I was honored to be invited to the White House this week to hear from Let's Move, an initiative dedicated to helping kids and families lead healthier lives. One of my goals is to teach my children and others how to live healthier lives. Sitting in that room of powerful influencers, I was inspired to see people from all backgrounds, nationalities, and political leanings coming together to support this great cause. We should all be doing what we can to make the next generation a healthier one.
Let's Move was built to inspire action, with the idea that everyone from parents to politicians have a role to play in the health of our nation's children.
We heard from several people representing multiple facets of the Let's Move organization. I had a fan girl moment when Dominique Dawes took the stage. Her words resonated with me as a parent. The disappearing of physical education and recess time in schools is a travesty. Kids need to move.
“Physical activity and nutrition should be taught young. We don't wait to teach hygiene, so don't wait to teach healthy habits.” – Dominique Dawes
If you have a 4th grader then I have exciting news for you. Every Kid in a Park allows 4th graders nationwide to obtain a pass for free entry for them and their families to more than 2,000 federally managed lands and waters nationwide for an entire year! Looking for Spring Break ideas? Time to check out those parks!
From a panel of USDA leaders , we learned more about the Healthy-Hunger Free Kids Act. This act is to help tackle the problem of obesity and hunger in our children. Not only does it seek to provide students with healthier choices at school but also to educate them on what these new choices are. These programs and guidelines only go so far. Bottom line: We as parents, need to push our schools to create wellness policies with higher standards for our kids' nutritional and physical health.
“As parents, we decide where to spend our money. And believe it or not, we truly have the power to control the marketplace for food in this country. Just think about it. All these healthier, better-for-you products that we’re seeing on the shelves now, they didn’t just come out of nowhere. Fast-food places didn’t just randomly decide to add apple slices and skim milk to their kids’ meals. No, these products were developed because we demanded them, and companies stepped up to meet the demand.” – Michelle Obama, FLOTUS
Here is First Lady, Michelle Obama's speech I was happy to hear that she is committed to Let's Move even after her family leaves the White House. Afterwards as I walked down through the gardens, I felt the empowerment to continue to fight the good fight, not only for my own family but for all families.
“Our children's health isn't a joke.” – Michelle Obama, FLOTUS
How do you encourage your children to make healthy choices?
