Healthy Kids!
March 17, 2016
Throughout our March newsletter you will find a variety of topics concerning the health of your children. As rising second graders it is essential to begin healthy habits now. By instilling techniques to maintain a healthy lifestyle now, the likelihood of the child maintaining them greatly increases. The healthy habits described below are followed with ways in which these behaviors can be encouraged at home and how they are being encouraged here at school.
Let's get moving!--Physical Activity
Programs at school: Today, youth physical inactivity and childhood obesity have reached all time highs in the United States. Active schools is an extension of the Michelle Obama's Let's Move initiative that's mission is to get kids moving in hopes to reduce this trend. This program provides schools with the resources the ability to create an overall more active school environment.
Impact of Let's Move: # of schools enrolled = 17,891 & # of students helped = 10,773,704
For more information concerning Let's move, visit the website http://www.letsmoveschools.org/about
Good Eats--Nutrition for Kids
Programs at school: USDA(2016) explains the "Hunger-Free Kids Act championed by the First Lady and signed by President Obama, USDA made the first major changes in school meals in 15 years, which will help us raise a healthier generation of children." More information can be found about the Hunger-Free Kids act at the following website: http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/nutrition-standards-school-meals
Ideas for home: At home is a crucial place that nutrition can be impacted for children. There are simple ways to accomplish a healthy nutrition for children.
1. Parents control what is in the house and available.
2. Lead by example.
3. Encourage outdoor activity.
4. Limit sweets.
5. Start them young.
More tips as well as these tips explained in detail can be found on: http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/eating-tips.html
Who Are My Real Friends?--Social Issues
Ideas for home: As a parent it is important to take the responsibility to an active role in their children's lives and this extends to their child's friendships. According to PBS parents the way to help aid and alleviate social issues are:
1. Trust their child
2. Meet the child's friends parents
3. Value friendships over popularity
5. Interview for coping, instead of pain
6. Consider both sides of the story
7. Only aid when the child truly needs it
8. Separate your childhood from your own
9. Talk to a professional
10. Figure out if your child is at risk
To find these ideas explained and other resources to help your child with their relationships can be discovered on: http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/social/what-can-parents-do/
Online Resources
- Sign up for a free Go Noodle account! Go Noodle is a great online website that provides many different exercise videos you and your child can follow along to at home. www.gonoodle.com
Good Eats--Nutrition for Kids
- Cooking with your child is a great experience for conversations about foods and a way to make eating healthy fun! Check out this great website for a list of recipes you can cook at home! http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/recipes/
Who Are My Real Friends?--Social Issues
- What makes a good friend? Watch this video with your child and make a list of what they think makes a good friend. http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/talkingabout-friends.html
Citations
GoNoodle. (2016). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from https://www.gonoodle.com/
Karnik, S., & Kanekar, A. (2012). Childhood obesity: A global public health crisis. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 3(1), 1–7.
Kids and Food: 10 Tips for Parents. (1996-2016). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/eating-tips.html
Let's Move! Active Schools. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.letsmoveschools.org/about
School Meals. (2016, January 27). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/nutrition-standards-school-meals
Social Issues: What Can Parents Do? (2003-2016). Retrieved March 15, 2016, from http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/social/what-can-parents-do/