for parents

nrgBalance 12345! makes it easy to send the energy balance message home with your students. Below are links to downloadable fact sheets—an overview plus details on each of the five recommendations—that support families in achieving energy balance every day.

• Make Healthy Easy with nrgBalance 12345!
• One hour of physical activity each day
• Two or less hours of screen time each day
• Three meals each day
• Four or more cups of water or low/no-calorie beverages each day
• Five servings of fruits and vegetables each day
  

More Tips for Reaching Parents with nrgBalance 12345!

There are many ways to reach parents with information about their child's after-school healthy eating and active living programming and reinforce how they can support the nrgBalance 12345! behaviors at home. The key is to reach them in places where they already are: at home, work, and the community. Try some of these tactics: 

After-School Program Coordinator:

• Monitor the afterschool.org Web site for tips on after-school programs from others around the country.
• Join the Promising Practices in Afterschool (PPAS) Listserv to share ideas, tips and successes.
• Join the National Afterschool Association and review their resources.
• Get to know the parents in your community and find out what they want to know and how they prefer to receive information.
• Ask what they would like their children to achieve and the level of involvement they want as parents.
• Continually ask for feedback and seek improvement.

Direct to Parents:

• Develop a simple newsletter to send home to parents. Hand it to them when they pick up their child or mail it to each home if funding is available. The newsletter can contain updates on the project, health tips, recipes and other helpful information. Download the nrgBalance 12345! newsletter template to get started.
• Create a parent update page on your Web site so they can monitor their children's activities, snacks, program policies, and download handouts such as the nrgBalance 12345! fact sheets.
• Start a parent listserv so they can communicate and share ideas. Monitor the listserv so you can address their needs and concerns.
• Organize parent forums to provide program updates, lead session demonstrations, and get feedback on their child's after-school program.
• Invite them to come to an after-school session to see their children in action or organize a Parents’ Night program.
• Don't just market to moms, but dads as well. They are often active participants in decisions affecting their child.

Community Partners:

• Send a newsletter to community organizations to post on their bulletin boards. Download the nrgBalance 12345! newsletter template to get started.
• Work with local parenting organizations or blogs to market the after-school program and messages.
• Identify a parent ambassador(s) to informally promote the program in the community.
• Reach parents through community events and the Parent Teacher Association.

Media:

• Partner with local media (TV, public access, radio, newspaper) to advertise the program and messages.
• Post a notice in the paper's community calendar.
• Advertise in the paper's annual education issue.
• Pitch interviews with a family to promote how to live the nrgBalance 12345! behaviors at home.
• Contribute articles on nrgBalance 12345! messages.