Improving Your Kid’s Test Scores February 19, 2008

We all know that physical activity helps kids stay fit and healthy, but a new study shows there are also mental benefits to exercise.

Every parent wants their child to be focused and alert in school so they can learn and retain knowledge. Now there is evidence to suggest that regular exercise will help them stay focused, remember more, get higher test scores and better overall grades. Read the article for more info http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/02/13/23exercise_ep.h27.html

Then go check out www.thinandhealthykids.com to find out more ways that eating right and regular exercise can help your child live up to their full potential!

Chastity
cbutterfield@thinandhealthy.com
419-991-1223 *111

Go outside and play!! February 15, 2008

This article (http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2008/02/13/why-kids-need-a-big-dose-of-nature.html) got me thinking about how much I love being outside, and I realized that appreciation began at a very young age.

Do you remember your childhood summers? Those were the carefree days of ice cream cones, picking wildflowers, playing baseball, riding bikes with the neighbor kids, rolling down hills, having picnics, catching lightning bugs, and taking family trips to the park to watch the 4^th of July fireworks.

Maybe you had a favorite climbing tree in your yard or a shady spot under the porch where you could stay out of the sun and away from the grownups. Chances are good that even if you grew up in the city, you had wonderful experiences playing outside when you were younger. Don’t you miss those days?

Unfortunately, kids today are completely missing out on these wonderful experiences that we cherish so much. They spend more time pushing buttons and staring at a screen than they spend outside breathing fresh air and getting plenty of exercise. This contributes to obesity, depression and other ailments at increasingly younger ages. The article’s author Adam Voiland has a clear remedy for these issues: GET THE KIDS OUTSIDE!

Sure, we’re all busy, and yes, there are more risks now than when we were younger. We just need to find some creative ways to expose our kids to the joys of nature and give them the same enriching connection to the earth that we felt as kids. If you’re looking for practical, easy tips to get your kids away from the TV and go outside to play, check out www.ThinAndHealthyKids.com for more information about our program that teaches this and more!

Chastity Butterfield
Writer/Editor and Thin&Healthy Kids Coordinator
709 N Cable Rd Suite A
Lima, OH 45805
cbutterfield@thinandhealthy.com
419-991-1223 *111

Kids Smokin’ Cigs February 14, 2008

Check out this article I found today…

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/health/12brod.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin

No parent wants their child to start smoking. But the pressure is on for kids to start smoking at an early age. Parents, older siblings and older friends model this behavior as grown-ups, movies make smoking seem very cool, and peers may pressure each other to smoke in order to fit in.

This article in the New York Times makes it very clear that smoking is a real problem for teens but doesn’t offer many suggestions on how to help a kid avoid smoking, or how to quit once they’ve started. We at Thin & Healthy’s Total Solution know that talking to and spending plenty of quality time with your kids is the best way to prevent unhealthy behaviors like underage drinking, smoking, drug use, and unprotected sex.

If you’re unsure how to talk to your kids about these topics, there are plenty of resources available online and at your local library. Start at an early age and keep talking about it. You might get embarrassed groans or brushed aside at first, but the more you talk about sensitive topics, the more open and trusting your child will feel talking to you about anything.

Email us for more information about our program, or even for specific tips on talking to your kids.

Chastity
cbutterfield@thinandhealthy.com