Written by: Meghan Amato • September 17, 2013• Cutler Bay In the Community Kendall Palmetto Bay Pinecrest South Miami

Let’s Move Into Fall!

It’s that time of year again; kids are back at school, still sluggish from the summer heat, while parents are trying to get back into the swing of things, balancing work with PTA meetings and soccer games. It’s this time when families usually feel the leisurely pace of summer slip away and get replaced by the hustle and bustle that is Fall, which makes it easy to forget about the little things families should focus on and are often times the most important.

Let’s Move, an initiative founded by First Lady, Michelle Obama, to get kids to be more physically active and encourage families to opt for home-cooked meals instead of snacks and take-out, is something that is inspiring schools and communities all over our great nation.

Life can be hectic—we get that, but let’s think about moving. Maybe your job is one that is laden with stress and you find yourself with an unabating boss, but you’ll be surprised to find that a stroll after dinner can be even more relaxing and mind-clearing than just sprawling out on the couch, comatose after a day heavy with emailing and conference calls.

It’s good to indulge every once in a while, but even if we really reconsider our dinner options, not only will it inspire us to be healthy, but it will help teach our kids to make wiser food choices, too. Motivation will be abundant all around and we’ll be able to really reap the rewards of exercising a little more (lots of endorphins—which are great) and eating our veggies (our kids will grow big and strong so it’ll be even more difficult to chase after them).

The First Lady is on to something here, kids can be responsible for making their own health choices, but in order for a movement to grow and be effective, it must have the manpower to back it—from everyone who plays a role in our children’s lives. Living healthfully is something that must be bred into our community culture and once our youngsters see us getting a move on, it’ll be that much easier to cultivate a new generation of mindful, active and positive people.

Talk to your children’s teachers, counselors, and coaches, and see what efforts are being made at school to ensure your kids have a foundation to lead an active, healthy life. And after school, get together with your family and brainstorm some ideas of how to get moving, even if it’s just a few times a week…

Head on over to Pinecrest Gardens for the Sunday morning Green Market, you can pick up some fresh produce while enjoying the serene atmosphere
Take a stroll through Coral Reef Park, bring some fruit salad and kick back at the new Parkview Café
Explore the aisles of our new local Fresh Market and see if anything intrigues you… in the meantime, try some of their freshly brewed coffee!
Or maybe just round up the kids and bring the pups to spend an afternoon at the Palmetto Bay dog park

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