Happy Mother’s Day!!!

How to Motivate Non-Active Kids this Summer

Wow! Summer break is here, and some children are tempted to stay inside from the heat and participate in sedentary activities such as surfing the Internet, texting friends, watching TV, movies, and video games.Finding a balance of watching TV and getting physical activity is important for children to be healthy.According to the Center for Disease Control, 65.3% of children are not getting the recommended levels of physical activities that they need to be healthy.

Tips to encourage your children to become more active in the summer:

• Explain the importance of exercise to your children.If they understand the importance of being physically active, then they are more likely to want to exercise more.
• Set examples by exercising with your children and doing fun things such as walking, jogging, playing basketball, baseball, or football.
• Have your children help with physical chores such as washing the car, cutting the grass, pulling weeds from the flower garden or planting flowers.
• Set goals for your children by fitting exercise into their daily routine.Setting clear goals by changing up the exercises, keeps your children from getting bored or not wanting to exercise.
• Children from the ages of birth to 5 love movement or any kind especially children from ages 2 to 5.They enjoy playing a game of chase because they love running around the yard, house, and playground.They also like dancing to music and
• being silly.Walking with your children at an early age instills in your children being healthy when they get older.
• Children ages 6 to 9 enjoy fun sport activities such as swimming, riding bicycle, playing football, baseball, or tennis.
• Children ages 10 to 15 are at the age where they want to play video games or surf the Internet, but parents should encourage them to become more active in sports like playing racquetball or soccer.
• Children ages 16 to 18 should be encouraged to play sports.They should be encouraged to play the sports that they enjoy so that they will continue to be active in college if they so choose.

Healthy Recipe

Frozen Fruit Fun

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of strawberries
• 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple with juice
• 4 bananas, sliced
• 1 cup orange juice
• 6-8 cupcake liners

Instructions:

• Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.Use any combination of fruits and juice.
• Place cupcake liners into a muffin tin.Fill each with the fruit mixture.
• Place in freezer.Serve. Best when partially defrosted.

Source: Smart Choices

Hypertension – Break Up with Salt Classes

Are you interested in learning how to control your blood pressure?Well, coming May 5 and May 12, 2021, there will be an opportunity for you to attend two classes to help you learn how to control your high blood pressure.The classes will be held at the Homer Joseph Community Center in Reserve, LA at 3:00 p.m.If you are interested in attending, please contact Cynthia Clifton at 985-497-3261 or cclifton@agcenter.lsu.edu.

If you are interested in scheduling a nutrition class for your organizations, please contact Cynthia Clifton, Nutrition Extension Agent, LSU AgCenter at 985-497-3261 or cclifton@agcenter.lsu.edu. Visit our parish Facebook page at http://facebook.com/lsuagcenterstjohnparish

The LSU AgCenter is a statewide campus of the LSU System and provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.