SWITCH Parent Information

Parents play a key role in school wellness programming by reinforcing messages and behaviors at home. The SWITCH web-based system is designed specifically to help promote parent engagement. Parents can follow their child’s Do, View, and Chew tracking on the website each week by creating a parent account. They can also help their child earn SWITCH badges by making healthy ‘switches’ at home. Switches are any activities you and your child(ren) do together that help them make healthy choices. If you normally walk the dog alone, a healthy Switch could be having your child tag along to get some extra activity. That is a Switch! Switches can happen anywhere and relate to any of your child’s Do, View, or Chew behaviors. So, consider having your child help you make healthy snacks or dinner, take a walk to the library, or any other ideas that will help you become healthier as a family!

We also invite you to engage with the SWITCH program by becoming involved with your school’s SWITCH programming. Teachers welcome input from parents in creating wellness programming, and as a key stakeholder you have a chance to significantly impact the school environment and contribute to fostering healthy behaviors in youth. Your expertise and knowledge of your child’s habits can help your SWITCH school deliver an effective wellness program that benefits your child and their classmates!

Healthy Habits at Home Resource: This resource compiles a variety of resources from our state partners' recommendations as well as ISU Extension and Outreach and SWITCH developed resources. 

Family Scheduler Template: Are you looking for a way to map out your day? This Family Scheduler resource is to help give you ideas of ways to break up the day to make time for learning, relationship building, play and overall fun for your child or together as a family. The second page is a blank template so you can reorganize the suggested activities in a way that works best for your child and better yet, to give your child(ren) a choice!

Click the associated links to the right to access other resources from partners for promoting healthy behaviors at home.