Just so you know...by Guest Blogger, Carole Aksak

By -
Just like the color of your skin, the color of your eyes, how tall you are or how short you are, your weight is…On the hoof; everyone sees it. And when everyone sees it, everyone can make a comment. And when you start to comment on a particular group and what they look like, you start to point fingers, create an opportunity for ridicule, and make a particular group a target. That makes me, uncomfortable. Targeting fat kids, is not that different than proclaiming that every willowy, lithe, middle school girl, is secretly sticking her finger down her throat or subsisting on a few lettuce leaves and steamed broccoli.

Every child has a right to good health; physical, mental and emotional. We should be raising awareness on childhood “health promotion” and how we can each be part of it. The Girl Scout Research Institute has produced two studies, Weighing In: Helping Girls be Healthy Today, Healthy Tomorrow (2004) and The New Normal? What Girls Say About Healthy Living (2006.) The studies were a precursor to Beauty Redefined: Girls and Body Image Survey (2010), a nationwide survey which included more than 1,000 girls ages 13 to 17 (all are available for download at www.girlscouts.org.) These three publications give us a glimpse into the physical, mental and emotional health of kids. The adult view comes from the obesity epidemic and the desire to address it. Beauty Redefined offers the perspective of the girl and how she struggles to be “just right” among her peer group, focusing less on good physical health and more on fitting in. It tells us what “healthy living” means to girls.

Obesity is a serious issue affecting children and adults. So are the foods which are highly refined, low in nutrients and energy dense, and then highly marketed to kids. Super-sized portions, screen-time instead of outdoor play time, food price and availability, food insecurity are the real issues we need to address, and they affect every child, fat or skinny. Let’s teach all kids that when it comes to their bodies…Respect it, Honor It, Fuel It.

Please contact Carole Aksak at 516.741.2550 ext. 254.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Make a Sit-Upon Using a Reusable Shopping Bag

By -
Image
With some many Girl Scout spending their summer outdoors and at camp, now is the perfect time to talk about sit-upons... a great item to bring on any outdoor adventure . So, when we were challenged to make a sit-upon, we decided to do what Girl Scouts do and use our resources wisely... so, we used some items that we had on hand. Here is what we came up with: Supplies needed : Scissors Already read newspaper Reusable shopping bag Duct tape (we used gold glitter duct tape of course, but an type of duct tape will do) Instructions: Cut the sewed seams of the reusable shopping bag.  Lay the reusable bag out flat (waterproof/plastic side down) and place the newspaper on one half of the laid out bag as shown.  Fold the other side of the bag over the newspaper so that the newspaper is sandwiched between the two sides of the reusable shopping bag. Using the duct tape, tape the seams of the bag that are open so that the newspaper is sealed into the b
Read more

How To...Tie a Girl Scout Scarf

By -
Image
By: Paige D., Intern Have you been trying to find new ways to wear your Girl Scout scarf? If so, then today is your lucky day. We here at Girl Scouts of Nassau County are running a new mini blog series on how to tie your Girl Scout scarf. For those of you who don’t know, Donna Ceravolo has been recognized for her wide variety of scarves and different ways to tie them. You never know what you might find Donna wearing, from simple square knots to elaborate bow ties; your selection will never seem dull! Throughout this mini-series we hope to inspire your creativity when it comes to stepping up your Girl Scout uniform! You can pick up one of our beautiful scarves in the Girl Scouts of Nassau County shop, or online at shop.gsnc.org/store/ . Follow the simple step-by-step instructions and you'll be on your way to a whole new updated look for your Girl Scout uniform! The first scarf we are using is a long and narrow silk scarf . First, you must fold both edges of scarf to meet in
Read more

Working at a Girl Scout Camp by Maggie Robinson

By -
Of all the different first jobs a young person could have, summer camp counselor is simply the best. Other regular jobs won’t leave a young person with as well-rounded a skill set as summer camp and in my (incredibly-biased) opinion, being a Girl Scout summer camp counselor is even better for introducing young minds to the workforce. Growing up I had two dreams: become a world famous best-selling author and be a Unit Leader at Camp Blue Bay. Thanks to my experience working at summer camp, I’ve already been able to achieve one of my lifelong goals! (And as soon as I finish my novel, I’ll complete the other one…)  It all started 15 years ago. I was 8 years old and enjoying the sleepaway experience at Camp Blue Bay for the very first time, but my camp counselors were an enigma to me. They were teenagers and college kids who were also adults, and they were cool but also responsible?? I had never met a person like that before. They were friendly and helpful when I misplaced my water bottle
Read more