Kids and Dogs: Exercise, Discipline... And Then Food

I can't help myself-there was yet another article in The Times Science section today that just made me laugh. The title: "Play, Then Eat: Shift May Bring Gains At School". See article here: well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/play-then-eat-shift-may-bring-gains-at-school/?hpw. It talks about how this nurse at an elementary school in Arizona suggested a change in the traditional timing of the school day-have the kids go out to recess first and then eat lunch. The schedule in most schools has always been the reverse, but no one ever questioned why. Well, this school made the change and noticed that the kids got out all their energy at recess ( "All the wiggles are out", one princlipal said.) and were much better behaved in the cafeteria - they also wasted a lot less food, ate more slowly (because they weren't in a rush to get out to play), and ate more fruits and veggies. And then, when they got back to the classroom, they were ready to work, not all hot and excited from recess. Now schools across the country are trying this switcharoo to the traditional school day schedule.
So does this sound familar to anyone?  It's what Cesar Millan, a.k.a. "exercise, discipline, and affection in that order", and other dog behaviorists and trainers have said about how to best live with my species.  Take us for a nice long walk and then give us the grub - make us "earn" our food or at least work up an appetite, for crying out loud!  Just like those kids, we'll be much easier to deal with. Trust me on that one.

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