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Adulting and Drinking Responsibly

 

Adulting is Hard

Summer is coming to an end and many parents are prepping for their children to go back to school, except, this year they will be assisting their children in distant learning as the pandemic continues, adding even more stress than we’ve seen in the last few months. Parents are wearing multiple hats and are busier than ever. Stress is at an all time high and parents need a release, an outlet, and a way to decompress. As a therapist, I recommend for parents to self care by exercising, getting outdoors, getting enough sleep, and eating a well balanced diet to help reduce stress and other strong challenging emotions, but sometimes, parents just need to sit down and unwind with a partner or friend and have a mocktail or cocktail in a responsible way for a social release. There is a big difference between a parent using alcohol to try and avoid or cover up stress and using alcohol as a negative coping mechanism versus having a glass of wine at the end of the day to relax from a busy day because it is a fun way to unwind with a friend or a loved one. In other words, there is a big distinction between saying I want to have a drink and I need a drink. I know firsthand how hard life can be right now, personally and professionally, but it’s important to know that this is temporary and we are stronger than we give ourselves credit for. Remember to have fun and make time for some self care into your lifestyle.

 

 

I have partnered with Responsibility.org this year to help educate other parents on drinking responsibly and also how parents can help talk to and educate their children on drinking responsibly and decrease underage drinking. And a core mission of Responsibility.org is to encourage a lifetime of responsible choices with alcohol. You can learn more by visiting their website. They have so many resources for parents that I know you will find useful and helpful. In the meantime, here are 3 tips for responsible drinking that you can easily implement into your lifestyle!

 

Know The Standard Pour

The world is slowly opening up and more and more people, including myself, are starting to gather for family gatherings, friendly get togethers, outdoor lunches, and even wine tasting. There have even been a few nights where my husband and I have had a date night at home having a cocktail or a glass of wine together outside in the backyard or while watching a movie. But when we do, we always abide using the standard pour.

A standard pour means 1.5 ounces of a distilled spirit, 5 ounces of wine and 12 ounces of beer

To be honest, I have known what a standard pour was since I was in college when I spent a few years working as a server in a restaurant while I was getting my undergraduate degree. I went through extensive training even though I wasn’t one of the ones actually pouring the drinks, the restaurant wanted all staff to be aware of the proper pour and for some reason the information has stuck with me ever since! But I am aware that many people aren’t aware of this information, especially if they didn’t work in the restaurant industry, thus feel it is important to share with you today. When drinking alcohol, it’s important to beware of large glasses or estimating how much alcohol is actually going into the glass. One way to ensure you are pouring correctly is to use a jigger to measure out the appropriate amount of spirits.

 

Know Your Body Limits

Responsibility.org is an excellent resource for adults, not just parents, on this topic. To learn more about how alcohol might affect you individually, the Responsibility.org site includes a Virtual Bar and BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) calculator, where users can insert your weight, gender, age, and then select a drink, and even some food, and learn your personal blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Additionally, as you probably know, alcohol affects men and women differently, even at the same weight and consumption amount. Here’s a link to an infographic explaining this detail. The website is even a quiz you can take that will tell you if you are a responsible drinker!

 

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Responsible Drinking Tips

Use a safe pour and avoid a free pour

Be mindful of your consumption and how often you are consuming a drink per hour

Wait until you are done with your first drink before ordering or making a new one

Drink water between sips and between having a new drink

Eat food while you are consuming an alcoholic beverage

If you are hosting a physically distant gathering at your house, make sure to always offer non alcoholic beverage options, like offering a mocktail, as well as food and water.

If needed, please have a designated driver drive you home or call a driver service like Uber or Lyft

 

Mocktail Recipes

One thing I love about Responsibility.org’s Instagram feed is that they share a #MocktailMonday with so many delicious mocktails of some of your favorite drinks! Here are two of my favorites!

 

Bloody Mary

1 part tomato juice

1/2 lemon

dash of salt and pepper

a few drops of Tabasco sauce

6 basil leaves

1 celery stick

1 pickle

(I even add a stick of bacon for a fun little spin on the drink!)

 

Mango Mule

4-5 slices of cucumber

1 oz of honey syrup

1.5 oz mango puree

1.5 oz fresh lime juice

1.5 oz ginger beer

ice

 

For more recipes, information, and resources, please follow Responsibility.org on social media!

 

I am a Responsibility.org ambassador this year and was compensated to write the post but all opinions are my own. #TeamResponsibility.

 

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Hello! I am Dr. Kim and I am The Parentologist! I am first and foremost a wife and a mom. I am also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist. I hope through my professional and personal experience we can collaborate with each other on how to better ourselves and our relationships with our families and our children.

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TODAY.com Parenting Team Parenting Contributor

About Dr. Kim

Hello! I am Dr. Kim and I am The Parentologist! I am first and foremost a wife and a mom. I am also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist. I hope through my professional and personal experience we can collaborate with each other on how to better ourselves and our relationships with our families and our children. Read More…

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🇺🇸 What a monumental day in history we had t 🇺🇸 What a monumental day in history we had today! 🇺🇸

As soon as we woke up I started educating my children, specifically my daughter, on what the inauguration meant and why today was such a special day in history. We both were glued to the television as we watched @kamalaharris be sworn in as the first Black South Asian woman Vice President and @joebiden be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. We also were powerfully moved hearing @amandascgorman - the youngest inaugural poet in history recite “The Hill We Climb.” 

My daughter was so excited to participate and recite the Pledge of Allegiance with the rest of the county and she was so proud to see and be a part of history in the making. I haven’t been to Washington D.C. in about 8 years but I promised I would take her one day when the pandemic is over. 

In the meantime, I have a fun fact for you! Did you know that President Joe Biden and I both graduated from the same university? Yep! We both went to @syracuseu 🍊 And in fact, @joebiden is the first @syracuseu alumnus to become President of the United States! 

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{New Blog Post} “How to Teach Children Gratitude {New Blog Post} “How to Teach Children Gratitude” 🌱✨🌸

Throwing it back to one of the first mommy and me photos I ever posted on my feed because I’ve been teaching my daughter about gratitude since she was this little, possibly even younger (she is two here for reference)! 

Gratitude is such an important virtue and must have trait to build a child’s character. It also shows therapeutic benefits when you show gratitude to others, so why wouldn’t you want to make it a priority to teach and instill in your children? 

In this blog, I have suggestions for how to teach children gratitude broken down by ages and stages from infancy to teenage years, while also including some conversation prompts, and links to my favorite gratitude journals for busy families that we use here at home! 

Find the direct link to read in my bio and stories! I also published similar articles on @todayparents and @redtricycle if you follow me there! #drkimblog
DOUBLE TAP if you agree!! 🙋🏼‍♀️ I am DOUBLE TAP if you agree!! 🙋🏼‍♀️

I am that mom who wants to do it all and when I get overwhelmed or start suffering from a major case of burnout, I feel guilty if I take a break instead of giving my body and mind permission to slow down or even stop. 

As moms we often feel guilty if we take a break or believe we are perceived as weak if we ask for help. I have learned that the more I ask for help and the more time I take for myself, the better I am for my children. 

Guilt is an emotional response to something you perceived you did wrong, but when you experience unnecessary guilt, it’s counterproductive to healing and helping you with what you need most. So give it a try and let me know how you are going to take a break and not feel guilty about it this week below in the comments! ⤵️ #drkimparentingtips #theparentologist #drkimparentingadvice
DOUBLE TAP if you used to love Hello Kitty when yo DOUBLE TAP if you used to love Hello Kitty when you were little - and still do! 🙋🏼‍♀️🐱#ad

I am so excited to have all of these new items from the @erincondren Hello Kitty collection that launched today to keep work fun, playful, and reminiscent of childhood - something all adults need a little more of, am I right? 

The collection is all about organization, kindness, and friendship. My favorite piece of the collection is the “Daily Kindness and Joy Journal” that boldly says BE KIND, BE NICE, REPEAT on the front cover but I am also pretty obsessed with the Hello Kitty x Erin Condren Pencil Case and Vegan Leather Padfolio! 

Swipe to see my business attire on top and activewear on the bottom work style! 😉 And head to my stories to see it all up close and for your convenience I have everything linked for you http://liketk.it/35XZC and make sure to follow me at THEPARENTOLOGIST @liketoknow.it  for more of my favorites!!! #liketkit #erincondren
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For the last 3 years I have spent my career therapeutically helping families and children of all ages on the Autism Spectrum. Play has been a fundamental way for many of my clients to communicate if they are non-verbal. And some of my clients have had to be taught how to play with a toy or another person. The play ideas listed on the blog can be used with children with or without special needs. Play is a universal way a child can explore their world in a way that makes sense to them and cultivate imagination, creativity, and fun! As a Registered Play Therapist, I love the work I do and couldn’t be prouder of the progress my clients have made with play over the years! #drkimblog
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These winter months have been so dry and my eczema has been flaring up. Can anyone relate? For decades I have used a variety of treatment options from over-the-counter ointments and lotions to doctor prescribed steroid medication. In today’s blog, I am partnering with @mediqcme to share more of my story and struggles with atopic dermatitis as well as some new treatment options! If you or a loved one suffer from eczema or atopic dermatitis it’s a must read! 
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{New Blog Post} 🌿 “How to Utilize Play to Get {New Blog Post} 🌿 “How to Utilize Play to Get Your Kids to Do What You Want” 
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As a Registered Play Therapist, play is the foundation to the way I help children conceptualize and conquer the world. Play is second nature to children and the way they respond to many of life’s obstacles. Sometimes as parents, it is easy to get into a power match with your children, especially when you want your children to comply with a request and they won’t budge. When this happens, we need to change the way our adult mind thinks and switch it to the way a child thinks. Instead of giving them a punitive consequence, try these play recommendations that can be used with children as young as toddlerhood all the way to adolescents! #drkimblog 
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It’s is usually around this time that I start thinking of the goals I want to accomplish for the year. And whether you believe in making resolutions, affirmations, or goals, it is time to be proactive!! On the blog, I outlined an organizational system I use year after year to help me accomplish my goals. And I hope they work for you!! 
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What are some of your goals you want to accomplish this year? 
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