Parenting to Prevent Obesity – Part 5

Continuing with our “Parenting to Prevent Obesity” series.

TURN IT OFF: LIMITING SCREEN TIME

The average child or adolescent spends 4–5 hours a day in front of a screen. Yikes!  Screen time is not just TV, it includes watching DVDs, playing video games or surfing the Internet.  All that time in front of a screen crowds out time for regular physical activity—and experts say that children should get at least 60 minutes of activity or more every day.  That means there has to be a balance between Screen Time and activity.  Plus, sitting in front of a screen can also encourage snacking on unhealthy foods.  So by turning off the screen, you can help crank up your kids energy, re-charge their minds and improve their health.  Fortunately, there are so many things to do that don’t use a screen.   Here are a few tips for limiting screen time:

Check Yourself: Know how much Screen Time you and your children are getting, and then set limits for the entire family. You’ll be amazed how much extra time you “find” when you turn off the TV or computer.

Play It Down: Using Screen Time to reward or punish a child makes it seem more important than it is. Use praise, encouragement and recognition for physical activity, and make Screen Time a “non-event” in your home.

Watch at Once: If you have a VCR or DVR, you can choose a few of your kids’ favorite shows, record them, and then let them watch them all at once. That way, you’ll have more time during the rest of the week for activities.  What did we do before Tivo???

Double Time: When watching TV at home, do jumping jacks, push ups, or dance during commercial breaks.  Encourage kids to move through their favorite shows.

After-School Action Plan: Many kids list watching TV as their #1 after-school activity. Sometimes, they just need help coming up with other things to do. Have your kids make a “Top 10 List” of after-school activities.  Just a few examples include riding bikes, shooting hoops, walking the dog, folding laundry or even helping with dinner.  Post the list on the fridge, so your kids can check it when they get home.

No TV Dinners: Turn off the TV during mealtime— and take turns talking about the day.  Kids often eat beyond the point of fullness when distracted by the TV during mealtimes.  Make meal time family time.  I know it’s hard to do this every evening with lives full of afterschool activities and parents sometimes working late.  Do the best you can and make it a priority.

Cut the Cord: Take the TVs and computers out of your kids’ bedrooms. Children who have TVs in their rooms spend almost 1.5 hours more each day watching them than their peers. Plus, if your kids are in their rooms watching TV, they’re removed from family time.

Work It Out: Use the TV to watch a video— whether it’s dancing, tae kwon do or yoga. Put on your workout clothes and have some family fitness time. 

Finding a balance between screen time and activity is sometimes hard, but will be worth it in the end.  Your kids just need a little encouragement finding new and fun activities. 

Helping your kids get and stay healthy is so important and we hope these tips have given you some great ideas!  Also, please check out our book, Mini and Me: Learning Healthy Habits,  a cute fun story for your kids and an informative guide for adults which contains lots of helpful information for you.  www.miniandmethebook.com

Thank you!  S&S

We did it!

Parenting to Prevent Obesity – Part 4

Continuing with our series on “Parenting to Prevent Obesity.”

THE NINE HOUR RULE: KIDS AND SLEEP

As part of a healthy lifestyle that includes good nutrition and regular physical activity, your child needs at least nine hours of sleep each night.

Sleep is like food for the brain.  And just like food, sleep gives your child energy. During sleep, their bodies grow and recover from the day’s activities. Sleep is important for everyone—especially kids.  It’s not just about feeling grumpy or dozing off in school.  Lack of sleep can actually lead to serious health problems.

When kids don’t get enough sleep, they can be moody and perform poorly. They might fall asleep in class and fall behind on their homework.  They’ll have less energy for sports and other physical activities.  And when they’re tired or low on energy, they’re more likely to choose unhealthy foods or snacks.  That means getting the right amount of sleep could actually help your child eat better.

Here are some tips for helping your children get at least 9 hours of sleep each night.  Help them build a routine—and stick with it. Then, ask them how they feel when they get their rest compared to when they don’t.

Step it Up: To help kids get used to earlier bedtimes and more rest, add 15 minutes of sleep time each night until they’re sleeping at least 9 hours.  You will receive less resistence from your children when you make the change gradually.

Wind Down: Stick to quiet, calm activities before bedtime and your kids will fall asleep much more easily.  Avoid TV, computers and telephones during the hour before bed.  Don’t leave homework for the last minute.  And don’t eat, drink, or exercise within a few hours of bedtime.

Fill In the Naps: If you plan them right, naps can help boost your child’s energy during the day. Naps that are too long or too close to bedtime can interrupt their regular sleep, but planned correctly, naps can be a lifesaver!

Dream Makeover: Make your children’s bedrooms the perfect places to relax and sleep. Keep them cool, quiet and dark. Let in bright light in the morning to help them wake up.

Getting the proper amount of sleep per night is just as important to your children’s health as good nutrition and exercise.  Make bedtime a priority and you and your child will see the benefits!

Thank you for following our blog series…check back soon for part 5!  S&S

Parenting to Prevent Obesity – Part 3

Continuing with our series on “Parenting to Prevent Obesity.”

TIPS FOR DEALING WITH PICKY EATERS

It is really common for kids to be picky about what they eat and to turn their nose up at healthy foods. These tips will help even the pickiest eater enjoy healthy mealtimes.

Get them involved in the kitchen:
Let them help you with small, kid-safe jobs in the kitchen such as mixing ingredients.  Kids are more likely to try the food and like the food that they help prepare.  Be sure to thank them for their help and make them feel important.

Get them excited about healthy food:
Let them smell, touch, taste, ask questions and try fruits, veggies, yogurt and other healthy foods in the kitchen.  Explain why the foods are good for them.  Ask them what they think of the foods and let them know their opinions count.

Give them a say in what they eat:
Help your kids make the right food and drink choices from an early age.  If the unhealthy foods are out of the house, it makes it much easier to choose one of the several healthy choices available.  If they have a say in decisions they will be more excited about what they eat.  It’s also a great way to get them to take charge of their health. 

Take them grocery shopping with you:
Get your kids involved in shopping decisions. It may take a little more time in the supermarket but it is worth it!  If they helped pick out the prettiest squash or the cantaloupe that smelled the best, they are more likely to eat it. 

Keep the junk food out of the house:
Your kids can’t eat unhealthy snacks if you don’t buy them. Kids might moan at first but soon they will get hungry and reach for the apple instead of the chips.  Give them several healthy options as well, kids like to be able to choose between a variety of things.

Add healthy food when you can:
Find ways to add healthy foods into foods your child already likes. You can put blueberries in pancakes, chopped fruit on cereal, or small pieces of broccoli in macaroni and cheese.   Another idea I love is adding vegetable puree to foods, like cauliflower puree to mashed potatoes, carrot puree to spaghetti sauce, butternut squash puree to mac and cheese.  There are a couple of great recipe books about this.  One is Deceptively Deliciousby Jessica Seinfeld.  I’ve been doing this for a while and my daughter and husband can’t tell at all.  It gives all of us a little vegetable boost.

Help them learn:
Encourage your kids to draw or doodle pictures of healthy foods or write a poem.  My daughter likes to draw pictures of  fruit and vegetables and take it to the grocery store with us to check off once they make it in the basket.  Let them  know you are proud of them.

Sit down together:
Try to set aside your meals as family time. Turn off the TV and enjoy eating together.  I know this is hard with our busy schedules, but do the best you can…it should be a priority.

Keep healthy snacks on hand:
Bring healthy snacks when you pick them up from school, after sports practice and at other times when you know their stomachs will be grumbling.

Try, try again:                                                                                                                                                                                                        Just because your child may not like something the first time they try it…don’t give up.  It’s been said that children need to try something more than 10 times before they acquire a taste for it.  So keep offering the carrots at dinner time, maybe doctor them up a little with some cinnamon, but keep ‘em coming.  Your child can acquire a taste for healthy living!

Make healthy food and meals fun:
Try cutting up food into fun shapes or making faces out of fruit and vegetables. Putting healthy snacks such as oatmeal cookies or dried fruit into a fun bag can turn healthy foods into a cool snack for your child.  It’s time to get creative!

As a parent it is your job to provide your children with healthy foods and educate them about health and nutrition.  Most kids can be picky eaters, but with patience and creativity we can help them make better choices and live a healthy lifestyle.

Make sure to check back for Part 4! 

Thank you,  S&S – authors of Mini and Me: Learning Healthy Habits

Shelly and Sandi