An Early Holiday Treat for Parents and Their Families — the Gift of Health

On-Line web application created to help busy parents manage and reward their children's healthy behaviors.

Sioux Falls, SD (PRWEB) November 10, 2009 -- There is no need for a calendar -- store aisles are already jam-packed with gifts for good little girls and boys, signaling to grownups, ‘tis the season to start shopping.

But for parents of children 3 to 18 years of age, Santa has come early this year, bearing a gift that will have them squealing with delight. They won’t find it under the tree or stuffed in a stocking; instead it can be found online at the recently launched website www.healthyreportcard.com.

Created by the crafty elves at interactiveTHINK, Inc., a consulting and development company based in Sioux Falls, SD, HealthyReportCard is an online software system created for parents by parents Kristi and Eugene Welch. The website offers an affordable, interactive tool to help moms and dads engage with their children and divvy out rewards when they make positive, healthy choices.

The idea was born out of need for Kristi and Eugene, the owners of interactiveTHINK, to get organized and develop a system of shared accountability between themselves and their two boys, ages 11 and 9. “After a particularly challenging week with work, school, meals, and chores, we reached a breaking point,” says Kristi. “We took a look at our life and realized we were all running out of control. After talking with family and friends, we realized we weren’t the only ones feeling the burn of running our own personal lives and those of our children too, and that’s when we came up with a plan.”

Their plan developed into HealthyReportCard, where instead of subjects like social studies, math, and reading, the Welch’s focused on three key elements at the core of living a balanced life: mind, body, and values. Each category is designed to focus on an area of healthy behaviors within children. One of the most difficult things to do is motivate a child to take an active role in their own healthy behaviors and that is exactly what this web application does. By tracking chores, nutrition, exercise and providing a rewards system based on points or allowance, kids can not only track their own information but earn virtual points to spend in an on-line, parent-created storefront.

Keeping a child healthy has never been easier.

“Since Eugene and I started using this system with our sons, life has found a rhythm, and we no longer feel so overwhelmed and frustrated,” says Kristi. “We talk more, fight less, and have a common vision in how to live a balanced life. It is our hope that other parents will find it to be as useful and beneficial as we have. With the holiday season upon us, we thought this is the perfect time to launch the site, giving parents an affordable, enjoyable way to bring a healthier way of living to their families.”

Until January 31, parents can sign up one child for free and upgrade to unlimited children for $19.95 a year. Email info(at)healthyreportcard(dot)com or visit www.healthyreportcard.com to learn more.

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