Newsletter                                                            May, 2018

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Kids exercise

 

Eating and Exercise: Helping Kids Make Healthier Choices
Written by: Amanda Henderson

With more than three million cases nationwide, the prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States is startling to say the least. One in five under 18 will climb the uphill battle of obesity, and many will become obese adults (33 percent of U.S. adults are obese). Not only is the risk for adult obesity greater, but childhood obesity also leads to an increased chance of high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. You can keep your children from becoming a statistic by helping them learn to make healthier choices when it comes to exercise and eating.

Choosing exercise

It seems in today’s world, it’s more common to see a child with a video game controller or a tablet in hand instead of a ball and a bat. The stagnation in their lives certainly plays a role in this country’s high childhood obesity rates. How do we get them motivated? For children, exercise doesn’t have to be going to the gym or to a class, the way many adults define fitness.

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Featured Articles:

How will you honor a single mom on Mother’s Day?
by Linda Jacobs

Mother’s Day is coming up. Have you thought much about how you might honor the single mothers in your congregation?

For me personally, Mother’s Day was one of the hardest days of celebration when my kids weren’t with me. I know other single moms who feel the same way. Many single moms purposefully don’t attend church on Mother’s Day when they don’t have their kids because it hurts too much.

Perhaps in advance of Mother’s Day, encourage those in the congregation to invite a single mom to lunch on Mother’s Day. Or ask other moms to send a single mother a card that will arrive before Mother’s Day.

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Should I Tell My Parents How I Feel?
BY Wayne Stocks
Following the divorce or separation of your parents, your relationship with them may feel distant or strained.  It may be the case that you have been angry with them and have intentionally avoided them causing your relationship to suffer.  They might be busy with adjusting to a new life away from your other parent and not be spending time with you.  You may both be avoiding one another because you don’t know what to say, or maybe you’re afraid that you’ll hurt your parents’ feelings if you tell them what you’re really thinking.

Whether you admit it or not, most children instinctively desire to protect their parents.  No matter how wrong you might think they were to get divorced in the first place, you may be reluctant to share the emotions and troubles you have for fear of making things worse for them.

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Wishing you the best,

Krista Smith-Larson