Natural Awakenings Long Island’s August issue is filled with tips—from schools to supplements— to keep the children in your life healthy. The obesity rate in this country is obscene, and, unfortunately, the youth of this nation make up a large part of this equation. Children are eating the wasted calories found in over-processed foods rather than feeding their cells the whole foods that can power their brains and bodies. In our family (when we remember), we say “five a day,” referring to five servings of a fruit or a veggie every day. August is an easy month to do this because produce is plentiful. Does five seem too high? If so, find a number that works for you. Or go in the other direction and use the number 1. Only one packaged item each day; the rest of the day, nutrition MUST be found in whole foods.
Eating well is single-handedly the best thing you can do for your body, because you can’t train your way out of a crappy diet. Even so, exercise is a crucial part of maintaining cardiovascular health. Joining a sports team is one way, but now gyms and yoga studios are also offering programs for children. Better yet, go for a run, walk or bike ride with your child.
Last month, I heard of an amazing speech by Long Beach Board of Education member Dr. Dennis Ryan, who spoke at the Long Beach Middle School graduation. I wasn’t in attendance, but the word of mouth report was so good, I felt like I would share five points from his talk. (So, if you were there and I get some of this wrong, apologies.)
1. First and foremost, make your bed. It is the simplest act. If you can’t do that simple task, how on Earth will you handle larger tasks in life?
2. Put down your cell phones. Our children are too distracted by their phones. The children are only 50 percent engaged in the real world because they are continually walking around with their faces in their phones
3. That means you, too, parents! [Now that made me laugh because I recognize my own culpability.] Let’s put down our phones or create phone-free zones in our houses. Leading by example, let’s be as fully present to our children as we want them to be with the world.
4. Look people in the eye when you speak to them.
5. Take responsibility for your actions. You can’t fix something if you believe you aren’t responsible for its origin.
These pointers impacted me and stressed the awesome responsibility we have to raise not only a child that eats healthfully and exercises but an actual “conscious child” that cares for our planet and understands the cause and effect of human behavior. That takes work; it takes reminding; and, perhaps sometimes, it even requires a little nagging.
After writing this month’s letter, I sat downwith one of my favorite kids, my nephew Connor Williams, who will be heading back to college in four weeks. I shared this letter with him. His response: “I already heard it on the Internet, Aunt Kel.” Aware that it sometimes takes nagging to make some messages stick, I chuckled when I responded: “Really Connor, you heard this already? Good, then I am sure when you return to college, every morning you will MAKE YOUR BED!!”
