The School Years
Don't Be a Party Pooper
It's inevitable — at some point in the year there's going to be a party at school for your kids to attend. It may be a pizza party to celebrate a class accomplishment, or perhaps a child will bring in birthday cupcakes to share. Whatever the situation, you want to make sure your children can enjoy themselves without overdoing it.

What you don't want to do is try to stop them from indulging along with the rest of their peers. Healthy living is a bit like an obstacle course, and it's better to teach your children how to jump over the hurdles than to pull them out of the race altogether. Making them skip the festivities will just cause them to feel alienated from the rest of the class, and they'll probably feel as though they're being punished or deprived.

Remember, it's perfectly fine for your kids to enjoy a treat once in a while. According to Joy Bauer, the nutrition expert on Shaq's Big Challenge, kids will be okay as long as they stick to the "90/10 rule," which stipulates that if you eat healthfully 90 percent of the time, it's okay to treat yourself a little during the other 10 percent. Just remind your kids to keep an eye on their portions and to stop eating when they feel satisfied, not stuffed.

Check out more surefire strategies for making healthy food choices at school.