Breakfast...The Most Important Meal of The Day?

It's 11am...has your family eaten breakfast today?

Experts claim it's the most important meal of the day and yet, many times, we skip it. I know I'm guilty of the same thing. I wake up and start my day getting Nate ready, throwing in a load of laundry, washing dishes, vacuuming, and before I know it, it's lunchtime and I've only had a cup (or two) of coffee. Oops. That's hardly a complete breakfast.

Did you know that those who skip breakfast tend to weigh more than those who eat breakfast each morning? You may think that skipping a meal would mean you consume less calories overall but it is actually counterproductive. Those who skip breakfast often tend to overeat later in the day, thus consuming more calories than if they had eaten in the first place.

Also, studies show that children who eat breakfast in the morning tend to perform better in school. Compared to their counterparts who skip an early meal, children who eat breakfast have higher test scores, are less likely to be absent or tardy and have fewer reported disciplinary actions.

While that stack of pancakes with sausage on the side sounds awfully good, here are some reasons why we should all put the maple syrup and nitrates away to join our kids with a bowl of cereal in the morning:

• Cereals are rich in important vitamins and minerals, yet lower in calories than many other common breakfast options.
  

• Cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters.

• Frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights, and lower Body Mass Index measures (BMIs). This is true for men, women and children, and includes those who eat presweetened cereals.

• Ready-to-eat cereals are the number 1 source of whole grains in children's diets, and also deliver important nutrients, such as vitamins A, B6, iron, niacin and zinc.

• Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children's diets.

Cereals today are becoming more and more nutritious, thanks to companies like General Mills. Every General Mills Big G cereal contains at least 8 grams of whole grain per serving, and more than 20 General Mills cereals deliver double that, at 16 grams or more per serving. General Mills has also recently announced an initiative to further reduce sugar levels in cereals advertised to children 12 and under to single digit grams of sugar per serving. My son is a Cheerios addict and this information makes me feel good about his breakfast and snack of choice.

You can learn more about cereal and health by visiting the General Mills' website. You can also find a $1 off coupon for one of four popular General Mills cereals! So, tomorrow morning after your alarm goes off (whether wired or diapered), take the break you deserve and pull up a seat next to your children as you all enjoy some crunchy goodness.

Disclaimer: I was informed of this General Mills campaign as a result of my membership at MyBlogSpark. All health claims made above were provided by the General Mills website. In return for posting this information, I received four VIP coupons for free boxes of General Mills cereal.

PSA: "Buzzed" Driving

I'm not much of a drinker but I do like to indulge myself with an occasional cocktail in a social setting - especially around the holidays. Thankfully, I am playing the part of "hostess with the most-ess" this year and will be avoiding the roads but many families will be traveling for parties and fellowship this Christmas.

Did you know that last year, nearly 12,000 people in the U.S. were killed in alcohol-related driving crashes, with 316 people killed during the period between Christmas and New Years? In 2007, 162,493 women were arrested for DUI, an increase of 29% since 1998. These numbers are astounding. You can't help but wonder how many lives could have been saved had these people thought twice before getting behind the wheel.

With the holidays just one week away, I want to remind my readers of the dangers of "buzzed" driving. While you're having fun at events, it is so easy to lose track of your alcohol intake. As you chat and eat, you can forget how much you've really imbibed or how much "just one more drink" can really affect you. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) and the Ad Council are asking everyone to drive smart this season and pledge not to drive buzzed. Visit the Buzzed Driving website to pledge your commitment, play an interactive game which demonstrates the difference between "buzzed" and drunk, or hear personal accounts from those who have driven while buzzed. You can also follow Buzzed Driving on Twitter or Facebook to stay on top of the latest updates and news.

I'll be taking the pledge. Will you take it with me? Just think...in signing our names, we could help safe a life.

Please, please, PLEASE have a safe, happy holiday and remember that "buzzed" driving IS drunk driving. If you plan on drinking, don't endanger yourself and others. Play it smart. Assign yourself a designated driver, have a local taxi cab company's phone number handy or make plans to stay the night with family or friends.

Disclaimer: I was invited to post about this campaign due to my membership at Global Influence, formerly Momfluence. I was not compensated for this post but I will be entered in a contest to win a $50 gift card in return for writing about this topic.

PSA: Child Passenger Safety

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 75% of car seats are not installed or used properly. This is an astonishing figure! Thousands of children are killed or injured each year due to improper car seat installation or lack of restraint.

Many parents are confused about how to install their car seats. After all, the directions can be pretty complex. But with the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) System, available in nearly all car seats and most vehicles manufactured after September 2002, installation is much faster and easier, ensuring the right fit each and every time. The NHTSA is now recommending that parents use the LATCH system whenever available.




The NHTSA has joined forces with the Ad Council to create a site with all the resources you need to keep your littlest passenger safe. On this site, you can find your nearest inspection station, view instructional videos or even test your knowledge with a fun quiz!

If you're a social media maven, you'll want to follow @ChildSeatSafety on Twitter, where an actual safety expert will answer any questions you may have on child passenger safety - from safe choices for car seats to how to maximize the efficiency of your car seat. Or you can become a fan of the NHTSA on Facebook to learn more about LATCH or locate inspection offices.

We're all carrying precious cargo. Please use this as a reminder to examine your car seat and prevent your baby from becoming another statistic.

Disclaimer: I was made aware of this campaign from my membership at Momfluence. In exchange for my post, I have been entered in a contest to win a surprise swag bag.

Protect Your Infant's VIP (Very Important Peepers) with Enfant VEP Vision Testing

Most of us take our children to the pediatrician regularly for their well baby visits. We fill out forms about developmental milestones. The doctor asks you some questions, shines a light in your child's eyes and ears, gives them a good once over and you're out the door. But how many of us go beyond this standard? How many of us have even considered having our baby or toddler's vision screened? I'll admit that the thought had not even crossed my mind until I received a press release with some interesting, albeit alarming facts. Did you know:

• An estimated 200,000 children are born each year with visual deficits.
• According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), vision disorders are the fourth most common disability among children in the United States.
• Only 21 percent of children in the U.S. have their vision screened before kindergarten.
• 72 percent of children with vision deficits go undetected until after the window for effective treatment expires.
• More than one in 50 children have amblyopia, otherwise known as "lazy eye", a serious vision disorder that can lead to blindness in one eye.
• Amblyopia is poor vision in an eye that otherwise appears normal. It occurs when the brain does not recognize the sight from that eye. It is very difficult to detect.
• 3.8 million adults are legally blind in one eye or visually incapacitated due to amblyopia.

As with any disorder, early detection is key to getting the most effective treatment. Since babies and toddlers are incapable of reading and interpreting an eye chart, diagnosing visual impairments can be a difficult task for any parent - even for a physician. In an effort to raise awareness of the warning signs of vision problems in young children, Diopsys, Inc., developer of the revolutionary Enfant Pediatric VEP Vision Testing System, has created on online questionnaire, which can be found at www.freevisionquiz.com. This physician-approved, multiple-choice quiz takes just a few minutes to complete and covers "red flags" to potential vision problems, such as the inability to make steady eye contact or involuntarily covering one eye to see something more clearly.

Were you aware that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends routine eye exams beginning at 6 months of age? I had no idea that this was needed at such a young age and I know I'm not the only clueless mom! This assessment would be a great precursor to a pediatric screening, during which you can share your results.

It is important to remember that this quiz DOES NOT take the place of a professional exam, but it a helpful tool for parents to get a heads up on any problems that may exist.

To take the online quiz, please visit www.freevisionquiz.com. For more information about the Enfant VEP Vision Testing System or to find a pediatrician offering the test near you, visit www.enfantvision.com.

Disclaimer: This post was adapted from a press release sent to me from Robin Leedy & Associates. I was in no way compensated for this post.

PSA: Blog For a Cure

I'd like to interrupt this regularly scheduled program to bring you this important announcement. Lani from Who Knew? Reviews is hosting an online fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). She has turned it into a virtual blog party - the chance to connect with new bloggers and win some great prizes while contributing to a charitable cause. Here is her story:

A beloved family member of mine was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. She is a young, healthy mom with a beautiful daughter, and her life, as well as her entire family's life, has been completely turned upside down by this aggressive and devastating disease. I can't imagine what it must feel like to fight for your life, can you?

There is nothing I can do to directly help her situation, but what I can do is use my time and energy to help raise money to fund the lifesaving research that has caused the survival rates to continually rise in the last few decades. I am a stay at home mom of 22 month old triplets, and I don't exactly have a lot of resources, so I have chosen to participate in Team In Training, a program in which I will raise money, while training for my FIRST marathon. I am calling on all of you, to help me raise the money that I need (a minimum of $2,400.00).

Times are tight in my house and I'm sure they are in yours as well. But the minimum donation is only $1! If you can spare one dollar, you will get more exposure for your blog and one entry into each and every giveaway they have (you must still leave a comment for the ones you wish to enter). And every dollar above $1 will earn you one more entry into a giveaway of your choice. So, it will not only benefit those in need but the benevolent giver as well!

To find out more information on this event, please visit Who Knew? Reviews or to make a donation please visit Lani's Team In Training Page. See you there!

Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way, shape, or form for this post.