun and are the “Lifeline of what they do.

Stacey says that Flying Horse Farms recently joined the ACA’s Program quality cohort and explains how that benefits the campers and their families.

Stacey explains a unique ceremony they do at Flying Horse Farms to celebrate the campers dreams, hopes and essentially a way for you to pray for the Farms

Click HERE to find out more about Flying Horse Farms!

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Spreading Positive Vibes on Good News Tuesday!

On The Morning Thing on WNZR Tuesday, co-host Eric Brown shared a series of uplifting, encouraging, and downright cool stories as part of our Good News Tuesday.

Throughout the morning, we brought you heartwarming and positive news stories designed to brighten your day and lift your spirits.

Sharing good news helps balance the often overwhelming stream of negative headlines, offering hope and reminding us that there is still kindness, progress, and joy in the world. It can inspire positive action, improve mental well-being, and foster a sense of community and resilience.

We featured a variety of these inspiring stories all morning long to bring encouragement and a smile to your face:

🧠 Wisdom Teeth and Stem Cells – Who Knew?
Turns out those pesky wisdom teeth we all dread might be way more useful than we thought. Researchers in Spain have discovered that the soft center inside wisdom teeth—called dental pulp—contains powerful stem cells that could one day help heal bones, hearts, and even brain tissue. These cells can actually turn into neuron-like cells that show electrical activity, similar to real brain cells. Scientists are even testing them in mice with heart issues, and early results look promising. And the best part? Since over 10 million wisdom teeth are pulled each year, collecting them could be as easy as tossing them in a vial and sending them off to a lab. So before you toss yours in the trash, you might want to think twice—they could be your body’s future backup plan.

🎓 Small Town, Big Scholarships
In Swanville, Minnesota—a tiny town of just 328 people—graduation means more than just a diploma. Every single year for the past 30 years, the whole town has chipped in to raise money for scholarships for its seniors. Think chili cookoffs, bingo nights, bake sales—you name it. What started as a $166 gift back in the day just hit new heights: This year, one lucky grad walked away with $5,000. That’s a whole semester of college, right there. It’s more than just money—it’s about making sure their kids know they’re supported, wherever life takes them. In Swanville, it’s clear: once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog.

🥾 Detention? Let’s Take a Hike
At Morse High School in Maine, detention looks a little different. Forget sitting in a classroom staring at the wall—here, misbehaving students can choose “hiking detention.” That’s right. If you skip class or mouth off to a teacher, you might find yourself lacing up your boots and heading into the woods. School counselor Leslie Trundy came up with the idea after an outdoor ed conference, and now it’s a hit. Students say the walking clears their heads and helps them think straight. Not everyone’s sold—some parents think it’s too soft—but the kids are showing up, breathing fresh air, and maybe even learning a thing or two. Sounds like a win.

Click HERE for more POSITIVE stories from the Good News Network!

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Are you ready for some Family Fun this 4th of July?

The Morning Thing is here to help!

Check out these FUN Ideas for some Family Fun this Independence Day!

🎆 Outdoor Activities

  1. Watch a Fireworks Show – Find a local display or do a small, safe one at home.
  2. Backyard BBQ or Picnic – Grill out classic American favorites.
  3. Decorate Bikes for a Parade – Host a mini neighborhood bike parade.
  4. Play Lawn Games – Cornhole, horseshoes, sack races, or a water balloon toss.
  5. Go to a Local Festival – Many towns host 4th of July events with food and games.
  6. Camp Out in the Backyard – Stargaze, tell stories, and enjoy s’mores.
  7. Host a Water Day – Sprinklers, slip n’ slide, kiddie pools, or a water balloon fight.

🎨 Creative Fun

  1. DIY T-Shirts or Tie-Dye – Use red, white, and blue to make festive shirts.
  2. Patriotic Face Painting – Stars, stripes, and sparkles!
  3. Make 4th of July Crafts – Flags, pinwheels, or paper fireworks.
  4. Decorate the Yard or House – Let the kids help with flags and streamers.

🍓 Food-Focused Fun

  1. Bake Patriotic Treats – Star-shaped cookies, flag fruit pizza, or red/white/blue Jello cups.
  2. Create a Hot Dog or Ice Cream Bar – Let everyone build their own.
  3. Make Homemade Lemonade or Snow Cones – Perfect for hot weather.

🧠 Quiet or Indoor Options

  1. Watch an Independence Day-Themed Movie – Ideas: National Treasure, The Sandlot, or Liberty’s Kids for younger viewers.
  2. Read Books About America – Great for young kids to learn about history.
  3. Play Patriotic Music and Sing Along – Teach classic American songs.

🏃‍♂️ Get Moving

  1. Do a Family Walk or Bike Ride – Explore a park or trail.
  2. Join a Fun Run or Parade – Many towns host family-friendly events.
  3. Scavenger Hunt with a Red, White & Blue Theme – Use household or nature items.

Want to know WHERE and WHEN to see fireworks this year?
Thanks to Knox Pages for this very informative list of Fireworks Displays and events happening around the Knox County Area! Click HERE to see their list of events for the 4th of July Weekend.

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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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The Morning Thing celebrates Daughters!

Today is National Daughter Day. In honor of this special day and these special ladies, The Morning Thing shared some ways to celebrate.
Click HERE to see the history behind this special day from daysoftheyear.com and some great celebration ideas.

Some of our favorite ideas:
– Send a Card
– Call Your Daughter
– Arrange a Mother-Daughter Date or Father-Daughter Date
– Take a Getaway Trip with your daughter

We also shared 5 ways to tweak y our language to empower your daughter. Our words are very powerful. Today, as we celebrate the blessing of daughters, take a quick look at this great advice from imom.com
Click HERE to read the full article from Mary Jo Wyse.

Highlights from the article:
1. Unless you’re talking about a puppy, drop the word “cute.”

Find other words to describe her: cool, creative, innovative, thoughtful.

Find a word that more accurately describes what she’s done: dynamic, ingenious, perceptive, focused.

2. Use words that describe her abilities and contributions.

You are so imaginative, inventive, detailed.

Tell your daughter she’s powerful, clever, determined.

3. Encourage a mindset of growth and effort.

Strong daughters aren’t born strong. Rather, they grow into that strength. We can help by tweaking our words and our focus. Praising their effort (not the outcome) can empower girls.

Be realistic but encouraging: You’re tackling this challenge like a champ. By welcoming feedback from your teacher, you’re taking steps to learn. I like how your friend Sasha inspired your drawing.

4. Eliminate “perfect” and “perfection” in everyday conversations.

I don’t want my daughter growing up expecting perfection from herself, so making an effort to pick my words carefully now will help change her thinking and the demands she places on herself years from now.

Instead, use these words to encourage girls to keep at it, to work hard, and to rise above her setbacks: epic, fierce, brave, charismatic, conscientious.

5. Find new words to describe your daughter that might traditionally be used for boys.

If you want to empower your daughter, try to think outside the box.

As moms of daughters, let’s try to think about what words will build them up. Strong daughters are unafraid to go after their dreams, whatever they are. Tell yours she’s capable, goal-oriented, insightful, adventurous.

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Need Streaming Options?

Today on The Morning Thing we celebrated National Streaming Day by discussing the history of the day and streaming as a medium, as well as seven new family movies and TV series available in May. If you’re looking for family friendly options for content and entertainment, Crosswalk.com has you covered!

Click HERE to read the full article.

Some of your streaming options for this month include:

  1. The William Carey Story (Redeem TV)
  2. Love’s Second Act (Great American Pure Flix)
  3. Mr. Manhattan(Great American Family Pure Flix)

And so many more!

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Making the most of mealtime with your family

Did you know that families who eat a meal together are happier and healthier? Perdue University’s Extension Nutrition Education Program encourages families to make mealtime family time as you cook, eat, and talk together! This can build your family’s relationship, promote healthy eating, foster your children’s sense of family stability, save money, develop everyone’s cooking skills, help your children develop important social skills, and even let everyone try new foods.

Click HERE to learn more from Perdue University Extention Nutrition Program.

Need some cheap and easy dinner ideas for your family? We shared some recipes from Country Living. They include pictures of every recipe so you can see what amazing food you can make You may even have some of these ingredients in your pantry now so you could even try one tonight!

Click HERE for 68 cheap dinner ideas for families from Country Living.

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Bonding as a Family This Thanksgiving

Almost every holiday involves spending time with family in some capacity, but for Thanksgiving it is all the more in focus. The holiday revolves around everyone coming together to share a meal and, well, give thanks. However, despite Thanksgiving gatherings often being large affairs, it is surprisingly easy to unintentionally avoid spending any real time with most of the people in attendance. It is habitual for many of us to split along generational lines and hang out only with the people that are closest to us in age and interest. Even then the conversation may stay surface level and no real bonding occur.

This Thanksgiving, we want to encourage you to connect with as many family members and friends as you can. Enjoy the time with them, it is a blessing from God! To help you, we are sharing suggestions from Crosswalk to help you engage in bonding regularly with your family to make it easier to do so on the Big Day, as well as ideas for those out of the ordinary gatherings like Thanksgiving. You can check out the entire list HERE.

However you are celebrating Thanksgiving, the hosts of the Morning Thing hope it is a blessed time for you and your family!

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Spring Break: How Are You Going To Relax?

The Morning Thing got to share some awesome ways to spend time with family. Just in time for spring break!

Hunter & Lexie love the ideas from their source, http://www.allprodad.com. check out the article they read from HERE.

They also mentioned camping! Both Hunter & Lexie are both enthusiastic about camping and think it would be a great bonding experience for spring break coming up!

 

Photo from allprodad.com

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Its LOVE WEEK on The Morning Thing! We Bring Back The Five Love Languages!

The morning is celebrating Love Week by talking about The Five Love Languages! Marcy & Lexie share about the five love languages, what they are, and what they mean for your romantic and platonic love. wanna take the quiz? find it HERE

Focus on The Family also has a great article on The Five Love Languages that The Morning Thing was able to use as a resource. If you want to check it out, click HERE

The Morning Thing also used imom.com as a resource to talk about how using The Five Love Languages with your children! check out the article HERE

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