Teaching Our Girls Healthy Habits with Girl Scouts

“Thank you Girl Scouts Healthy Habits for sponsoring this post. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”

Having two daughters myself, I am thoughtful about how I talk about my body around them. As women we are all critical about the way we look. Society has really hurt our girls self-esteem and body image. By showing our girls photoshopped stars and making them feel like they have to look a certain way to be accepted or liked.

I really try hard to make sure that my daughters like themselves. My responsibility as a parent is to make sure that my girls develop healthy habits and a healthy mindset. Girl Scouts has helped me out a little by developing and sharing three “healthy habits” booklets for volunteers to use in conjunction with their Journey Adult Guides. The free booklets help guide girls on their Journey as they learn to lead active, healthy lifestyles. They call it an “energy balance”. Energy Balance means that you are burning as many calories as you are taking in.

The three Healthy Habits Journey booklets available for download include:
Between Earth and Sky with Healthy Habits 
WOW! Wonders of Water with Healthy Habits
Get Moving! with Healthy Habits 

Girls Scouts has also developed the Together Counts Program. The Together Counts program is nationwide and provided by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation to inspire active and healthy living via physical activity and nutrition, a fundamental underpinning of efforts to reduce obesity.

If you have a daughter that needs some friends, encouragement, or just a creative outlet, you should check out the Girl Scout Program. Girl Scouting builds girls confidence, courage and character. Health and fitness have been part of Girl Scouting since girls ran foot races in 1912! They really do a lot in Girl Scouts. From patch programs to council-wide events, each council offers a variety of exciting program opportunities for girls of all ages.

Maybe you want to be a volunteer and go to Girl Scouts with your daughter. Volunteers will find it helpful to talk to their Girl Scout councils about handy resources including Volunteer Essentials—a guide for Girl Scout adults—and Girl Scouting 101, the online orientation. To locate the council nearest you, see the Girl Scout Council Finder.

Follow Girl Scouts via Social Media and check out their web sites:

Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital Twitter: On Twitter, GSNC shares council information including awards, resources, highlights from council events and volunteering opportunities.
Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital Facebook: Similar to Twitter, the GSNC Facebook page shares photo albums of troop activities, news from around the region, and partner content from Together Counts.
Together Counts Website :The website is consumer friendly—aimed at parents and educators and provides resources, tips, recipes and more.
Together Counts Blog : The Together Counts blog is the main source of all consumer-friendly news including HWCF campaigns, announcements and content from HWCF partners around the topic of healthy eating habits and incorporating more physical activity.
Together Counts Twitter : On Twitter, Together Counts shares everything from digital assets (video, infographics) to industry or conference news related to food in addition to campaign and partner news.
Together Counts Pinterest : Together Counts’ resource for sharing recipe inspiration from across the network, family activity ideas and pins from partners that relate to family eating and activity including Girl Scouts, Healthy Dining Finders, etc.

Join Mom It Forward, Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital and Together Counts as we chat about the Girls Scouts Journeys Healthy Habits booklets and how parents and troop leaders can encourage a healthy, active lifestyle. The party will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 9 from 9-10 p.m. ET (8CT, 7MT, 6PT). Follow us via the #HealthyHabits and #GNO hashtags to enter for a chance to win in our Twitter Party giveaway.

• What: Girls’ Night Out (#gno) Twitter party (Click here to learn about #gno!)
• When: Tuesday, September 9 from 9—10 p.m. EST (8CT, 7 MT, & 6 PT)
• Where: Party with us using your favorite Twitter platform. Just make sure to follow the party hashtags!
• Hashtags: #gno & #HealthyHabits
• Topic: Healthy Habits
• Who: Brand Panelist: @TogetherCounts, @GSCNC Community Panelists: TBD Moderator(s): @jylmomIF @Dadventurous @troypattee and @MomItForward
• Party Favors: Please click here to see more information about the giveaway.

Learn more HERE.

~Annette