Parent Newsletters - Issue 9

No Limits Learning
kids goals Ezine

Issue 9/ May 20, /06

IN THIS PARENT NEWSLETTER

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS
2. FISH OIL FOR CHILDREN
3. GOOD NUTRITION FOR CHILDREN
4. KIDS CORNER COOKING AND CRAFTS
5. TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONE (JOKES FOR KIDS BY KIDS)
6. WORDS OF INSPIRATION
7. SPONSORS

1. A WORD FROM THE EDITORS

Welcome to the next issue of the kidsgoals.com Newsletter.

We all know how difficult it is to get our children to eat a healthy well-balanced diet but with the shocking rise of childhood obesity we would be doing our children a great disservice by not changing their harmful dietary habits. A treat now and then is not a bad thing providing that the majority of the time the child eats healthy meals. In this issue you will find lots of information on improving your child's nutrition as well as an excellent article on the benefits of adding fish oil to your child's diet.

We would also like to introduce you to our new blog. Cassie and I will be posting useful tips, thoughts and ideas on a regular basis and we would love it if you would participate by posting your own comments. Go to http://www.kidsgoals.com and click on Parenting Blog in the left hand menu.

If there is someone you think will benefit from this free ezine please invite him or her to join our growing list of subscribers. The More the Merrier.

Please help us by emailing Cassie or Monicka at kidsgoals.com with your questions, comments and suggestions for future issues.

2. FISH OILS FOR CHILDREN

I read a newspaper article today about a small girl who had severe eczema - much of her body was covered with weeping sores - this child was given a fish oil supplement which cleared up her condition in a remarkably short space of time.

I had heard a lot about fish oil for children in the past, and what extraordinary results had been achieved in terms of improvements at school for 'ordinary' children as well as special needs and ADHD children, and thought it would be an interesting subject to research.

Hopefully the answers to some of the questions I was asking will be helpful for you too!

Why is fish oil important for the brain?

Over half of the brain consists of fat. Omega 3 fatty acids (found in oily fish) are an essential component of brain fat, essential for children's brain development both before and after birth. A deficiency in omega 3 has been linked to dyslexia, ADHD, schizophrenia and depression (N.B. Watch out for our article coming soon on depression in teenagers - fish oil may help prevent this!)

A recent UK experiment involved giving fish oil supplements to primary school children for six months. The children selected had problems with skills such as co-ordination, reading, writing and spelling. The study showed that there were very significant improvements in 12 out of 13 behavioral scales, including attention span, hyperactivity and short-term memory. In some children the changes were dramatic. One child improved his reading age by four years after only three months of taking the supplements.

Should the child get fish oil from his diet or a supplement?

If your child is eating oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna (but NOT tinned tuna), sardines (tinned is OK) or anchovies 2-3 times per week, he is unlikely to need a supplement. However, if he's not getting oily fish regularly, it is well worth considering a fish oil supplement and they are very easy to locate. The advice on how much to take per day when using a supplement varies but about 1000mg is a good middle ground.

Are there any dangers associated with fish oil for children?

While oily fish have massive health benefits, you should be aware of the risks involved; unfortunately the same chemistry that concentrates the important nutrients in fish oil also concentrates pollutants. Oily fish contain mercury, PCBs and other toxic chemicals, so it is not recommended to eat more than two 140g portions a week (for girls and women who may have a child in the future, just one portion a day is considered safe) or a maximum of four portions for boys and men.

In general, the larger fish tend to have more of the toxins than smaller fish - so sardines are usually safer than tuna for example.

What about taking fish oil supplements during pregnancy?

It's an especially good idea to take a fish oil supplement when you are pregnant. Your body has to provide a large amount of fatty acid in order to enable the baby inside you to build her brain; and the limits on the amount of oily fish you can safely eat mean that this is a time when supplementation is highly recommended.

Fish oil for children is clearly a key area of research, and all the evidence points to this being a very important nutrient that we should ensure our children are getting in sufficient quantities.

3. BETTER NUTRITION FOR CHILDREN

The idea for this article came to me after watching a television program called "Honey we are killing our kids". In which parents are shown through the same technology that is used by the missing persons helpline, a picture of what their children will look like at age forty if they don't start changing their bad habits now. The parents then attempt to transform the entire family's bad habits in order to change the future for their children. A child development expert lays down new guidelines for them to follow on nutrition, physical activity, sleep habits etc to see what effect it will have on their children's futures. Are we not responsible as parents to provide the best outcome for our children, by instilling in them the virtues of adequate exercise and proper nutrition?

No parent is perfect and when we are pressed for time, a trip to a fast food restaurant may take the place of a well-balanced meal. If this habit continues it will affect the family negatively in the long run. It is important that parents and caregivers lead by example. Studies have shown that if parents and caregivers eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, children will in turn learn to eat more fruits and vegetables. It is important not to nag your children but to set a good example and allow more choices of different fruits and vegetables. Not everyone likes every kind so let them experiment until they come across something they like. The rule in my house is, "you don't have to eat it, but I want you to at least taste it, or how will you know if you like it?" If they taste it and still don't like it, so be it. At least this way they are making an informed decision instead of assuming that they won't like it.

Another important thing that you can do to improve your children's nutrition is to start off with a good breakfast. Studies have shown that children who eat a proper breakfast consume more calories throughout the day but are less likely to develop a weight problem than those who skip breakfast. A healthy breakfast also improves test scores, concentration, memory and energy level. If you are pressed for time look for ready-to-eat whole grain cereals and add their favourite fruit or berries. Or try a slice of whole grain bread with peanut butter and an all-fruit jam or jelly. Throw in a glass of milk and they are good to go. You can also make high fiber muffins with a little protein powder added and you have a nutritious meal they can eat on the run.

Here are more suggestions to help give your child a chance for a brighter nutritional future

Get the family involved - Involving your children in preparing the family meals will not only give you some much-needed help but it will also teach your child how to cook and prepare healthy meals and maintain a healthy diet as they grow into adulthood.
Better food in schools - If your child's school does not provide nutritional meals and snacks, get involved. Try to work with the school to improve the snack choices available. Get them to substitute unsweetened juice and milk for sodas and other sweetened beverages, high fiber granola bars and fruit for the regular candy and chips. Children will eat these healthy snacks if they are available and the other unhealthy choices are no longer an option.
Eat dinner as family - Recent studies have shown that sharing dinner together as a family has a huge impact on children's nutrition. Children, especially teens, who ate dinner with the family on a regular basis had better overall nutrition, including higher intakes of fiber, calcium, iron and other essential vitamins. Not to mention children who ate regular meals with the family were less likely to get into trouble, involved in drugs or alcohol and more likely to do well in school.
Provide healthy snacks - By having cut up veggies and a healthy dip or yogurt and fruit or other healthy alternatives available, you can prevent children from eating something that may not be nutritionally sound, such as chips or cookies or other sugary snacks. (Look for up-coming article in future issue on how sugar affects learning)

Good nutritional habits need to start in childhood. Any step you can take to improve the nutrition of your children is a step in the right direction. By instilling good nutritional habits into your child you are not only ensuring a happy healthy childhood, you are also ensuring a healthy positive future for your child well into adulthood. Teach your children well!!!

"We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are." -Adelle Davis

APPLE BRAN POWER MUFFINS TO COOK WITH YOUR CHILD

(great for breakfast on the run!)

Ingredients

1/2 Cup All-Bran of 100% bran cereal
3/4-1 Cup milk (whichever type you prefer)
1 Cup oat bran
1 1/4 Cup whole grain flour
2-3 scoops unflavoured protein powder
1/4 cup brown sugar or honey
2 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp baking soda
1 Tsp of each: ground allspice, ground cloves, ground cinnamon
1Tsp salt
1 large apple cut in small chunks
1/4 Cup of raisins
1/2 Cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 egg
2 Tbsp canola or other vegetable oil

Method:

In a bowl, combine the cereal and milk and let it stand for five minutes. In another large bowl, combine the oat bran, flour, protein powder, sugar, baking powder, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir in apple and raisins. In a small bowl, whisk together the apple sauce, egg and oil. Pour over the flour mixture, along with the cereal mixture and stir until combined and moistened. Divide the batter among 12 lined or greased muffin cups. Bake in 175C/350F/gas mark 4 oven for about 20 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch.

ANTS ON A LOG

(easy to prepare snack for the little ones)

INGREDIENTS:
Celery Stick
Peanut Butter
Raisins

PREPARATION:

A very simple snack idea! Fill the center of the celery stick with peanut butter. Place a few raisins on top to be your ants. Eat and enjoy!

5. TICKLE YOUR FUNNYBONE

Q: What do sea monsters eat?
A: Fish and ships!

Q; What washes up on small beaches
A: Microwaves

Q: What has four wheels and flies
A: A garbage truck

6. WORDS OF INSPIRATION

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie. " ~Jim Davis, "Garfield"

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." ~Lewis Grizzard

"It's bizarre that the produce manager is more important to my children's health than the pediatrician." ~Meryl Streep

"We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons." ~Alfred E. Newman

7. SPONSORS

If you can suggest any organizations or websites that might want to either sponsor this newsletter, or exchange links with KidsGoals.com, please email Cassie or myself.

Thank you, from Cassie and Monicka
*****

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