SANITY SAVERS: Tips for Women to Live A Balanced Life is in bookstores and is filled with suggestions to save your sanity every day of the year.

A must for any woman seeking to find her balance!

Who could argue the value for children learning early about the importance of giving their time and money to others? By understanding what it means to be charitable, children can focus on others and the larger world. They can appreciate the interconnectness of all people as they pay attention to the reality that some people live in less fortunate circumstances than others. Finally, they learn that each of us has the ability and responsibility to contribute to making the world a better place.

Encouraging charitable thoughts and action benefits the children themselves. They can learn empathy for others; they see that their actions can lead to a positive outcome; and they feel connected to a particular community -whether local, regional or international. Additionally, a charitable mindset broadens their ability to comprehend and better cope with their own challenging life events.

Many children think only of themselves. The world revolves around them and their needs. Helping our children and grandchildren to become aware of and to focus on the needs of others is essential to helping them understand their place in the larger world. Here are some ways you can introduce children to the importance of sharing with and giving to others.

Be a model. When children know that being charitable is a value in your family they begin to comprehend that this is what "this family" believes in and does. Begin with conversation. When you pass someone in need, talk about that person's situation with compassion and empathy. Be careful NOT to talk about anyone in need with derision or blame. Your discussion will be guided by the age and maturity of your child. Always respect the humanity of the person or people you discuss. If you see someone who is obviously homeless, you may talk about giving money, books or clothing to a local homeless shelter.

You can help your child decide which organizations can be recipients of your child's time, clothes, toys, food and/or money. Depending on your child's age, help him or her research the different programs and guide them in ways to become involved. It might be helpful to begin locally so that your child can see first-hand the impact of a particular organization. (Buying, bagging and delivering food to a soup kitchen; sorting through toys that your child no longer plays with and participating in cleaning them and wrapping them for children at a community pre-school). Perhaps your child would like to sort through some of his or her gently used clothes and bring them to a particular site. Some kids enjoy preparing and bringing sandwiches or cookies to the volunteers at the local fire department.

Consider organizations addressing issues of particular interest to your child, such as animal sanctuaries, literacy programs, kids who are ill (collecting baseball caps for kids who lose their hair due to cancer treatments). Encourage your child to volunteer in an organization or in an activity that is meaningful to them. This could include visiting, reading to, and playing games with residents at a nursing home, or writing get-well cards to military service members. Once children decide on a organization, discuss and come up with a plan to regularly set aside part of their allowance for charity. Discuss with them possible allotments, such as 10-15% monthly.

By getting your children involved with charity in one form or another, you can help them look within to find out what is really important and what their own values are. They will also learn that the reward of giving is knowing that they did something kind or generous for someone else.

TODAY Show (NBC)
Please check www.drdaleatkins.com for current appearances.

Balance Shmalance; What Really Works?
May 5th: 11:00AM - 2:00PM, Speaker,
Temple Israel, Westport, CT.
Program is sponsored by the Temple Israel Women's Group. Please contact Mary Belletzkie at mbelletzkie@tiwestport.org to register for a light lunch which is provided.

Aging Well Presentation with Rabbi Edy Mencher
May 8th: 5:30PM Synyaplex Shabbat
Temple Israel, Westport, CT.

Rockford Health System: Healthy Woman 2009
May 11th: 7:15PM - 8:15PM, Keynote Speaker
Giovanni's Restaurant & Banquet Hall, 610 North Bell School Rd., Rockford, Il.
For further information, please call 815-971-DrDr.

Oregon Chapter of the AG Bell Association of the Deaf
May 16th: 9:15AM - 11:30AM, Keynote Speaker, Topic: Sanity Saving for Families Who Have a Child with a Hearing Loss; 12:30 - 1:30PM: Moderator of Panel with Teens and their Parents; 2:00 - 3:00PM: Moderator of Panel on Family Dynamics.
Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, OR.

CT Dept. of Public Health: 2009 Medical Initiative for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs: Journey to Adulthood: Family Transition Planning Forum
May 21st: 9:00AM - 10:30AM at Crowne Plaza, Cromwell, CT and 7 - 8:00PM at Tully Auditorium, Stamford, CT: Speaker, Topic: Keeping the Balance: Professionals, Families, Children and Young Adults with Special Health Care Needs Functioning Effectively as a Team.
For further information, please contact the CT Dept. of Public Health at 860-509-8057

See Dr. Atkins' article, Wedding Sanity Savers, in the May 10, 2009 issue of LA Times Magazine.

Hear Dr. Atkins on the radio show, The M Word, hosted by Lori Sackler, WOR News Talk Radio 710, Sunday evenings 9:30PM EST.

Relaxing Before Going To Sleep

Some of us find it difficult to fall asleep when we climb into bed. Our minds keep racing. We think of something that we have forgotten to do that day, or mull over unresolved issues. With challenging schedules and driving desire to fill each moment, it is common for many people to keep the clock running - and never turn it off. What we need to remember is that sleep helps us function optimally. Sleep deprivation does us no good at all. We can work things out, get insight and a fresh perspective when we "sleep on it." We rest and recharge.

Practicing relaxation techniques prior to sleeping can help us sleep more deeply and aid in restoring our energy to confront daily challenges. Techniques include a soaking in a warm bath, practicing bedtime yoga postures, reading inspirational passages,listening to soothing music, doing a progressive body relaxation, engaging in self hypnosis.

Practice any of these suggestions and before you go to sleep, tell yourself you will sleep deeply and well.

By psychologically preparing ourselves for sleep, we can achieve the desired respite.

Inevitably, we will receive shocking news at some point in our lives.

It is important that we learn to deal with this sort of news so that we can keep ourselves well during the process and recover from the shock. This requires us to develop the ability to confront trauma in a healthy way. Here are some tips to help you focus during such difficult times:

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for others, what am I? And if not now, when?"

Rabbi Hillel