I’m Right!

But who’s keeping tab?

 

Has anyone read the new article from Science Daily ? Well it states, “Providing fruits for snacks and serving vegetables at dinner can shape a preschooler’s eating patterns for his or her lifetime.”

 

See that last word – LIFETIME!

 

To combat the increasing problem of childhood obesity, researchers are studying how to get preschoolers to eat more fruits and vegetables. According to researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, one way is early home interventions — teaching parents how to create an environment where children reach for a banana instead of potato chips.”

 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – it’s the parents who control what their children eat, how much TV they watch, how often they get outside to get a little fresh air and run around. It’s up to us to give them the right start in life. We’re missing the boat people!

 

The article goes on to say: “We know that parents have tremendous influence over how many fruits and vegetables their children eat,’ says Debra Haire-Joshu, Ph.D., a professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work. ‘When parents eat more fruits and vegetables, so do their children. When parents eat and give their children high fat snacks or soft drinks, children learn these eating patterns instead.’”

 

We are our children’s voice. We are our children’s future. If your child was falling behind in math class would you not go and talk with the teacher? Would you not find some way to help him? Tutor? Extra help? Summer classes?

 

What about vaccinations – we vaccinate our children so they don’t get a plethora of diseases, yet we fill their tummies with soda, candy and junk!

 

The article points out that “Past research has shown that diets high in fruits and vegetables are associated with a lower risk of obesity. Previous studies also have established that children learn to like and eat vegetables at a young age — before they turn five years old.”

 

Again another great point – “BEFORE THEY TURN FIVE YEARS OLD.”  

 

Why is it so hard for parents to eat right and set a good example for their children? It’s so simple, but we just don’t get it, do we?

 

5 – 2 – 1 – 0 Blast-off!

5 – 2 - 1 - 0

Look Greek to you?

 

Well, it shouldn’t.

 

Here’s what it means…

 

This formula represents some of the most important steps parents can take to prevent childhood obesity:

 

 

5  Fruits and vegetables…more matters!  Eat at the very least 5 servings a day. To truly get all the nutrition kids need you should follow servings according to age and gender. However, if you are just starting out this is a good rule of thumb.  Limit 100% fruit juice as they can be high in sugar.
2  Cut screen time to 2 hours or less a day.
1  Participate in at least one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.
0  Restrict soda and sugar-sweetened sports and fruit drinks.  Instead, drink water and 3-4 servings/day of fat-free/skim or 1% milk.

 

There, now you know.

 

Now you’re empowered to change!

Yeah for SnackerTracker!

So we just received our second award for the SnackerTracker! In January we were the recipients of the iParenting Media Award for Best Product.

Happy to say kids and parents are just loving the product. I can’t tell you how much that means to all of us.

Creative Child Magazine awarded us the 2008 Preferred Choice Award!

Creative Child Magazine is a national publication that focuses on providing parents with the latest information on how to nurture creativity in their children. Each year, 1,000 sample products are submitted to the magazine’s testing department and a panel of judges, which include parents, child psychologists and child educators, monitor a pre-selected group of children whose ages correspond to the various products that were submitted. The panel then rates each product based on four major factors: educational value, creative nurturing, creative play and overall value with respect to retail price.

I have to say starting your own business is very hard so when you receive awards like this you know you are making a difference.

Just a little thank you to my loving family who continually supports me in this crazy endeavor!

Love to all of you!