Richman
Elementary School
Wellness Council
Wellness Council Purpose
The mission of Richman Wellness Council is to provide leadership for the Richman Community by bringing together school stakeholders to address issues surrounding well-being, health, safety, and sustainability that affect student, staff, and faculty. The Richman Wellness Council Supports the community in living healthy, active lives.
Top 10 Tips to Help Children Develop Healthy Habits from the American Heart Association
- Be a good role model - You don’t have to be perfect all the time, but if kids see you trying to eat right and getting physically active, they’ll take notice of your efforts. You’ll send a message that good health is important to your family.
- Keep things positive - Kid’s don’t like to hear what they can’t do, tell them what they can do instead. Keep it fun and positive. Everyone likes to be praised for a job well done. Celebrate successes and help children and teens develop a good self-image.
- Get the whole family moving - Plan times for everyone to get moving together. Take walks, ride bikes, go swimming, garden or just play hide-and-seek outside. Everyone will benefit from the exercise and the time together.
- Be realistic - Setting realistic goals and limits are key to adopting any new behavior. Small steps and gradual changes can make a big difference in your health over time, so start small and build up.
- Limit TV, video game and computer time - These habits lead to a sedentary lifestyle and excessive snacking, which increase risks for obesity and cardiovascular disease. Limit screen time to 2 hours per day.
- Encourage physical activities that they’ll really enjoy - Every child is unique. Let your child experiment with different activities until they find something that they really love doing. They’ll stick with it longer if they love it. check out these activities for kids.
- Pick truly rewarding rewards - Don’t reward children with tv, video games, candy or snacks for a job well done. Find other ways to celebrate good behavior.
- Make dinnertime a family time - When everyone sits down together to eat, there’s less chance of children eating the wrong foods or snacking too much. Get your kids involved in cooking and planning meals. Everyone develops good eating habits together and the quality time with the family will be an added bonus.
- Make a game of reading food labels - The whole family will learn what’s good for their health and be more conscious of what they eat. It’s a habit that helps change behavior for a lifetime. Learn more about reading nutrition labels.
- Stay involved - Be an advocate for healthier children. Insist on good food choices at school. Make sure your children’s healthcare providers are monitoring cardiovascular indicators like BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol. Contact public officials on matters of the heart. Make your voice heard.
Pack A Trash-Free Lunch
Packing a trash-free lunch is a great way to reduce waste while providing your child with a nutritious meal. To start, fill your child’s lunch with a variety of colors, such as sliced fruits and veggies with hummus or plain yogurt for dipping. Be sure to include healthy proteins such as beans, avocados, hummus, sunflower butter and or lean meats to keep their energy up. Buy bulk sized bags of snacks and pack smaller portions into reusable containers. Over 160 billion paper napkins are used in our country every year and it adds up to billions of pounds of waste. Try a fun print cloth napkin instead! Don’t forget to include a fun note for your child: Tell them that you are thinking of them or include a fun fact about a subject they love. Soon, your child will be looking forward to seeing what is in his or her lunchbox every day.
If you are looking to purchase a trash-free lunch bag or food container, consider the following choices:
- Fit & Fresh - https://www.fit-fresh.com
- Go Green Lunchbox - http://www.gogreenlunchbox.com/
- Laptop Lunches - http://www.laptoplunches.com/
- Pottery Barn offers some options as well : www.potterybarn.com