Eating Healthy Food

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a healthy diet helps children grow and learn. It also prevents obesity and weight-related diseases such as diabetes. The following guidelines can help teach your children good eating habits. Instead Of Fried and processed foods, White breads, desserts, Meats high in fat High-fat ice cream, butter, cheese, cream or whole milk, Sweetened and caffeinated drinks ,Highly salted canned and processed foods Fill Up On Fruits and vegetables, Whole grains, breads and cereals Lean meats, poultry and legumes such as beans, peas and lentils Low-fat, skim or non-fat dairy products (milk, yogurt or cheese)* Water, unsweetened and decaffeinated drinks Fresh foods with herbs and spices Although it is never too late to begin teaching your children healthy eating habits, it is best to begin early before they develop bad habits that may be difficult to break. The United States Department of Agriculture Food Guide Pyramid shows the importance of combining physical activity with healthy eating. Visit the interactive Web site at www.mypyramid.gov to determine the amounts and kinds of foods that are right for you and your child.

Eating Healthy Food

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a healthy diet helps children grow and learn. It also prevents obesity and weight-related diseases such as diabetes. The following guidelines can help teach your children good eating habits. Instead Of Fried and processed foods, White breads, desserts, Meats high in fat
High-fat ice cream, butter, cheese, cream or whole milk, Sweetened and caffeinated drinks ,Highly salted canned and processed foods Fill Up On Fruits and vegetables, Whole grains, breads and cereals Lean meats, poultry and legumes such as beans, peas and lentils Low-fat, skim or non-fat dairy products (milk, yogurt or cheese)* Water, unsweetened and decaffeinated drinks Fresh foods with herbs and spices Although it is never too late to begin teaching your children healthy eating habits, it is best to begin early before they develop bad habits that may be difficult to break. The United States Department of Agriculture Food Guide Pyramid shows the importance of combining physical activity with healthy eating. Visit the interactive Web site at www.mypyramid.gov to determine the amounts and kinds of foods that are right for you and your child.

Limit Screen Time

The more time children spend watching television, playing video games or on the computer, the more likely they are to be overweight. It is a good idea to limit screen time to 1 to 2 hours daily and avoid viewing altogether for children younger than 2 years of age. Replace screen time with family game time. Your children will enjoy the extra time with you. • Read a book to your children, or have each family member choose a book to read individually. Set aside time to talk about what you are reading. Go outside and play catch, go for a family walk, play hopscotch or have jump rope contests.Exercise should be fun, not work. Allow your children to find activities or sports that help them feel good about their abilities. Many children become active through team sports. Others prefer individual sports such as tennis, swimming or martial arts. In addition, you can encourage lifelong physical activities such as biking, walking, running or hiking. It does not matter what type of physical activity your child prefers to do, as long as they are not sedentary.

Physical activeness...

Children, like adults, need to be physically active most days of the week.The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Benefits Physical activity is good for children’s physical, psychological and social well-being. Being active can help in the following ways. Control weight  Reduce blood pressure.  Lower cholesterol.  Reduce the risk of diabetes and some kinds of cancer.  Decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. Improve self-confidence and self-esteem. Encourage your child to be physically active every day. When children observe you being physically active and having fun, they are more likely to make physical activity a part of their lives.The whole family can enjoy activities such as hiking, biking, dancing, basketball, swimming or roller skating. Plan outings to the zoo, park, museums or miniature golf  courses, where walking is a fun part of the activity. You can also include children in household activities such as
walking the dog, washing the vehicle or doing yard work.

Working with Teachers

Research indicates that children take values seriously only when they see that the adults they respect agree, at least in general, with those values. Although parents must be the ones to determine which values they want
their children to develop, they need the help of the community, particularly the schools, in reinforcing those values. Here are some suggestions for ways that you can work with your child’s teachers and other school officials to make sure that you are all “on the same page” in terms of the basic values that you want your child to learn and use: Visit with your child’s teachers early in the school year. Tell them what kind of person you want your child to become and what values are important to you. Discuss with them ways that they and the school can reinforce the lessons you are teaching your child about good character. If the school has a character education program, or if character education is part of the curriculum, ask for a description of the program or curriculum and talk with teachers about how you can help reinforce the lessons at home. If the school does not have a
character education program, work with the school and local community to begin one.

Dealing with Media Pressure

Without doubt, media messages influence the values that make up our character. The media—TV, radio,  newspapers, movies, songs, video games, advertising—use powerful techniques to get our attention and to get their messages across in the most effective way. Taking charge of our use of the media requires learning to say “no” to media images and messages. It takes practice for children to learn to do this. To help your child deal with media pressures, you should:  Talk with your child about media pressures. Explain that the media can use subtle or clever messages about who she should be, how she should look, how she should act, what should be the  focus of her life, what she should do with her time, what kind of people she should value, what she should think of adults, and so on. Help your child identify the different kinds of pressure he faces everyday from TV,  magazines, billboards, music, movies, videos games, and more. Discuss the consequences of accepting or not accepting media messages (e.g., being a bone-thin female, being a muscular male, buying designer clothes).

Listen to Your Feelings

Children need to learn to notice their feelings and take them into account as they make decisions. Help your child learn to identify his feelings. Talk out loud about how you are feeling. Ask him how he is feeling. When reading a story or watching a TV show with your child, discuss the feelings of the characters. What might they be feeling and why? Help your child realize that sometimes the way we think about things affects the way we feel. If  something is bothering your child, help him examine his thoughts and change them so that he feels better. For example, your teenager may worry about how he‘s ever going to hold down a job and support himself. You could ask him  why he’s so worried about the future and help him get his mind  on doing the best he can in the
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