Latest news with #Mother.ly
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
After Deadly Texas Floods, Here's What Experts Recommend When It Comes to Keeping Your Kids Safe at Camp
In wake of the Texas flood disaster, which impacted more than one summer camp, experts have some tips about how to keep kids safe at these camps Asking important questions, knowing phone rules and getting a physical before camp are all important ways to help keep kids as safe as possible Camp Mystic in Kerr County has announced that 27 campers and counselors died amid the floods on Friday, July 4After the devastating Texas flood disaster, safety at summer camps is top of mind for many families. Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp located in Kerr County, announced that 27 campers and counselors were killed after floodwaters ripped through the area on Friday, July 4. The Heart O' the Hills all-girls camp, also located in Kerr County, was impacted by the flood as well, though camp was not in session at the time. Longtime co-owner Jane Ragsdale died in the flood, according to a statement from the camp. Although what happened in Texas was the result of extraordinary circumstances, here are some tips from experts on how families can make the best decisions about sending their kids to camp. Being prepared for any kind of emergency is imperative for camps, and parents should ask them what plans are in place to keep their kids safe. Jim Austin, who has been a camper and worked at camps, encourages parents to ask the camps their children might attend about what plans are in place to keep kids safe should an emergency occur, according to the Associated Press. The 69-year-old Michigan man said emergencies can range from severe weather, active shooters, missing individuals, and more. Camps need to be prepared for them all. 'Do they have a buddy check in the swimming area? Do they have a procedure when somebody is missing? Do they have things in place for severe weather?' Austin said, later adding, 'If they have to make it up, that's a big red flag.' Also, according to parents should inquire about basic CPR, first aid training, lifeguard certification, plans to supervise children with specific health needs, mental health concerns and how the camp handles exposure to illnesses. Oftentimes, kids are not allowed to access their phones during camp. But some camps have policies that ensure kids can contact their parents if needed. "When I take them out of the state, I let them bring their phones so that there is a lifeline to call home, but I keep them," said Leslie Earp, a children's pastor at First Assembly of God in Fort Myers, according to CBS affiliate WINK-TV. "Whenever I take the kids' phones away, I make sure their parents have my cell phone number and the number of another adult that's on the trip so they can get in touch with us,' she explained, 'and if the girls get homesick or need to contact home, they can always get their phones from me, of course." It's also important for parents to know how to contact their kids in the event of an emergency, Earp said. "I would ask [camps] what safety procedures and safety measures they have in place, and I would ask them, you know, what is the procedure for contacting us if there's an emergency?' she said. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Many camps require children to have a special physical with their doctor. The goal, according to Chicago Parent, is to assess them for any conditions that could impact them while they are away, especially during physical activity. 'If your child has asthma or severe allergies, we want to make sure those are well-managed,' said Dr. Nishaat Farooqui, a pediatrician at the UChicago Medicine Medical Group. 'A physical can help ensure they're not missing out just because of a health issue — and that they're safe while joining in,' he added. To learn how to help support the victims and recovery efforts from the Texas floods, click here. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Meghan Trainor opens up about motherhood, body acceptance, and mental health
At 31, Grammy-winning artist Meghan Trainor is rewriting her own narrative about body acceptance while raising her sons Riley (4) and Barry (1)—and she's doing it on her own terms. Since bursting onto the music scene with 'All About That Bass,' Meghan Trainor has weathered endless public commentary about her body. Now, as a mother of two young children, she's shifting the conversation entirely—embracing changes, celebrating strengths, and making choices that empower her, regardless of outside opinions. In a candid conversation with Trainor reveals how motherhood has transformed her perspective on everything from physical health to emotional wellbeing. Whether she's discussing her protein-packed morning routine, the laundry sheets she keeps handy for her son's potty training regression, or her decision to undergo breast augmentation, Trainor exemplifies perhaps the most revolutionary act: living confidently on her own terms and doing what she believes is best for herself and her family. For Trainor, pregnancy and childbirth marked the beginning of a profound transformation in how she views her body. After experiencing gestational diabetes during her first pregnancy and undergoing two C-sections, she developed a deep appreciation for her body's resilience. 'When I'm naked in the mirror, I look at my body and I love her the most right now,' Trainor shares. 'I'm so proud of her. I see how hard she's working. She's taking care of me.' Rather than focusing on 'bouncing back' after pregnancy, Trainor has embraced her changed body—scars, stretch marks, and all. 'I see scars everywhere. I see my new boob scars. I see my C-section scar doubled through. I see stretch marks, and I look at her and I'm like, 'You've been through so much and you're just 31, but you did a great job.'' This perspective shift didn't happen overnight. Trainor emphasizes the importance of giving yourself time to heal after childbirth: 'Take care of yourself and give yourself over a year to come back at all as you, because that fourth trimester when you're with your baby—that's still for them. You're taking care of someone and you always forget to put yourself first.' Becoming a mother fundamentally changed Trainor's approach to health and wellness. What had previously been occasional attempts at healthy living transformed into a committed lifestyle. 'My children were the only thing that got me really motivated to be my healthiest self,' she explains. 'I always tried to be healthy here and there, but I look back now, I'm like, 'Oh, I wasn't really trying.' Now everything matters. Whatever I put in my mouth matters—food and ingredients—and moving my body every day.' After her gestational diabetes diagnosis, Trainor gained a new understanding of nutrition and exercise: 'I loved learning the science of when I eat something, look how my blood sugar changes. I learned the simplest tricks of like, walk 10 minutes after and it'll level out your blood sugar better.' Protein has become a cornerstone of her nutrition plan, with Trainor making sure she gets over 100 grams daily. During our conversation, she even called her husband into the room to explain their morning routine: 'His main goal is to help me get more protein because when you work out in the gym and you don't eat enough protein, it's like, what are you doing?' Her husband creates a protein-packed coffee for her each morning, blending protein powder with a 'fat bomb' (or 'bulletproof butter bomb' as they call it) to create a frothy, delicious drink. (This man really seems to be gunning for husband of the year and frankly, we're here for it.) 'It's like foamy and delicious. It's a tasty coffee. It's a sweet treat, I tell you what. And it has 25 grams of protein in it every morning,' she shares. 'And then I have my yogurt that has 15 grams of protein. So like right off the bat, I'm strong as hell.' Working with a dietician helped Trainor reframe her relationship with food: 'Every reward to me was like eating a terrible big meal. And she was like, 'Oh, does a celebration have to be a meal?' And I was like, 'Oh, I guess not.'' Now, Trainor and her husband approach fitness as a family value. 'My husband and I are like biohackers—we wanna figure out how to live forever and live our best, strongest life and show our kids like, if you do hard work, you can live strong,' she says. When their children ask why both parents exercise together, Trainor explains: ' We both need to be strong so we could pick you up and chase you and play games with you!' Perhaps most refreshingly, Trainor speaks with remarkable candor about mental health. In an era where many celebrities present curated versions of parenthood, she's transparent about the tools that help her maintain emotional balance. 'I'm in therapy, I'm on antidepressants. I love medicine,' Trainor states plainly. 'My kid's in therapy. We're in therapy. I love a therapist.' This openness extends to how she parents her 'feely stressy boy,' encouraging emotional intelligence in ways that challenge traditional gender expectations. 'I feel like with boys, we like told them to block all their emotions and then they grow up and they're like, 'Woo!'' she observes. 'So I'm like, 'No. Feel, feel everything.'' Trainor emphasizes the importance of recognizing when you need help: 'Asking for help is really crucial. Ask for help when you need it and listen to your body.' She recently demonstrated this self-awareness by canceling a songwriting session when she felt overwhelmed: 'Last night I felt like vibrating, like my body was like, 'hello,' and I have to listen to my body.' Between recording sessions and parenting duties, Trainor has developed practical strategies for managing everyday challenges. When it comes to potty training regression, she doesn't shy away from sharing real parenting struggles. 'Our 4-year-old is withholding right now,' she explains. 'He is my feely stressy boy. As soon as anything emotional happens to him, we notice he holds in his poop and he will not let that go. Therefore we have accidents all the time.' For these unexpected parenting moments, Trainor has found solutions that work for her family, including Arm & Hammer laundry sheets that she keeps on hand for quick cleanups. 'I need a quick 'let's clean these underwears.' I need a quick toss in the laundry,' she says, appreciating products that are portable enough to keep in her purse while traveling. When packing the perfect diaper bag, Trainor is equally prepared: 'Full outfits… any type of wipes for boogers… And we bring the Arm and Hammer laundry sheets everywhere we go, just in case for emergencies. If we don't have snacks, the car turns around.' She's refreshingly real about the less glamorous aspects of parenting. For her own self-care, Trainor has discovered time-efficient beauty routines: 'I don't wear makeup every day, but I will put on a brow every day… If I put on makeup, I do a brow and lip tint, and people are like, 'Wow, you must have a full face of makeup.' And I'm like, 'I'm just lazy and quick.'' One of the most heartfelt moments in our conversation came when Trainor spoke about her relationship with her own mother—a bond she previously celebrated in her touching 'Mom Song.' When asked if becoming a mother herself would change how she'd write that song today, Trainor was emphatic in her response. 'No, I wouldn't touch it. I love it. It's perfect,' she says without hesitation. 'My mom is my best friend and my favorite person. I know now that I'm an adult and I see my other friends with their parents, I'm like, 'Oh, this is rare. This is special.'' She treasures having captured that relationship in music: 'We need to hold onto this and capture it in a song forever. That was like the best decision I ever made. And now there's like a plaque in her house that's like 'my mom's song' and it's an old picture of us together and I will treasure it forever.' This deep connection now guides her own parenting approach: 'Being a mom now, I just try to be her every day. I try to be her and try to be my very best and try to remember anything from childhood that I wish I had and then give it to my kids—whether it was like eye contact or get down low and really talk about 'What are you feeling? Are you frustrated?' Really diving deep into emotions.' For Trainor, the song represents a legacy she hopes to continue: 'I just love that I can play it for my great grandkid someday and be like, 'She was the greatest, you know?'' In an industry that often expects women to compartmentalize their identities—be a sex symbol or a mother, a professional or a caregiver—Trainor boldly refuses to choose. She's getting protein-packed morning coffees made and delivered by her husband, talking openly about therapy, celebrating her post-C-section body, and making career decisions based on what her 'vibrating' body tells her. She's teaching her sons to feel their emotions while teaching herself to listen to her own instincts. And in doing so, she offers perhaps the most valuable lesson for all parents: authenticity isn't just something we teach our children—it's something we practice ourselves. As she puts it simply: 'Just try your best one song at a time.'
