SHAPING THE CHILD PARENTING... BECAUSE PARENTING IS NOT FOR WIMPS!
  • Welcome Home
  • Skool yard
  • Character Corner
    • Optimism >
      • Have a laugh...
  • Brain Health
    • What can be done? >
      • Eight Steps to Remembering Better
    • ADOLESCENT BRAIN >
      • The Adolescent Brain
    • Baby Boomers Aging Brain >
      • How can you repair your brain?
    • Foods and behaviors that can damage our brain >
      • You are what you eat!
  • BLOGS
    • ADDICTIONS - EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN
    • CONTROVERSIAL ARTICLES >
      • Social Media - the Good - the Bad - the Ugly?
      • Volatile Political Discourse
      • I think it's great-grandmas fault
    • WHAT IS CONCRETE THINKING >
      • Our three day old baby girl...
    • MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES >
      • #1 Best Result for a Stable Family
      • The power of play!
  • PARENTING ARTICLES
    • Monthly Articles >
      • 2016 articles >
        • December 2016 Newsletter - The Trilogy
    • Strong Parents Needed >
      • Ten Commitments of Marriage
  • Six Critical Parenting Articles
    • Six Critical Parenting Article Links
  • Newsletters
  • Videos - a must see!
    • DO YOU KNOW?
  • POLLS/MEDIA
    • POLL - What do you think about Social Media?
    • Radio interviews
  • Play
    • Insightful Videos
    • Funny Videos
    • Funny Stories
    • Games and Activities >
      • Outdoor Games
      • Crafts
      • Group Games
    • Awesome pictures >
      • Family Pictures >
        • Winter Family Fun
      • Animals Pictures
      • Funny Pictures
      • Nature pictures
      • CONTESTS >
        • Winners of the photo contest
        • Question?
      • And more...just cool pictures!
  • Parent Coaching
    • Parent Coaching Intro
  • Store
    • Store - Book and workbook >
      • Workbook - NEW
      • About the book... >
        • Preface
      • About the Workbook
      • About the author ...
  • CONTACT JANE E.

THE POWER OF PLAY

We really want to help you with many areas of your life. This section is meant to be a place that you can come to wind down after a busy day. Kick off your shoes and put up your achy feet, relax and enjoy watching some funny videos, read some “kids say the darndest things” stories or just skip around the website to learn, engage and laugh.

read more below about the power of play.
Back to the Site and Let the Play Begin!
Play is such a natural process for children, and it is important for you too! You may feel like you don’t have time for play and I hope to convince you otherwise. It is important for all of us and you may not be aware of the physical benefits of play.  There is this wonderful, natural, feel-good hormone called Dopamine. It is released when we laugh, play and interact with each other in a positive way.  And the important thing to remember is that it also kicks in for adults. That is why I have this section on Play which includes family games and activities, funny kid and animal videos. This is where we would like for you to submit games and activities you enjoy as a family. I have a couple of our family favorite as well!

THE POWER OF PLAY

Picture
There are many easy and fun ways to get your dose of this natural chemical called Dopamine that occurs when you have...

  • A genuine laugh
  • A good stretch
  • Regular exercise – 30-60 minutes of walking,                                swimming or jogging.
  • 7-8 hours of sleep
  • Reach a new goal. Even checking items off of the “to do” list will give you a dose of dopamine.

Did you know that just the anticipation of laughing reduces our stress hormones?
The American Physiological Society did a study called, Anticipating A Laugh Reduces Our Stress Hormones, Study Shows. Science Daily. (2008, April 10).

Just Anticipating a Laugh Reduces Our Stress Hormones, Study Shows

In 2006 a group of researchers from Loma Linda University, investigated interaction between the “brain, behavior, and the immune system.”

They learned that “two hormones –beta-endorphins (the family of chemicals that alleviates depression)” increased by 27% and the human growth hormone “(HGH; which helps with immunity)” – increased by 87% “when volunteers anticipated watching a humorous video. There was no such increase among the control group who did not anticipate watching the humor film.”

Two years later, using the same protocol, “research found that the same anticipation of laughter also reduced the levels of three stress hormones.” “Cortisol (termed “the stress hormone”)” decreased by 39%, “epinephrine (also known as adrenaline)” decreased by 70% and “dopac, a dopamine catabolite (brain chemical which helps produce epinephrine)” decreased by 38%.  “(Statistically significant compared to the control group).”  
“Chronically released high stress hormone levels can weaken the immune system.” 
“The anticipation of a humorous laughter experience also reduces potentially detrimental stress hormones.” According to Dr. Lee Berk, “Our findings lead us to believe that by seeking out positive experiences that make us laugh we can do a lot with our physiology to stay well.”


​​Anticipating A Laugh Reduces Our Stress Hormones, Study ShowsApril 10, 2008
Source:
American Physiological Societyhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407114617.htm

Shaping the Child Parenting
©2015-2016
The purpose of this website is to make changes that give your family an opportunity to be secure and well adjusted, capable and confident, positive, happy and fun, thus improving the chances of raising emotionally healthy children for generations to come.
  • Welcome Home
  • Skool yard
  • Character Corner
    • Optimism >
      • Have a laugh...
  • Brain Health
    • What can be done? >
      • Eight Steps to Remembering Better
    • ADOLESCENT BRAIN >
      • The Adolescent Brain
    • Baby Boomers Aging Brain >
      • How can you repair your brain?
    • Foods and behaviors that can damage our brain >
      • You are what you eat!
  • BLOGS
    • ADDICTIONS - EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN
    • CONTROVERSIAL ARTICLES >
      • Social Media - the Good - the Bad - the Ugly?
      • Volatile Political Discourse
      • I think it's great-grandmas fault
    • WHAT IS CONCRETE THINKING >
      • Our three day old baby girl...
    • MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES >
      • #1 Best Result for a Stable Family
      • The power of play!
  • PARENTING ARTICLES
    • Monthly Articles >
      • 2016 articles >
        • December 2016 Newsletter - The Trilogy
    • Strong Parents Needed >
      • Ten Commitments of Marriage
  • Six Critical Parenting Articles
    • Six Critical Parenting Article Links
  • Newsletters
  • Videos - a must see!
    • DO YOU KNOW?
  • POLLS/MEDIA
    • POLL - What do you think about Social Media?
    • Radio interviews
  • Play
    • Insightful Videos
    • Funny Videos
    • Funny Stories
    • Games and Activities >
      • Outdoor Games
      • Crafts
      • Group Games
    • Awesome pictures >
      • Family Pictures >
        • Winter Family Fun
      • Animals Pictures
      • Funny Pictures
      • Nature pictures
      • CONTESTS >
        • Winners of the photo contest
        • Question?
      • And more...just cool pictures!
  • Parent Coaching
    • Parent Coaching Intro
  • Store
    • Store - Book and workbook >
      • Workbook - NEW
      • About the book... >
        • Preface
      • About the Workbook
      • About the author ...
  • CONTACT JANE E.