Editor’s Page: Get Moving

Take your family’s health into your own hands. Encourage active play (turn off the electronics). Live by example and get the kids outside and do things together.

Fortunately, my daughters enjoy being involved in various sports and are pretty active kids. They don’t grumble (too much) when I shut the TV off and tell them to “get outside and play.”  They would probably say I don’t let them eat junk food and only give them “health” food. The truth is, they eat junk, or “treats,” as I like to call them (sometimes), and they eat healthier options (most of the time). I remind them that, if they exercise and stay active, they can eat everything in moderation.

Take your family’s health into your own hands. Encourage active play (turn off the electronics). Live by example and get the kids outside and do things together. Go for a hike, bike ride or just kick a ball around the park for fun. When your kids see that exercise can be fun and Mom and Dad do it, too, they’ll look forward to it and make exercise and staying active a priority as they get older. Writer Sabra Morris provides tips on how to motivate your family on page 10 (in the magazine).

Summer is the perfect time to get the kids to try new activities. Check out our comprehensive summer programs guide, starting on page 30 (in the magazine), for a list of programs and summer-school options.

As you make good health a priority, try cooking up some heart-healthy options in the kitchen. Pizza is a great way to incorporate veggies and kids will be more open to trying new, good-for-you toppings if they can create them themselves. This was evident at our inaugural “Keiki in the Kitchen” cooking series at the Hawai‘i Children’s Discovery Center. Take a look at the fun we had and what the kids learned on page 22 (in the magazine). Find out how you and your kids can be part of the fun next time.

Cheers to Good Health!