The Bluebird Patch

With only 16 Minutes of Yoga You Can Have Healthier and Happier Kids Yoga can teach kids to be active, relieve stress, increase their self-esteem and think in positive ways. It also encourages midline crossing motions, motor development on both sides of the body, increases flexibility, balance, body awareness, coordination and help then develop core strength. Our friends at Strong4Life have put together simple and easy-to-follow tips so all families can try this fun activity: Smooth Moves in Just 16 Minutes From toddlers to celebs to professional athletes (LeBron is a fan!), yoga is all the rage! Yoga is a great way for you and your kids to be active while improving strength and flexibility, while decreasing stress, blood pressure and anxiety. What are you waiting for? Get the family togethe r now and try the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta simple 16 minute basic yoga routine at home. Namaste.

Lunch  is more than just a break in the day; it’s truly a refueling opportunity for your kids. This is why it’s important that they have a balanced meal with foods that are designed to keep them feeling full for the longest amount of time.  A power lunch  should include a protein and carbohydrates. Note: Protein (ex: lean meats, cheese, hummus, etc.) takes twice as long to digest, which means kids stay fuller longer.  Kids who don’t eat a protein at  lunch  are the ones who are typically hungry and dissatisfied before the end of the day.   Carbohydrates (ex: 100% whole grain bread, wraps, crackers, pasta, fruit) fuel your kid’s brains and give them energy.    Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s  Strong4Life  Registered Dietitian provided the following sample meals (that are fulfilling, easy to make and inexpensive and easy to make) 1.       Gobble Me Up:  A turkey sandwich on 100...

Last year’s FitnessGram results showed that o nly 16 percent of Georgia schoolchildren were able to pass five basic tests of physical fitness, and 20 percent were unable to pass any of the tests regardless of weight.  State officials compared our children’s fitness levels to those of senior citizens - with many unable to walk a mile, touch their toes or do a push-up. While these outcomes sound daunting the good news is that the health implications associated with a lack of activity (and often increased screen time) can be reversed by getting your kids to PLAY!  Let Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s experts show you how: ·         7Insider Tips That Will Get Your Kids Playing Your child needs at least 60 minutes of activity a day. But let’s face it: inspiring kids to move around for an hour each day can require serious parental. Children’s experts are arming parents with the motivational tips and tools needed to turn even the s...

Common Sense Media reports that 40% of children under 2 years old have used smart phones and tablets. By now we know that most of our kids, and even ourselves, could use a  digitaldetox . Did you know that the average 8 to 18 year old looks at a screen around 7.5 hours a day? Did you also know that 1/3 of children have a television in their bedroom? Or that excessive screen time can be causing your child to be losing sleep, falling behind on school projects and increase their risk of health diseases caused by inactivity? Next week (May 5-11) is National Screen Free Week and, as I am sure you know, kids today are spending so much time in front of various screens (TVs, phones, tablets, video games, etc.).  With that in mind, please c heck out Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Strong4Life.com for valuable screen time information and expert advice on how you can dialdown your family’s screen time and give your family a DigitalDetox . Personally, my youn...

Students across Georgia will be taking the CRCTs at the end of April, so how can parents help their kids stay alert, energized and focused for the big test? Believe it or not, kids can eat, drink and even sleep their way to better test scores. Children’sHealthcare of Atlanta’s Strong4Life experts created the following study guide and testing tips so you can help your child raise his scores. Strong4Life’s Study Guide: Before test day, be sure your child gets to bed at a reasonable hour so his mind is well rested and ready to show its stuff. On test mornings, serve a balanced breakfast, including 100% whole grains, giving kids plenty of energy and preventing a blood sugar drop for several hours. Try a piece of 100% whole wheat toast, 1 hardboiled egg, fruit and wash it down with a delicious glass of low-fat milk. Keep young brains well lubricated with plenty of water, before the test and during breaks. ...

On Tuesday, July 30 the Strong4Life team met with several Mom-to-Mom Bloggers for a lunch-and-learn, and discuss ways to provide kids with a healthy lunch. Wendy Palmer, a dietician at Children's, showcased samples of lunches from local school cafeterias as well as examples of healthy bagged meals from home. Children invited helped identify healthy vs. non-healthy foods ... because there are a couple of items that might surprise you!    For example drinking one can of regular soda every day for one year equals more than 70 cups of sugar, while one 20 ounce bottle of regular soda contains as much sugar as 18 cookies. Eww!    If you want happy and healthy kids, please think about what goes in their plate. Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods contain the nutrients you need without too many calories.    The key to choose the best food to put on your child's lunch-box is to alway...

Join Children's Healthcare Of Atlanta for a brand new 5K and 1 mile "fun run" event on Sat., June 8, 2013. This family event at Piedmont Park will benefit Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Strong4Life movement, dedicated to reversing the epidemic of childhood obesity and its associated diseases in Georgia.  By going just 5K on June 8 you can help raise the funds needed for Strong4Life to reach even more families through school and provider training programs, community partnerships and policy change efforts. Strong4Life Superhero Sprint Date / Times: Saturday, June 08, 2013 - 7:00 a.m. - Race Day Registration Opens 8:00 a.m. - 5K Run 9:00 a.m. - 1 mile Fun Run 9:45 a.m. - Costume Contest Registration Fees and Options 5K Run  - $25.00 per person 1 mile Fun Run  - $20.00 for adults 1 mile Fun  Run  - $12.00 for children 12 and under Phantom Runner ...

Children ’s Healthcare of Atlanta is proud to offer Camp Strong4Life, a camp where health and wellness meet zip-lining, swimming and fun! We give kids struggling with their weight the support they need: a fully-trained staff, activities that inspire lifestyle changes and family involvement. Strong4Life, is a wellness movement launched by  Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, designed to ignite societal change and reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity, and its associated diseases in Georgia. Based on a clinical behavior change model for treating overweight and obese children, Strong4Life aims to help families achieve sustainable lifestyle change by breaking down the complex issue of childhood obesity into simple steps. There are  three parts to the Camp Strong4Life program including one required Family Welcome Weekend in the spring, a week in the summer for campers only, and one required Family Welcome Weekend in ...

Now that school is back in full swing is time to unleash your inner chef on, and start planning healthy school lunches that are balanced, healthy, and strong 4 life. Yesterday, my youngest came home from school saying how much he enjoyed bringing his own lunch to school. "Mom, the lines at the cafeteria are so long. I loved not having to get in line and eat what you make me."  When I asked him what did the school served for lunch that day he answered: "Oh you know, the usual. That weird piece of meat that they say it's chicken. It's disgusting."  I swear, I had to contained myself and try not to laugh. This was the same "meat" he used to loved to eat when he was younger. It's funny how schools always try to blame parents for how bad our children eating habits are, when the reality is that they are the ones to blame. I would serve healthy meals at home and my kids would not touch them because they were used to eat pizz...