Child Fitness Advocate Says Parents Need a Wakeup Call



February 24, 2005 -- Three years ago, Lisa got a wakeup call from a rather blunt pediatrician who told her that she was to blame for her daughter 's weight problem. It was a message that was hard to hear, but it set Lisa on a mission to help her child - without setting her up for chronic dieting throughout her life. Three years later, her daughter 's weight is under control and her self-esteem and confidence has blossomed.

"I was lucky," says Lisa Alexander. "I had a doctor who told it like it was, which is rare."

The fact that 86% of Americans believe in parental responsibility is good news for Alexander. However, she points out that effective resources for parents struggling with this issue are scarce. "I speak for all parents with overweight kids and we know our kids are heavy and we want more than anything to help them," says Alexander. "But parents struggle because the issue is complex and there are few solutions out there."

Based on her own experience, as well as that of other families, Lisa developed The PariPlan (pronounced pear ee plan) Seven Steps to Get Your Child's Weight On Track. Named after her daughter Pari, the plan is designed to give busy parents practical tools and steps to take to make the kind of lifestyle changes that can ensure their children don't become statistics. Consisting of a book and companion CD containing easy software tools, children's activity sheets and action plans, The PariPlan focuses on both inspiring and enabling parents to tackle weight issues in their own family.

While government, educators and parents struggle with why children are heavy, Lisa Alexander knows that more resources like The PariPlan are needed.





Child Fitness Advocate Says Parents Need a Wakeup Call