Summertime - and the Livin' is Sometimes TOO Easy for Kids

Summer vacation, for children, traditionally means "freedom." When I was a child, we celebrated freedom from classrooms by roller-skating, riding our bikes, climbing trees, and playing games outside. My parents encouraged us to snack on fresh fruit and carrot sticks, and ice cream and candy were rare treats.

Today, however, it's a different story. Parents, concerned about keeping their children safe, encourage them to stay in the house. And there's plenty of entertainment, of course: cable TV 24/7, video games, computers, cell phones...lots to do as they hibernate in their rooms or relax on the living room couch.

And then there's the food, chosen to help entertain the children. Sugary drinks, creamy ice cream, chocolate-covered-caramel-and-marshmallow-filled candy bars, frosted cupcakes with filling inside: is it any wonder that an alarmingly high percentage of children suffer from obesity, with hypertension and diabetes appearing in children at increasingly younger ages?

How to Help Your Children to Stay Healthy This Summer

The encouraging news: teaching your children now to follow healthy lifestyles can help them develop habits that they'll keep for a lifetime. And it's not as difficult a transition as you might think. An added bonus: your entire family can benefit from these simple changes:

1. Focus on fresh foods for snacks and meals.

Summer is one of the best times of years when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables! Juicy peaches, nectarines, plums: keep them piled in the fruit bowls and icy cold in the refrigerator. Fix canteloupe and watermelon balls and place them in a bowl on the top shelf, in front. Next to them, for snacks: a large, see-through tupperware of sliced carrots, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and yellow squash. In the freezer, offer sugar-free, one hundred percent real fruit juice frozen bars for treats.

2. Encourage your children to play active games.

Check with your local YMCA and gyms to see if they have special summer camps or activities for children, from roller-skating lessons to hiking. Put a volleyball net in your backyard or ping-pong table in your patio and set up family game nights each week. If there's a swimming pool nearby, check into swimming lessons.

Also fun: treasure hunt walks. Create a list of "treasures" that your children can seek on your outings: the biggest leaf, a purple flower, a perfectly round rock. Invest in some inexpensive non-food rewards, such as colorful stickers.

On weekends, make action the name of the family game! Try bike rides, hikes, and beach outings to encourage your entire family to get into shape. Remember: the family that plays together stays together - and stays healthy.