Pixar's "Wall-E" was a favorite of my kids this summer, and I have to say it was my favorite film of the summer as well.  I loved the message about connecting with others and the importance of having each other.  Wall-E and Eve may have been robots, but they were a lot warmer than any of the techno savvy humans in the bunch.

Did you think about that at all as you watched?  I mean, it's kind of crazy to think that we could all end up on a spaceship someday doing nothing but drinking our meals and relying completely on technology for communication and transportation… or is that crazy?

If you look at the direction our society is taking, the movie doesn't seem so far fetched.  People's lifestyles are much more sedentary today than they were 25 years ago, and our increased use of technology certainly plays a role in that.  Unhealthy living is commonplace today and fitness camps are springing up all over the country to help fight the heath concerns we face today.

Think about it:  How did you get to work or school this morning?  If you walked or rode your bike, you're one of the people in the nation that does that anymore.  Good for you!  Do you talk face to face with your friends more than you text or IM?  If you do, that's fantastic also!  After school, do you play outside with your friends or interact with fellow forum members on the internet?

Board game or Wii?  Okay, Wii's pretty cool, especially Wii Fit!  I'll give you that one.  The point is that we all, parents included, spend far too much time with the world of technology than we do with the world of humans.  Remember how things were for the people on the spaceship?  They  were all so unhealthy that they'd actually begun to evolve into humans that didn't require bone structure!

Remember the two humans that Wall-E inadvertently forced into direct communication?  Remember how happy they were when they were in the pool together?  And the captain of the ship?  Remember how excited he was when he began to learn all about Earth?  It was simply fascinating to him that so much life once existed… so much connection, emotion and individuality beyond the computer monitor!

Stay connected with your friends and family!  One great way to connect with new friends and learn healthy living habits is to attend a weight loss camp.  Ask your parents about it.  As well, you might consider blowing the dust off the Monopoly box and have a no tech family game night!  And don't worry, even if your dad wins and becomes obnoxious, you can bring him back down to size the next time you challenge him to a Super Smash Brothers Brawl!