Help Your Kids Eat Right

        Each March, the American Dietetic Association celebrates National Nutrition Month®. This year’s theme, “Eat Right with Color,” encourages parents to take time to make sure their children are getting all of the nutrients they need to grow and thrive.

        “Quality nutrition requires a total diet approach that goes beyond calorie counting alone, to focus on including those nutrients critical for a child’s healthy growth and development,” say registered dietitian Dr. Katie Brown. “This year’s theme is a great reminder for parents to focus on that total diet approach by including a variety of foods and colors in every meal, every day.”

        Brown offers the following guidance for helping your kids “Eat Right with Color.”

•   Give kids whole-grain cereals for breakfast, kid-friendly “white” whole-wheat bread for sandwiches, crunchy whole-grain crackers for snacks and whole-grain pasta for dinner.

•   Eat more fruits and vegetables at every meal. At breakfast, enjoy fresh or frozen berries on cereal, slices of melon or a glass of 100 percent orange juice; at lunch, serve baby carrots or sliced apples; for dinner, put brightly colored vegetables at the center of every plate.

•   Most young people in America are not getting enough calcium or potassium. Fortunately, it’s easy to consume the three daily dairy servings children and teens need. Try an 8-ounce glass of low-fat milk with breakfast, lunch, and dinner; yogurt parfaits for breakfast or an after-school snack; or string cheese for an on-the-go energy snack.

•   Getting enough protein at every meal and snack helps kids feel satisfied after eating. Start their day with egg or bean burritos. For snacks, provide peanut butter or sliced low-fat deli meat.

        A new website from ADA and its Foundation, www.KidsEatRight.org, provides practical tips, articles, videos, and recipes from registered dietitians to help families shop smart, cook healthy, and eat right.

Children’s Award-Winning Books 

            Considered to be the most prestigious awards in children’s literature, the Newbery and Caldecott Medals honor outstanding writing and illustration of works published in the United States during the previous year. The awards are administered by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association.

        The winner of the 2011 Newbery Medal is Moon Over Manifest, written by Clare Vanderpool (Delacorte Press). Twelve-year-old Abilene Tucker is the daughter of a drifter who, in the summer of 1936, sends her to stay with an old friend in Manifest, Kansas, where he grew up, and where she hopes to find out some things about his past.

        2011 Newbery Honor books include: Turtle in Paradise written by Jennifer L. Holm (Random House Children’s Books); Heart of a Samurai written by Margi Preus (Amulet Books); Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night written by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Rick Allen (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children); and One Crazy Summer written by Rita Williams-Garcia (Amistad).

        A Sick Day for Amos McGee, illustrated by Erin E. Stead and written by Philip C. Stead (Roaring Brook Press), received the 2011 Caldecott Medal. In this tender tale of reciprocity and friendship, zookeeper Amos McGee gets the sniffles and receives a surprise visit from his caring animal friends.

        2011 Caldecott Honor books include: Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Laban Carrick Hill (Little Brown and Company); and Interrupting Chicken, illustrated and written by David Ezra Stein (Candlewick Press).

        For complete reviews of these books and links to other award-winning books, such as the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, visit www.ala.org/alsc.

Teen Tech Week

        Be sure to check out Mix & Mash @ Your Library® during Teen Tech Week 2011. Teens will be tuning in at their local libraries as they celebrate the fourth annual event March 6–12. Teen Tech Week is a national initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association and is aimed at teens, their parents, educators, and other concerned adults.                        

        In order to gain the skills necessary to compete in today’s job market, teens need access to digital and online information and trained professionals who can help them use these resources effectively, efficiently, and ethically. Librarians and educators know this and work with teens on a regular basis to ensure they develop these skills. Teen Tech Week is a chance for libraries to throw open their physical and virtual doors and show their communities all the great things they’re doing with technology for teens.

        Local libraries are offering amazing programs for tweens and teens, as well as children, all year long. To find out what is happening for teens in the local libraries, visit www.treasurevalleyteen.com and click on the Teen Planner.

A Guide to Boosting Confidence

        Many kids struggle with low confidence. Being Me: A Kid’s Guide to Boosting Confidence and Self-Esteem by Wendy L. Moss, PhD, can help kids tackle everyday challenges and build confidence and self-esteem.

        This handy guide gives kids the tools they need to explore their strengths, feel successful, and be confident in school, with friends, and with themselves. Loaded with kid-relevant examples and easy-to-do tips and tricks, Being Me will empower kids to feel happier and more secure and confident with themselves and with everyone else in their lives.

Off to Dreamland  

        Putumayo Kids presents Acoustic Dreamland, a soothing collection of songs for bedtime and relaxation. Celebrated singer-songwriters perform unplugged music to lull children to sleep and to help adults unwind. The CD includes songs that invite a sense of calm and are full of thoughtful lyrics. A read-aloud, mini storybook that parents can share with their children is included. Acoustic Dreamland is the fifth release in Putumayo Kids’ popular Dreamland Series.

New Image Camp Essay Contest           

        New Image Camp’s fifth annual essay contest, “Imagine Me! I’m Up for the Challenge” is now in full swing. Children have the opportunity to win a free 24-day camp session at a well known ACA-accredited weight loss camp located in Reeders, PA. Children ages 10–17 who are eager to live a healthier lifestyle, lose weight, and build self-esteem are encouraged to apply. Ten lucky winners will be chosen (five boys and five girls).

        Interested applicants should submit an original essay (no more than 500 words) and an official entry form by June 1, 2011. The contest will be judged by a panel of experts based on elements including compelling nature of the story, clarity, and creativity. The application and complete rules can be found at www.newimagecamp.com/contest.html. For more information about New Image Camp, visit www.newimagecamp.com.