Dear Parents:

Your child is using "Totally Awesome Health" in health class.  This student textbook focuses on life skills for health. Life skills are healthful actions young people learn and practice for life.  This Family Health Newsletter shares important  health information with you. This issue covers Mental and Emotional Health. Different areas  of health are covered in other issues.

How can your child achieve total health?

Total health is three kinds of health. Your child needs all three kinds of health to be healthy. Physical health is how well your body works. When your child has good physical health, he or she will have good energy and will not tire out. His or her body can fight germs. Mental and emotional health is how well your mind works  and how you show your feelings. When your child has mental or emotional health, he or she will let people  know how he or she feels about them. He or she will tell friends that he or she cares about them. Family and social health is how well you get along with others. When your child has family and social health, he or she will be loyal to his or her family and friends.  He or she will not talk about others behind their backs.

How can your child say NO to behaviors that are wrong?

Your childs can use resistance skills. Resistance skills are ways to say NO to bfehaviors that are wrong. Your child might use resistance skills when pressured by peers to do something wrong.

The resistance skills are:

1. Say NO in a firm voice.

2. Give reasons for saying NO.

3. Match your actions with words.

4. Keep away from situations in which people might try to talk you into wrong decisions.

5. Keep away from peers who make wrong decisions.

6. Tell an adult if someone tries to talk you into a wrong decision.

7. Help your friends to make responsible decisions.