Category: Blog

Many parents and caregivers find speaking to their children about abuse to be uncomfortable. Framing these conversations around other safety conversations you have may help you work through some of that uncomfortableness. Below you’ll find age-appropriate ways to talk to your child about boundaries and preventing abuse.

Young Children

Parents can start these conversations simply by ensuring young children know the correct names for their body parts. Children who know the proper names are able to talk more clearly to parents or other adults if something inappropriate happens. As you’re teaching body part names, you can help your child learn that parts of their body are private and that only their parents/caregivers can see them. Don’t forget to note that doctors may see them naked but only because you’re there with the doctor!

Equally important is to teach children boundaries both for themselves and for others. Boundaries have easily teachable moments, such as when a child doesn’t want to hug a relative, or during a tickle fight a child yells “Stop!”. Allowing young children to set their own boundaries teaches them body autonomy and helps them know when something makes them uncomfortable so that they can speak up.

Many abusers will tell a child to keep abuse a secret. It’s important that children understand that adults should never ask them to keep a secret, and if they do, they should tell you.

Teens

As children grow older, it’s key to keep lines of conversation open, so that they feel comfortable talking to parents or trusted adults if something happens to them or a friend. Talk to your teens about their friends, the other adults in their lives, social media and electronic communication. They need to know to not accept requests from people they don’t know, how to respond if someone (even a friend) asks them to send nude photos and that conversations online are never truly private. Continue the conversations about boundaries and what boundary violations look and feel like. Let them know that you are there to listen and support them.

Take Our Pledge to Prevent & Report Child Abuse.

At the Y, creating safe spaces for youth to learn, grow and thrive is our top priority. Kids need a safe space now more than ever, and we take pride in the measures we’ve taken to help keep your kids safe. Here are some important tips for parents to know as we work together to keep kids safe from abuse.

Offenders seek three things in order to abuse: access, privacy, and control.
What does this mean for a parent?

1. Know who has access to your children.  For example,
   1. When your children are at school, what are the school’s procedures for screening staff, volunteers, parents, etc.?
   1. When your children attend a sleepover, who will be in the home?
2. Know what type of privacy is allowed. For example,
   1. When your children play sports, can the coach be alone with a player?
   1. When camp is over, can the counselor text your child?
   1. When the program ends, is one adult ever alone with one child?
3. Know how offenders gain control through boundary violations. For example,
   1. Physical boundaries violations – Excessive tickling, hugging, massaging, etc.
   1. Emotional boundaries violations – Spending too much time with them; acting possessive; sharing personal information to make a child feel they have a special relationship, sending excessive or inappropriate texts or messages
   1. Behavioral boundaries – Offenders manipulate kids into doing things they wouldn’t otherwise do, such as: – Sneaking around – Keeping secrets – Looking at pornography – Use of drugs or alcohol

Take our pledge to prevent and report child abuse.

These healthy granola bars are the ideal portable snack that’s both sweet and salty. Trust us, these homemade chewy chocolate chip granola bars are much better than store-bought!

PREP TIME: 15 mins            COOK TIME: 25 mins                  CHILL TIME: 1 hr

TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 40 mins   COURSE: Snack                         CUISINE: American

SERVINGS: 12 servings CALORIES: 289kcal                    AUTHOR: Lisa Bryan

Ingredients

2 cups quick cooking oats (not old-fashioned rolled oats)

1 cup puffed rice

½ cup roughly chopped nuts

½ cup mini chocolate chips

¼ cup ground flaxseed

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup honey

⅓ cup creamy almond butter (or other nut/seed butter)

¼ cup coconut oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, with the paper coming up the sides.

2. Stir the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, puffed rice, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, flaxseed, and salt.

3. Stir the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, stir together the honey, almond butter, coconut oil, and vanilla, until smooth.

4. Mix together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together until well combined.

5. Press the mixture. Scoop the mixture into the pan and press it into an even layer, using another piece of parchment paper to firmly press the mixture flat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until barely starting to get a little bit of golden color around the edges for chewy granola bars. For crunchier bars bake 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

6. Firm up. Let the granola bars cool to room temperature in the pan. Then place the pan in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up the granola bars completely. Gently lift the parchment paper out of the pan, and slice into granola bars.

Best White Chicken Chili
This white chicken chili recipe is a cold-weather favorite! It’s a flavorful blend of healthy, comforting ingredients, all simmered together in one pot!

PREP TIME: 15 mins COOK TIME: 30 mins TOTAL TIME: 45 mins
COURSE: Dinner CUISINE: American SERVINGS: 6 servings
CALORIES: 420kcal AUTHOR: Lisa Bryan

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion diced

1 bell pepper diced

1 jalapeno seeds removed and finely diced

4 garlic cloves minced

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 ounces green chilies

4 cups shredded chicken

2 (15-ounce) cans white beans drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen or fresh corn

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice

avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, and cheese for garnishing

Instructions

1. Blend one cup of the white beans with one cup of the chicken broth in food processor.

Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender or even mash the beans with a fork, and then stir them with the broth. Set this aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno

pepper to the pot. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Add the garlic and spices and stir for another minute, toasting the spices.

4. Add the chicken broth and pureed bean mixture and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

5. Stir in the green chilies, chicken, corn, white beans, and chopped cilantro. Simmer for a couple of minutes, until it’s warmed through. Then add the lime juice and give it another stir.

6. Serve the white chicken chili and garnish with avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, and cheese before serving, if you’d like.

Healthy zucchini noodles “zucchini pasta” are tossed with lemon garlic shrimp for an easy, family-favorite dinner recipe. It’s naturally gluten-free, low carb, and can easily be made Whole30 by replacing the white wine with chicken broth.

PREP TIME: 10 mins            COOK TIME: 5 mins             TOTAL TIME: 15 mins

COURSE: Main Meal            CUISINE: American              SERVINGS: 4 servings

CALORIES: 306.2 cal          AUTHOR: Lisa Bryan

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini

1.5 lb approx 30 raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 tbsp butter or ghee

1 lemon juice and zest

1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped parsley

pinch of red pepper flakes salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Wash and cut the ends of the zucchini. Using a spiralizer, make the zucchini pasta. Then, set

aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in one flat layer and sprinkle

with salt and pepper. Cook for one minute without stirring, so the bottom side gets a little crispy.

3. Add the chopped garlic, then stir the shrimp for another minute or two to cook the other side.

Use a large spoon or tongs to remove the shrimp to a plate.

4. Add the butter, lemon juice and zest, red pepper flakes and white wine to the pan. Bring to a

simmer for 2-3 minutes while stirring.

5. Stir in the parsley, then add the zucchini pasta and toss for 30 seconds to warm it up. Add the

shrimp back to the pan and stir for another minute. Serve immediately.

We hope that you enjoy your Thanksgiving Dinner!

Don’t let all those extra calories get you down – Burn the Bird with the Y on Friday, November 25th.
We have an amazing variety of classes planned throughout the day at all of our locations.

Glenwood YMCA
5:30am Bootcamp – w/ Brenda
8:00am Silver Sneakers – w/ Curtis
8:30am Rep Reebok – w/ Heidi
8:30am Restorative Yoga – w/ Julie
9:00am Cycle – w/ Tracey
9:30am Zumba – w/ Kellie
11:00am Silver Sneakers – w/ Curtis

Eastside YMCA
6:00am – HIIT – w/ Erin
8:00am – Tabata – w/ Doug
9:00am – Cycle – w/ Sandie
9:00am – Silver Sneaker Classic – w/ Dianne
10:00am – Cardio Fusion – w/ Brynn
10:00am – Kids Class
10:00am – Silver Sneakers Yoga – w/ Dianne
11:00am – Metabolic Fit – w/ Sherry
1:00pm – Silver Sneaker EnerChi – w/ Pam

County YMCA

Our County location will have classes from our Virtual Y Streaming all day in their fitness studio. Stop in and pick out your favorite to stream.

Downtown Location
Monday – Friday: 6am – 8pm
Saturday: 9am-1pm

County Location
Monday-Thursday: 5:00am-9:00pm
Friday: 5:00am-8:00pm
Saturday: 7:00am-1:00pm
Sunday: Closed

Eastside Location
Monday-Thursday: 5:00am-9:00pm
Friday: 5:00am-8:00pm
Saturday: 7:00am-5:00pm
Sunday: Closed

Glenwood Location
Monday-Thursday: 5:00am-9:00pm
Friday: 5:00am-8:00pm
Saturday: 7:00am-5:00pm
Sunday: Closed

Our new Summer Classes are in full swing. With both indoor and outdoor options, there is something for everyone to enjoy!

Eastside YMCA beginning the Week of June 13th

Tabata:  Tuesdays @10am

Kettlebells:  Wednesdays @10am

Cardio Kickboxing:  Thursdays @10am

Kids Boot Camp:  Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays @10am

Glenwood YMCA

SOULstrength:  Wednesdays @9:30am

Rep Reebok:  Thursdays @9:30am

County YMCA

Water Aerobics:  Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays @10am at the Edinboro Legion Pool

Walking Wednesdays:  @10am at Goodell Gardens

Balance:  Wednesdays @11am at Goodell Gardens

Yoga:  Saturdays @10am at Nature’s Outlet

Yogilates:  Sundays @11am at Goodell Gardens