YMCA Helps Families Bring Healthy Habits Home

Keeping kids physically active and healthy isn't exactly child's play. Efforts to keep kids fit are most successful when scheduled as a family affair, according to Chicago-based YMCA of the USA. Children are more likely to stay active and to make smart, health-related choices when parents lead by example.

 "Families that make health, activity and exercise priorities in their daily life enjoy many benefits like strengthening family ties, developing similar interests, preventing chronic diseases and, most importantly, simply having fun as a family," said Mike Spezzano, national health and fitness specialty consultant for YMCA of the USA.

 The YMCA offers six "get started" tips for embracing a healthier lifestyle at home:

 1. Commit to 20-30 minutes of physical activity as a family each day. Walk the dog as a group before dinner; share an afternoon bike ride; play a game of tag; plan fun weekend outings like nature hikes or skating.

2. Prepare healthy meals at least five days a week. Select recipes that use lower fat, sodium, and refined sugar; choose natural and unprocessed ingredients when buying prepared meals; buy fruits and vegetables over unhealthy snacks.

 3. Choose to eat meals together in the kitchen or dining room. Eating on the go or in front of the television leads to unhealthy eating habits.

 4. Hold a weekly family meeting to set group goals about health and activity. For extra encouragement, display goals for everyone to see.

 5. Stress and conflict are major culprits in undermining healthy goals. Reduce stress at home by agreeing to respect the property and feelings of fellow family members; accept responsibility for personal actions; and behave in a caring and thoughtful manner.

 6. Celebrate success with simple rewards. Enjoy movie night or a YMCA family night; buy a new board game; create hand-made awards; reinforce achievements with positive verbal feedback.

 

 

 

Your Teen: Tips On Successfully Fitting In

Most teens feel "different" in one way or another. Parents may understand their teens, but sometimes not in a way their children want them to. Here are some things to remember that may help parents understand their teens and help them to fit in:

 Remember, at this age friendships are very important. School is a teen's home away from home and parents should be prepared to feel a little neglected at times.

 Understand and accept that teens can be a different person when they are at home or at school; when they are with family or with their friends.

 Allow teens to keep some of their thoughts to themselves. Whether they want to communicate or not, keep the lines open at all times.

 Remind young teens that everyone doesn't have to like them and that socializing is a skill that gets better with practice.

 A good way to learn how to fit in might be to read books and watch movies about how other kids their age do it, such as "Napoleon Dynamite" or "Dr. Doolittle 3," which has just been brought out in a new DVD.

 In the third Dr. Doolittle, the next generation, Maya Doolittle just wants to be a normal teenager despite the fact that she has inherited her father's uncanny ability to talk to the animals. So far this ability has brought her nothing but trouble.

 Maya heads to Durango summer camp to get to know herself better. While there, she realizes that she can use her gift to help save the troubled ranch.

 This hilarious third installment of the wildly popular series is not only great fun, it's a nice lesson on how new surroundings can sometimes help teens realize it is okay to be different.