[acb-hsp] Together Counts

[peter altschul]

Together Counts: Let's Get Moving
  Rebecca Hagelin
  What do children need most from their parents? Love, time, and 
direction.
  A recent New York Times article highlights the decline of 
family togetherness.  Many families now spend most of their 
leisure time plugged in-to separate channels, websites, or play 
lists--even when they are together.  It's a trend that not only 
deprives our children of meaningful time and guidance but also 
worsens their health.
  More children than ever suffer from weight problems, plus the 
host of emotional and physical problems that result.  The Centers 
for Disease Control (COULDC) estimates that 18% of teenagers 
weigh in as obese, not just overweight.  The statistics are even 
more disturbing for younger children: a full 20% of children ages 
6-12 are obese.
  Add in the additional numbers of children who are merely 
overweight and the total becomes disheartening: roughly one-third 
of all children today are overweight or obese This extra weight 
adds up to long-term consequences.  A child who is obese at age 
13 bhas an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult." And 
children who are overweight are more likely to feel depressed, 
suffer lower self-esteem, and become isolated and sad.
  Increasingly, children require treatment for what used to be 
middle-age problems tied to sedentary lifestyles: high blood 
pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.  When I was growing up, 
children played actively for hours without a second thought.  Not 
so today.
  Technology's a tough competitor for our children's time.  But 
the real problem is not technology itself-it's parenting.  A 2011 
study, for example, links childhood obesity to maternal 
employment--comthe more hours a mother works, the more likely it 
is that her child will be overweight.  The lack of time together 
results in lost opportunities for guidance and oversight, not 
just in moral or academic areas, but also in the basics of 
healthy living.
  Our children need us to model good eating habits, teach them to 
choose healthy foods, and get them up and moving.  And we need to 
do these things together, with our children, if we want them to 
succeed.
  How to Save Your Family:
  Enjoy Fun and Fitness Together This month launches a new, 
fantastic initiative--the "Together Counts" movement.
  It aims to bring families together, all across the country, 
towards a common goal: healthier living.  Its method is simple: 
families make a practical commitment to eat a specific number of 
meals together each week and to spend a similar amount of time in 
physical activity together.
  Balance is the bywordbtime spent in physical activity together 
balances out the time spent eating together.  Calories 
inbcalories out.
  This wonderful program (free and online at wwwddTgrCountsddcom) 
offers an effective way for parents to model healthy living and 
guide their children towards good food choices.  More 
importantly, by purposely creating family time, it builds 
stronger family relationships as well as stronger bodies.
  Fun and engaging, the Together Counts website sports an 
interactive map that shows progress and comments from families 
all across the country.  The program contains built-in incentives 
to help families fulfill their pledge and track their progress.  
And within the site, families have the chance to share their 
fitness tips and ideas for a healthy lifestyle.  There's a bit of 
healthy competition as well-the Together Counts website posts 
"leaderboards" detailing top city, state, and national 
participants.  The program has generated partnerships with an 
impressive number of sports organizations, food and beverage 
distributors, retailers, companies, and schools.
  Log on to TgrCountsddcom today and catch the spirit-together we 
can strengthen our families and create healthy lifestyles that 
will benefit our children in countless ways! It's a gift of your 
love, time, and direction.
  Together Counts!
  Rebecca Hagelin is a public speaker on the family and culture 
and the author of the new best seller, 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save 
Your Family.