-- Decrease Childhood Obesity with Household Chores
-- Reader Tips
-- Assorted Information (resources, etc.)
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Dear Readers,
I've been told it takes four to six weeks for any action to
become a habit and second-nature.
What's the area of life you're most concerned about?
Exercise? Weight loss? Healthy eating? Getting
organized? Saving money? Spending more time with
your kids?
Break your goal down into simple steps that you can
easily manage, and then start working your way to your
goal, one small step at a time. And then work on each
step individually for about a month. Once something
becomes a habit, you don't even have to think about it
anymore!
By making small and consistent changes, it's possible
to change your health, your body, and your life. As the
old cliche' says: How do you eat an elephant? ... One
bite at a time.
"The first wealth is health."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
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GETTING KIDS TO EAT HEALTHY
Copyright Paul Banas
Used with permission from EzineArticles.com.
All rights reserved.
Fast food restaurants, computers and television, and our busy
schedules are constant reminders of how quickly life moves
these days. This is precisely why we need to slow down and
make time for lessons about healthy eating so that children
can learn the value of nutrition at a young age.
Finding an Equilibrium
If you need a reference point for how to start planning your day
from a nutritional perspective, check out the Food Guide Pyramid.
This will provide you with a well-rounded view of what to eat and
how much from each of the food groups. Eating fruits and
vegetables guarantees that your children are consuming the
fiber, vitamins, and minerals that they need. Limiting sugars and
fats keeps cholesterol and weight down, and the heart healthy.
Kick It Off with Breakfast
Starting the day with a healthy breakfast means that kids are
fueling their internal fires to keep them active. Your child will
be alert, engaged, and better able to fight off potential sickness.
You want your children to learn good habits from you so make
sure that you eat a balanced breakfast as well.
Employing Common Sense
Teaching your children about how to eat well for life requires
common sense. For instance, if you deem certain foods to
be off limits then they will be more appealing to your children.
Instead of forbidding these foods completely, consider allowing
your children to have them in moderation while constantly
encouraging other healthier, tasty alternatives.
Avoiding Stress in the Home
Learning to manage stress from a young age leads to a lifetime
of positive physical and mental health attributes. If your home
is filled with fighting then that will affect your parenting style
and your children's self-esteem. This can negatively impact
their digestive systems and their food choices in the form of
binge eating to assuage guilty feelings. To develop a solid
family structure with open communication, strive to eliminate
persistent criticism and other disputes.
Family Mealtime
The prime opportunity for you to lead by example is by
eating together as a family. Not only can you teach your
children proper table manners but also you can demonstrate
your positive attitude towards food. This also shows children
that preparing food at home is the ideal way to bring the family
together and to eat food that has been cooked in a controlled
environment using healthy ingredients.
Picky Eaters
Despite your best efforts to pave the way, you may find that
your children still exhibit picky eating habits.
Here are tips for tackling this problem:
• Make the effort to diversify the menu at home. This will, in
turn, encourage your children to be more adventurous with
their eating.
• Be patient but persistent. Continue to offer the food to your
children but within reason. Don't expect them to lick their
plates clean as children's appetites are different than adults.
• Don't use family meals as opportunities to argue about
what your child is or is not eating. Make the family, not the
food, the focus of the meal.
• Ask your children to help you choose and cook the meal
so they are more likely to enjoy it.
• If you think your child is lacking important nutrients because
of their restricted eating then consult your pediatrician about
taking supplements.
Balance and moderation are essential to ensure proper
digestion. Pair healthy eating habits with regular exercise
and your young ones will be well on their way to achieving
a healthy lifestyle.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
articles on pregnancy care, baby names, toilet training,
parenting tips and many more topics related to dads.
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HEART HEALTHY ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
Copyright Robert Grazian
Used with permission from EzineArticles.com.
All rights reserved.
Today, more and more kids are overweight and many
are dealing with obesity. There have been so many
technological advances that have made life easier today,
which has been a great benefit, but with this has come
an easier way of life which has resulted in laziness among
many of today's youth.
Many kids today do not get enough exercise and are in
poor health. Many today advocate that kids need to be
more active. You may be looking for some heart healthy
activities for kids. There are many things you can do with
your kids to help them get the exercise that they need.
Get Out More
Today, kids are inside more than ever. With television,
video games, computers, and a multitude of music players,
kids do not feel much of a need to get outside to enjoy
themselves when they can have fun inside. You should
encourage your kids to get outside. When they are outside,
they can run, bike, climb, and do all sorts of heart healthy
activities for kids.
You can plan outings with your family to go on hikes, or to
go camping. While outdoors, the kids will get exercise and
be able to burn calories and strengthen their muscles.
Get Involved in Sports
Sports are a great way for kids to get exercise. Plus kids
have fun playing sports, so they will enjoy the exercise. It
may take some time for your kids to find a sport that they
like. There are so many sports available, and not every sport
is for every kid.
Of course, when involved in sports, kids can be in sports for
the wrong reason. You should teach them that sports are to
enjoy themselves and to learn teamwork while getting exercise
and that it is not just about winning. Sports can be beneficial
to kids in many ways.
There are probably a multitude of sports leagues available for
your kids to participate in your city. Recreation centers,
schools, and other organizations will have leagues for your
kids. Some leagues may be more competitive than others
so see which league is the right fit.
Work
Working can also be a great heart healthy activity for kids.
Of course, younger children cannot get your typically jobs.
But many kids can do yard work or house work. These
activities will keep them active and help them learn about
work ethic and may even help them earn some money.
Be Creative
Be creative and you will be able to find many hear healthy
activities for kids. Your kids may not always be motivated
to be active, but you can help them get into more healthy
habits which will benefit them for years to come. Your kids
may not thank you right now, but down the road they will
be very grateful that you helped them live healthier lives.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
--Robert Grazian is an accomplished website developer
and author. To learn more about healthy activities for kids
visit Parenting Today's Children for current articles and
DECREASE CHILDHOOD OBESITY WITH HOUSEHOLD CHORES
Copyright Janet Nusbaum
Used with permission from EzineArticles.com.
All rights reserved.
In the past 20 years, childhood obesity has tripled in
teenagers and doubled in younger children. While these
statistics may be alarming and cause for concern for
parents, they also don't have to be a permanent reality.
Incorporating household chores into a child's daily routine
has many benefits, two of which are contributing to your
child's overall health and to your child's sense of self-sufficiency
and confidence. Unfortunately, however, it was recently reported
in the Wall Street Journal that the amount of time children
spend doing chores has declined 12% since 1997 and 25%
since 1981.
The fact is that children's lives are much different than they
were even a decade ago. Today's children spend on average
four hours per day watching TV, that was foreign to children
a generation ago. Did you know that children who spend more
than two hours per day in front of a screen (TV or computer)
are more likely to have an unhealthy diet and are less likely
to participate in physical activity? When you factor in home-
work time, hygiene and meals, there's no time left for children
to participate in beneficial activities like physical activity, time
spent with family or in positive contributions to the good of
the family.
With the rise in suburban sprawl and city living, children no
longer benefit from physical activity when the space required
to engage in the activities doesn't exist. Sprawling metropolises
and the conveniences within them make it harder for children
to remain active in or around their homes.
The simple acts of walking to school, riding a bike, or building
a fort, once common activities for children, don't factor into the
modern child's life. The absence of these activities contribute
to the problem of childhood obesity, especially when one
considers that it was once common for children to spend all
day playing outside and contributing to the maintenance of
the family property.
Children who choose to spend their extra few minutes of
recreational time watching television and playing video games
are at greater risk for developing a weight problem, since the
minutes add up and eventually turn into hours toward a
sedentary lifestyle.
Given the lifestyle changes of US children, parents must take
steps to add opportunities for activity into their children's daily
lives. Simple steps can be taken to prevent and combat child-
hood obesity. Like many other things, it starts from within the
home. In addition to changing children's eating habits and
attitudes towards physical activity, parents should incorporate
vigorous exercise into their children's daily lives in the form of
chores.
The benefits of requiring children to do chores doesn't end
with a clean house or even a newfound sense of responsibility.
Chores can also improve children's health by keeping them fit,
lean and less susceptible to medical complications associated
with childhood obesity, including childhood diabetes and pre-
diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, bone disorders, gastro-
intestinal diseases, high cholesterol, hyperlipidemia, premature
puberty and psychological problems.
Keeping active by participating in household chores during
childhood can also reduce a child's risk of becoming an over-
weight adult and worsening pre-existing conditions.
It's clear that scheduling household chores as part of a child's
regular routine is not only an investment in an orderly home
and a well-adjusted child, but also an investment in a healthy
body that can serve them well into adulthood and beyond.
Children deserve every bit of a head start that parents can
afford them. Contributing to a healthy lifestyle by requiring
chore work is only one of the many ways that parents can
condition their children, both mentally and physically, in
preparation to live full, adult lives.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
--Janet Nusbaum (AKA the Organizing Genie), WAHM of
two, is an Organizing Consultant, Speaker & Author of 'Mom,
Can I Help Around the House?' A Simple Step-by-step System
for Teaching your Children Life-long Skills for Pitching in &
Picking up', who helps individuals, families, seniors and
businesses organize life and navigate transitions. Visit
of her new book and family chore system.
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READER TIPS
Submitted by Bright-Kids' readers. Share your favorite family
educational tips by emailing Debi at:
DSimple@aol.com
== Healthier Munchies ==
In trying to avoid the crud the kids want in their lunch boxes, I've
substituted different cereals in small containers (snack size
baggies or small Tupperware). They get the "crunchies" without
consuming high fat/salt/caloric chips. We use Cheerios, Rice &
Corn Chex, Life, etc.
--Debbie E.
== Leaf Copying ==
Since the leaves are falling; a good art project that also requires
thinking is to iron the leaves between 2 sheets of wax paper. Then
cut around the entire leaf shape. Have the child try to make one
exactly like it. This really helps with manual dexterity as well.
--Grandma Nancy (teacher 40 years)
== Working Independently ==
I am working on developing independent working in my daughter
so I would give her a list of 'To Do" for her school work. Of course
it would get lost and then neither would know what was left to do.
The solution for us ... I bought a Sales Book (small like waitresses
use) that makes a duplicate. I fill in the date and write out the day's
work the night before and then in the morning she takes the top
sheet for herself and I keep the pad as a record of what was done.
We check the items off as completed. I also add piano lessons
and chores at the bottom of the page.
--Nancie
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone you think
might be interested. This is a private mailing list which isn't sold
or shared with anyone else. Tips and articles are printed for
entertainment purposes only.
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Copyright 2008 Deborah Taylor-Hough. All Rights Reserved.
3930 A Street SE, Ste 305, #119, Auburn WA 98002
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