When it comes to the whole “eat-your-vegetables” stance that every parent should possess, I have failed miserably. Not that I am making excuses but…. my mother wasn’t any more successful. As a baby, she would dip pureed peas in chocolate pudding. This resulted in a love for all things chocolate and a continued disdain for pretty much anything green.

Before having children, I was determined that my kids would eat healthy. They would eat what I served them – like it or not. After all, who’s in charge here? Fast forward a couple of decades to my dinner table when, while forcing down green beans, my three-year-old throws up all over me and his Blue Clue’s placemat. This incident was so traumatic for both of us that green beans have been permanently removed from the menu. Now, he makes gagging noises anytime he eats vegetables limiting the vegetable attempts to once-a-week rather than once-a-day.

You see, in my day, my disdain for vegetables was balanced by the amount of physical activity. My bicycle was my primary means of transportation and I rode free of conditions such as helmets or knee pads with the only rule being, “be home before dark.” I was pretty much in motion all day, every day. I didn’t have the temptations of computers or video games. Yes, TV was there, and I was a sucker for Love Boat and Fantasy Island, but those aired after dark and I could easily break-away from “Bewitched” reruns that aired after school.

Today, the stakes are higher. According to a recent study appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, physical activity peeks in the third grade and then quickly plummets from there. Fingers are pointed to many culprits including the aforementioned pull of the plug-ins, fast-food industry’s marketing tactics for children, and of course, behavior modeled by mom and dad. It’s a real problem. Children’s obesity rates have skyrocketed and health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease at an all-time high.

Okay – so here’s the good news. We are not alone. There are resources where we can turn to help us in our crusade against obesity. I have already started on this quest beginning at the dinner table. There, healthy choices are offered along with an open dialogue about good nutrition. It seems to be working. My eight-year-old is beginning to look at food labels and doesn’t protest in the drive-through when I insist on a grilled chicken sandwich versus a cheeseburger.

There are also many on-line resources for moms and dad to review. I have listed a few of my favorites:

http://www.cooperinst.org/index.cfm

The Cooper Institute is a leader in all things health and fitness. They are offering a two-day course on Youth Fitness and Nutrition that will include physical activity and nutrition recommendations and benefits.

www.kidshealth.org

Lots of fun, interactive games and exercises that you can play with your kids.

www.healthiergeneration.org

Great information about programs that you can start in your community.

www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/resources.htm

Not very exciting, but the Centers for Disease Control has lots of information that is research based and informative.

www.pbs.org

This website offers online communication with a nutrition expert who will answer questions and provide resources.

www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/

This website as at the top of my list. It is authored by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. This “We Can” initiative (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activities and Nutrition) offers lots of resources and activities for parents and educators.

Yes, today’s generation of parents have to fight new battles to keep our kids safe and healthy. Still, we have many more resources than previous generations to manage this challenge. As with most childhood trials, it is up to us parents to provide the best resources possible to win this war against obesity and all of the health conditions that come with this epidemic. If we pull together, we can make a difference and insure a healthier, more active, vegetable-eating generation!