To Drink Chocolate Milk or Not?
Many parents and school districts across the country are debating the nutritional value of chocolate milk and some are even banning it. Here is a peek inside the controversy of this tasty treat and its pros and cons.
In a November article in the Los Angeles Times, a school district in Barrington, Illinois, nearly outlawed the sale of chocolate milk in its school district because of questionable nutritional value. Upset by the decision, a local 5th grader took a stand. Inspired by a book she had read about a young activist, she began researching the pros and cons of chocolate milk versus other drinks that kids were able to purchase at school. At the end of the summer, she and two of her classmates presented the results to Superintendent Tom Leonard. Leonard agreed that the children could have chocolate milk on Fridays during the upcoming school year.
Lets face it—like this 5th grader, most kids would choose chocolate over regular “white milk.” The drink is calcium rich and filled with Vitamin D. However, chocolate milk has relatively high sugar content.
As parents, a smart approach is to not assume your child will not touch regular milk. Instead, weekly variations are a good option for them to drink enough milk to get the essential vitamins and minerals they need to grow. Here are some tips:
- Alternate between chocolate milk and regular milk choices weekly.
- Consult your local school district about the variety of milk that they provide and how often (if ever) they offer chocolate milk or other flavors
- If your child doesn’t drink regular milk and you believe chocolate milk is not the best option, provide flavored yogurt or cheese that is high in calcium and made with real milk
- Consider soy and rice milk options; your child may prefer these flavors
At the end of the day, milk is still the nutritious drink of choice by physicians and parents. No matter what form, children should be drinking it regularly. |
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The 2010 Winter Olympics: Fun for Everyone!
The highly anticipated Vancouver Winter Olympic Games are coming up next month. Watching them is a great way to bond as a family and get your kids interested in being fit and possibly getting involved in the various sports the Olympics have to offer. Here are some must see events to keep an eye out for in 2010:
1. Ski Jumping
Men’s ski jumping has been part of the Winter Olympic Games since the first Games in 1924. The sport involves the athlete skiing down a long ramp called the “in-run.” The skier then launches into the air at speeds of up to 95 kilometers per hour. Once in the air, the skier forms a “V-style” with his or her skis. Competitors are evaluated on distance and style and while there is a very close relationship between the two, the skier with the longest jump will often have the highest style points.
This event is fun and exciting to watch for the whole family, but we wouldn’t suggest trying this on the slopes unless you are already a pro!
2. Snowboarding
Snowboarding is one of the newest sports to the winter Olympics. It was first introduced at the Nagano Games in 1998. Parallel giant slalom replaced individual giant slalom at the Salt Lake City Games in 2002 and eventually, snowboard cross was introduced in 2006 at the Torino games. Riders are judged either on the difficulty and execution of their tricks (halfpipe) or the speed and precision of their race (slalom, snowboard cross).
With various ski and snowboarding resorts across the country, this activity is fun for kids and parents! Remember, Gold Medalist Shaun White only started snowboarding when he was 13 years old!
3. Figure Skating
There are three different kinds of figure skating—singles, pairs and ice dance. The separate events are overseen by a panel of expert judges who will individually score competitors on a scale of 1-10.
Figure skating is a beautiful and exciting sport that the whole family can enjoy watching. Kids can get involved with the sport by taking lessons at their local ice skating rink.
4. Ice Hockey
Hockey is one of the most watched winter sports. A group of the best players from around the world are chosen to represent their individual country’s team. A team cannot have more than six players on the ice while the game is in progress. The object is for one team to get the puck (a hard black rubber disc) past the other team’s goaltender and into the net.
Hockey is a great sport for kids to get involved in to meet new friends and stay active.
5. Bobsledding
Made even more popular by the 1993 film, Cool Runnings*, bobsledding is a fast-paced and exciting sport to watch. Modern bobsleighs are built to be fast and aerodynamic. To start, the racers push off as fast as they can for 50 meters. The bobsledders then jump into the bobsled for a seated descent down the track. The driver steers while, at the end of the run, the brakeman stops the sled.
* A great film to watch with the family! |
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