Leading Growing Healthy Families Workshops
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Introductory Webinar
Welcome Facilitators! To help orient you to the goals and procedures of leading Growing Healthy Families workshops, we have created this short webinar with information about the program and tips for helping families take the sometimes uncomfortable steps to change their habits and expectations for eating and fitness. Watch the video
The Growing Healthy Families curriculum module was developed after the success of the KERA Little Bites, Big Steps curriculum, which focused on helping parents and caregivers provide appropriate nutrition and physical activity for young children. This curriculum includes eight one-hour modules addressing the needs of the family, not just the child.
Workshop materials include:
- Introductory webinar for facilitators
- An overview of each workshop
- A complete guide to leading each workshop, including suggested scripts
- Microsoft PowerPoint® slides
- A resource section with the latest research and additional ideas for activities and ways to adapt the workshop for your group
- Ideas on effective workshop facilitation
- Downloadable Parent Guide and Journal for families to use during and between the workshops – and to keep after they finish.
#1: Use the “Getting Started” planning pages and curriculum overview to coordinate your workshops
#2: Tips for Leading Successful Workshops is a tool to help you be more effective as a facilitator of this program. The ideas will be helpful whether you are new to training parents or have been doing it for many years. As workshop facilitator, you will be responsible for conveying information to your participants and for providing opportunities for them to ask questions and develop ways to use this information in their families.
#3: The Parent Guide and Journal has ideas and information to help families as learn about food and exercise. It begins with spaces to record goals and accomplishments as families move through the workshops.
Incorporating movement into our daily lives is sometimes difficult in today’s world. We seldom walk but usually take a car or bus. When home we tend to sit to do many of our chores such as folding clothes, and when we have time to spare, it is usually taken by sitting in front of a TV or computer screen. Physical activity is critical to a healthy weight and lifestyle.
Weight management can be difficult. Being overweight or obese can lead to serious health consequences in children and adults. During the past 30 years the number of overweight children has doubled and the number of obese children tripled. Parents of overweight children are often overweight and have feeding practices that can contribute to children being overweight. Children of minorities are at particular risk (with the exception of Asian children). This module explores how to recognize, prevent, and manage weight issues.
Basic nutrients in foods are often misunderstood. People need carbohydrates, fats, and protein in their diets. What do these nutrients provide? What is the role of vitamins and minerals in a healthy life?
Snacking is part of our culture. It is also important to young children who may not be able to wait as long as an adult for food. However, it is also contributing to obesity. How can we snack in healthy ways that provide needed nutrients but not too many calories and fat?
Fast food items are often seen as the cause of obesity. But there are some choices you can make that are much healthier than others when choosing fast food. Today’s parents work, take children to activities after school, and are very busy. It is often hard to cook a meal at night and very easy to run by and get fast food. This module is intended to help families cut back on fast food by increasing awareness of the nutritional content of fast foods and making healthy choices when eating fast food.
The module provides information to parents on how to recognize and choose healthier fast food options and how to encourage their children to do the same.
Basic nutrients in foods are often misunderstood. People need carbohydrates, fats, and protein in their diets. What do these nutrients provide? What is the role of vitamins and minerals in a healthy life?
Eating as a family happens infrequently in our busy world. Yet family dining has many benefits, including healthier foods, better vocabularies, better school achievement, and even less involvement with drugs and alcohol on the part of the child. It allows a time to talk to your child, pass on traditions, and better understand him or her.
Children and adults have different temperaments that affect how and what they eat and their exercise habits. When parents recognize these differences, they can plan meals and activities around their child’s needs.
Buying food can be much less expensive if you follow a few basic rules. Families have their favorite foods and don’t want to give them up. They can make some simple substitutions of ingredients that won’t change flavor but can cut down on calories and fat.
Complete Growing Healthy Families Guide for Workshop Facilitators
Includes Trainer’s Guides for Workshops 1-8, planning materials and Tips for Leading Successful Workshops.
Download the Complete Facilitator Guide
Additional Resources:
- We encourage you to visit KERA’s “Ready for Life” section, especially the “Nutrition & Fitness” areas FOR PARENTS and FOR TEACHERS , where you will find training manuals, information, and video clips on activity and nutrition for children that can be used to enrich and better understand the concepts you are teaching in this program.
This trainer’s guide was made possible by a grant from the National Recreation Foundation, a nonprofit charitable foundation administered by a Board of Trustees composed of citizen members. The Foundation was started just after the end of World War I to initiate and support the promotion and development of leadership programs and facilities through recreation and parks. The Foundation’s mission is to be a life-enhancing force on youth by investing strategically in recreation with a special focus on programs for those who are economically, physically or mentally disadvantaged.
Growing Healthy Families was developed by and is the property of KERA. The KERA team would like to generously thank AVANCE-Dallas for their partnership in helping create the curriculum.
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise stated, no part of this curriculum kit may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the express written permission of KERA, 3000 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75201.