PAST PICKS JANUARY 2008

As parents, we are responsible for the environment in which we raise our children—emotionally, physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually. That responsibility is so huge, so hard to get your arms around the enormity of the endeavor we embark upon once a child is born, it's hard to grasp. All the years our children are home before spreading their wings and beginning the next chapters of their lives, our children are listening to us, watching us, and soaking it all in. We simply must strive to do everything possible to get it right because we don't get do-overs! ... and nothing is as important for a child's emotional and physical well-being as is good health ... and the eating habits that contribute to it.

On December 5, 2007 the NBC Nightly News Show highlighted two new studies in the New England Journal of Medicine that talked about the significant increase in potentially fatal heart disease cases that will occur over the next few decades if the childhood obesity epidemic continues. It also said that by mid-century, more people will die of obesity than all types of cancer combined. One in three children are now overweight or obese. These are frightening statistics. Diets won't help-children need a serious lifestyle change to get their weight and health under control. Healthier foods, smaller portions, and regular daily exercise are necessary to solve the problem.

With very few exceptions in the many years of our experience, overweight children have overweight parents. Overweight parents are almost always in denial about an overweight child. If you are an overweight parent, it is selfish to think that being overweight is OK with your child. It is not. Slim kids do NOT like having overweight parents; they are mostly embarrassed by it and, secondarily, feel insecure because an overweight parent has greater health risks, and is less active in a child's life. Overweight kids do NOT like it either: They feel lost; they have no role models, they have no parent they can speak to about how they feel about being overweight, they hold things in, they can't ask for proper lifestyle guidance because they do not believe their parents can help them.

If you are an overweight adult, and if you are honest with yourself, you know you don't like what you see when you look in the mirror. Ask yourself the following: Do you think it's OK for your child to grow up overweight like you? Do you think your child will be happy? Do you think your child will be healthy? Do you think your child will not blame you for the food and weight issues that will surely be a battle for them? You are responsible for grocery shopping. You are responsible for cooking and preparing meals. You, therefore, are responsible for the eating habits that will be cultivated in your children. Like it or not, it is so.

To an overweight parent we say it's time ... time to begin the journey to a healthier, slimmer life. How best to do that? ... in a manner that most closely resembles the way you can eat for the rest of your life; in a manner that if it's good enough for you, it has to be good enough and safe enough and healthy enough for your child. No better way to do that than just learning how to eat correctly from each of the food groups from food you buy in the supermarket. Let us help you. LET US HELP YOUR CHILD.

With the alarming rate of childhood overweight and obesity, it has been in our hearts and heads for a long time to create a place where kids of all ages could come, with their parents or safely without, to learn about eating right and why that is so important. We believe Kidzville accomplishes that. Please take a few minutes and check it out. Have fun!