Family Togetherness: Kids Corner

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, January 8 and October 8, 2006
Show 301

Family is one of the best medicines ever invented. Some resolutions can make your family stronger and healthier. While you may make a whole casserole of resolutions, the family-size portion of good goals may only be a serving or two. Resolve to eat healthier and resolve to spend more time together. The perfect way to squeeze both your new family resolutions into busy lives is to start eating together. First, pick a night that fits into everybody's schedule. Make it a priority because studies say that kids who eat with their parents eat less fast food, less soda, and take in more fruits and vegetables. This is a big thing when you consider only 3 percent of Americans meet their intake of at least four of the five food guide pyramid recommendations. As long as we are talking about getting healthy and being together, think about family exercise. Less than one third of adults are doing 30 minutes or more a day of physical activity for five days a week. If you are not, think about the example you are setting for your kids. Even if your family does not work up a sweat together, resolving to just be together would be worth it. Not having enough time with parents is the top concern for teens. Once you see the results of these family resolutions, you may even begin to see some gains from the goals you have set for yourself.