The Philadelphia Inquirer – Beth Shaw, Ph.D.
We’re in the midst of summer and it’s a great time to focus on eating well. Many fruits and vegetables taste best during this time of year and produce prices are often lower during the summer, too. Kids also have more free time and are looking for exciting activities. Here are some ideas to help you and your child have fun with food! (more)
North Jersey – Jackie Goldschneider
One night last year, when my 9-year-old son refused dinner, I chalked it up to a bellyache. But later that evening when he confessed a classmate had called him “fat,” my alarm bells went off. After talking him through the hurtful incident, he was back to himself by breakfast. But as someone who has battled eating issues throughout life, I know they can be a slippery slope. Between images of perfect bodies on social media and trendy new workouts, young people are increasingly bombarded with higher standards of health and beauty, and can fall victim to dangerous dieting patterns. So how can parents spot and address the signs of an eating disorder in their child? (more)
The Sydney Morning Herald – Ed Cumming
On a bright morning earlier this year, Freya Stevenson Smith, a teacher at St John’s Upper Holloway, a Church of England primary school in north London, asks her year 1 class to line up in the playground. The children are excited, as five-year-olds on the verge of a mysterious new activity are apt to be. Before leading them out, Stevenson Smith reminds them of what is about to happen. “Who can tell me what we’re doing this morning?” she asks. (more)
Medical X-Press – Cathleen Pruden
An Obesity Reviews analysis of published studies reveals strategies that can successfully reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in young children. Successful strategies included in-person individual education, in-person group education, passive education (e.g., pamphlets), use of technology, training for childcare/healthcare providers, and changes to the physical access of beverages. (more)
Fatherly – Cathleen Pruden
Freestyle is the first swimming stroke your kids should learn, but it’s not necessarily the easiest to teach. Also known as the “front crawl,” freestyle often resembles a “doggy paddle” initially as kids struggle to execute the stroke’s three components ⏤ arms, legs, and breathing ⏤ at the same time. Technically, it’s the most efficient swimming stroke ⏤ or at least it will be ⏤ but it definitely won’t look that way in the beginning. (more)