Though hopefully our vision of helping KIB families sort through the maze of information on childhood obesity, giving a variety of practical steps and working with the family to determine a unique plan of action for themselves comes through in our entry, I wanted to spell out a few specific nudges we incorporate in our program. Because families/kids learn and grow in different ways, we include a variety of nudges:
1) For those who like very specific concrete plans of action and learn via the written word we offer 28 days of "day at a glance" guidelines that give daily small step actions in each of the BALANCE areas as well as weekly emails that encourage, educate and include fun activities for the kids.
2) For those who learn via a more "hands on" method, we include family games and activities that address key health issues such as label reading, teach listening to your body for "comfortably full" signals and use the different parts of your hand as a convenient way of gauging portion sizing (the nudge that is always with you!)
3) We also incorporate individually planned motivators into the KIB program. Parents work with their child to determine the internal and external factors that help move their child forward toward better health and then incorporate those factors (i.e. getting to choose what the family night activity is, being able to repaint their room a new color, being relieved of a chore for a week, purchasing a new shirt in a new size, having additional quiet time for working on creative writing) into the family KIB plan. We teach families to ensure the goals set can be accomplished by the child's own efforts (i.e. eating 5 servings of vegetables today, getting into bed/lights out by a certain time--goals that don't require the uncertain cooperation of their body or another person) and that motivators fit each family re: budget, values and ratio of internal/external motivators.
This sounds like a really great program. It is really great to see you program take to heart the concept that everyone is different and goes about changing habits differently in addition to our bodies responding to things in different ways. It is especially important that these issues are being taught to children, during the time in their life when they may need it most.
Do you have examples of seeing children and their family keep these behavioral changes going once they are no longer in the program?
Chloe:
Thanks for the encouraging comments. Though the program is relatively new we have several examples of children and families maintaining change. As program creators, Both Anne-Marie and I have children that are of the body type that tends to retain weight, particularly in the North American culture of high grain/sugar content and our families have both kept with this lifestyle for years (ours for about 18 now and Anne-Marie's for about 3) and we also have a couple of families that are going into their 5th month post KIB and several others following KIB principles for more than a year. We also have families who have incorporated many KIB aspects but as their children grow, become more independent or find it challenging to address the need for physical activity through the teenage years, find there is a need to re-look at how to re-interpret those principles in light of changing circumstances. They still feel that, even if their child tends to have a season where they may move a little out of their healthiest weight range, that the family and child as a whole are much healthier (i.e. body, mind and spirit!) and that they have indeed acted to prevent what would likely have been significantly higher amounts of excess weight and ill health if the KIB program had not been followed and certain KIB principles not embodied in their family life.
Hope that helps; shout if you have more questions.
Brenda
Thanks for your response! It is really encouraging to see how the changes are being incorporated long term into the family lifestyle. It is so vitally important!
Brenda Hi!!!!! I hope you well, is very interesting the campament, and I dare tell you the things going depply, i interested in your work, my web in: www.isucite.com
I invite you to visit it, maybe you find some thing interets, sorry for my Englih is not a perfec.
Best regards
Enrique Zenil
You offer a great service to families! Our family has been a part of KIB for about 8 months and achieved great success! You have taught our family and daughter about making healthy choices and how to make the right balance between healthy eating and physical activity. These newly learned skills will keep her healthy for a lifetime. Thanks for a great program!
What you are doing is so important, and we applaud you! Our family of three has been dramatically impacted by implementing the changes that your program teaches. Before they became formalized as KIB, we used your principles to learn how to eat for health, change our attitudes toward life, and be an example to others of just how much a family can change with education and inspiration. Thank you! We would love to see Kids In Balance reach many more families with hope and success!
I am hoping that you will win the grant needed to carry on with your project. One only has to take a quick look in the schools to see how needed your program is. Children are not learning what they need to know in school to be in good health and maintaining a proper body weight. They need an outside source. Who better than you to guide them. You make such a dynamic team, Brenda you have the background education in nutrition, you have raised your own family and you have great communication skills. Anne-Marie, because of your personal experience with your own daughter you have a greater sensitivity to the needs of overweight children and as a True Colors faciliator you would also have the added benefit of understanding and communicating with different personality types.
I love your program because you have taken a very complicated issue and mapped out strategies that make health weight management conceivable and achievable. What these children and their families learn will stay with them for their entire lifetime. So not only does your program make an impact now, it will change their future for the better.
As a parent with two special needs children, maintaining good health can feel like just another of the many 'extras' that are thrown into the juggling act of parenting kids with special needs. I have often felt overwhelmed trying to implement a plan for my kids to fight physical imbalances. But what I discovered in Kids In Balance was an accessible program, even from the perspective of special needs. I appreciate that small changes and slow implementation is applauded and encouraged and that parents are given practical suggestions and step by step instructions. KIB is strong on support and I see this as incredibly helpful for movement toward success. The principles that I learned from KIB gives my children the advantage of a strong physically healthy platform from which to face their other challenges.
Comments
Though hopefully our vision of helping KIB families sort through the maze of information on childhood obesity, giving a variety of practical steps and working with the family to determine a unique plan of action for themselves comes through in our entry, I wanted to spell out a few specific nudges we incorporate in our program. Because families/kids learn and grow in different ways, we include a variety of nudges:
1) For those who like very specific concrete plans of action and learn via the written word we offer 28 days of "day at a glance" guidelines that give daily small step actions in each of the BALANCE areas as well as weekly emails that encourage, educate and include fun activities for the kids.
2) For those who learn via a more "hands on" method, we include family games and activities that address key health issues such as label reading, teach listening to your body for "comfortably full" signals and use the different parts of your hand as a convenient way of gauging portion sizing (the nudge that is always with you!)
3) We also incorporate individually planned motivators into the KIB program. Parents work with their child to determine the internal and external factors that help move their child forward toward better health and then incorporate those factors (i.e. getting to choose what the family night activity is, being able to repaint their room a new color, being relieved of a chore for a week, purchasing a new shirt in a new size, having additional quiet time for working on creative writing) into the family KIB plan. We teach families to ensure the goals set can be accomplished by the child's own efforts (i.e. eating 5 servings of vegetables today, getting into bed/lights out by a certain time--goals that don't require the uncertain cooperation of their body or another person) and that motivators fit each family re: budget, values and ratio of internal/external motivators.
Hi Brenda-
This sounds like a really great program. It is really great to see you program take to heart the concept that everyone is different and goes about changing habits differently in addition to our bodies responding to things in different ways. It is especially important that these issues are being taught to children, during the time in their life when they may need it most.
Do you have examples of seeing children and their family keep these behavioral changes going once they are no longer in the program?
Thanks and good luck!
-Chloe Feinberg
Ashoka
Full Economic Citizenship
Chloe:
Thanks for the encouraging comments. Though the program is relatively new we have several examples of children and families maintaining change. As program creators, Both Anne-Marie and I have children that are of the body type that tends to retain weight, particularly in the North American culture of high grain/sugar content and our families have both kept with this lifestyle for years (ours for about 18 now and Anne-Marie's for about 3) and we also have a couple of families that are going into their 5th month post KIB and several others following KIB principles for more than a year. We also have families who have incorporated many KIB aspects but as their children grow, become more independent or find it challenging to address the need for physical activity through the teenage years, find there is a need to re-look at how to re-interpret those principles in light of changing circumstances. They still feel that, even if their child tends to have a season where they may move a little out of their healthiest weight range, that the family and child as a whole are much healthier (i.e. body, mind and spirit!) and that they have indeed acted to prevent what would likely have been significantly higher amounts of excess weight and ill health if the KIB program had not been followed and certain KIB principles not embodied in their family life.
Hope that helps; shout if you have more questions.
Brenda
Hi Brenda-
Thanks for your response! It is really encouraging to see how the changes are being incorporated long term into the family lifestyle. It is so vitally important!
Thanks again,
Chloe
Brenda Hi!!!!! I hope you well, is very interesting the campament, and I dare tell you the things going depply, i interested in your work, my web in:
www.isucite.com
I invite you to visit it, maybe you find some thing interets, sorry for my Englih is not a perfec.
Best regards
Enrique Zenil
Enrique:
Thanks for your encouraging comments. Yes, I checked out your website as well. Very interesting.
Good luck in your work,
Brenda
Brenda and Anne-Marie,
You offer a great service to families! Our family has been a part of KIB for about 8 months and achieved great success! You have taught our family and daughter about making healthy choices and how to make the right balance between healthy eating and physical activity. These newly learned skills will keep her healthy for a lifetime. Thanks for a great program!
Naomi
What you are doing is so important, and we applaud you! Our family of three has been dramatically impacted by implementing the changes that your program teaches. Before they became formalized as KIB, we used your principles to learn how to eat for health, change our attitudes toward life, and be an example to others of just how much a family can change with education and inspiration. Thank you! We would love to see Kids In Balance reach many more families with hope and success!
Dear Brenda and Anne-Marie
I am hoping that you will win the grant needed to carry on with your project. One only has to take a quick look in the schools to see how needed your program is. Children are not learning what they need to know in school to be in good health and maintaining a proper body weight. They need an outside source. Who better than you to guide them. You make such a dynamic team, Brenda you have the background education in nutrition, you have raised your own family and you have great communication skills. Anne-Marie, because of your personal experience with your own daughter you have a greater sensitivity to the needs of overweight children and as a True Colors faciliator you would also have the added benefit of understanding and communicating with different personality types.
I love your program because you have taken a very complicated issue and mapped out strategies that make health weight management conceivable and achievable. What these children and their families learn will stay with them for their entire lifetime. So not only does your program make an impact now, it will change their future for the better.
Bravo and congratulations on a job well done.
----------
Brenda Eastwood, RNCP
Women's Health Specialist
www.BrendaEastwood.com
As a parent with two special needs children, maintaining good health can feel like just another of the many 'extras' that are thrown into the juggling act of parenting kids with special needs. I have often felt overwhelmed trying to implement a plan for my kids to fight physical imbalances. But what I discovered in Kids In Balance was an accessible program, even from the perspective of special needs. I appreciate that small changes and slow implementation is applauded and encouraged and that parents are given practical suggestions and step by step instructions. KIB is strong on support and I see this as incredibly helpful for movement toward success. The principles that I learned from KIB gives my children the advantage of a strong physically healthy platform from which to face their other challenges.
I appreciate your good work!
Laurel