SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. – According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), children's sleeping patterns are directly linked to their overall academic success. Better sleep means improved attention span in the classroom as well as reduced absenteeism and tardiness during the school year. To help parents give their children a sleep time edge, the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB), the creator of GOT MILK? and TOMA LECHE, has teamed up with 2013 International Latino Book Award winner and acclaimed children's author, Jorge Argueta, to officially launch the 2013 Bedtime Ritual campaign. The program reminds parents about the importance of proper sleep in a student's life and how the time-tested bedtime drink, milk, provides a good night's slumber along with a captivating bedtime story. Argueta, author of bilingual tales Arroz con Leche, Tamalitos and Guacamole, will bring to life this message by hosting storytelling sessions at select locations in California including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Fresno and Sacramento.
"Writing children's books transports me back to my own childhood," shared Argueta. "This partnership with TOMA LECHE is an opportunity to pass along our language and rich Latino traditions to young boys and girls everywhere. There's no better way to prepare for the day ahead than with a glass of milk and a bedtime story!"
To encourage families to practice the bedtime ritual, TOMA LECHE will be airing 30-second TV spots in the coming month that will prompt families to begin the nightly routine. Then, during his California storytelling tour, celebrated Salvadoran writer and poet Argueta will present some of his award-winning work and introduce seven bilingual milk-themed bedtime children's stories especially created for this campaign. These free downloadable stories available at www.otroscuentos.com include "Dante's Monstrous Monsters," "The Waves on the Moon," "Thirsty Carlitos," "A Day with Pedro," "Elena the Slurping Monkey," "Benito the Grumpy Elephant," "The Lake's Secret" and "White Downpour." The stories are also available for mobile users through the App Store, Google Play and through book donations made to select children's organizations throughout the state.
"Got Milk? is thrilled that Argueta has joined us in spreading this important bedtime message," said Steve James, Executive Director of the CMPB. "Milk has been a trusted sleep beverage for centuries. The amino-acid trypotophan naturally found in milk helps people relax and improve the quality of sleep which gives parents yet another reason to make sure it's part of kids' bedtime routine."
Just how much sleep is enough sleep for a school-aged child? The CDC recommends that children ages 6-12 should get between 10-11 hours of sleep nightly. Lack of sleep can affect a child's moodiness and lead to anxiety while continued sleep deprivation can cause impaired judgment, poor memory and diminished attention span in the classroom.
For more information, news, tips and bedtime stories, visit www.tomaleche.com, www.otroscuentos.com or like www.facebook.com/ElMaestroDelVasoMedioLleno.
About the CMPB
The California Milk Processor Board was established in 1993 to make milk more competitive and increase milk consumption in California. Awareness of GOT MILK? is over 90 percent nationally and it is considered one of the most important and successful campaigns in history. GOT MILK? is a federally registered trademark that has been licensed by the national dairy boards since 1995. The CMPB's Spanish-language campaign began in 1994 using the tagline "Familia, Amor y Leche" (Family, Love and Milk). The TOMA LECHE (Drink Milk) campaign replaced it in 2006, following a growing trend in Hispanic food advertising that uses wit and humor to reach audiences. GOT MILK? gifts and recipes can be viewed at www.gotmilk.com and www.tomaleche.com. The CMPB is funded by all California milk processors and administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
About Jorge Argueta
Jorge Tetl Argueta is a celebrated Salvadoran poet and writer whose bilingual children's books have received numerous awards. His poetry has appeared in several anthologies and textbooks. He is the 2013 International Latino Book Award Winner in the category of Best Children's Picture Book for his work on Guacamole. Argueta has also won the America's Book Award, among many other awards for his first collection of poems for children, A Movie in My Pillow. In 2005 he received the National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Gold Medal for Moony Luna/Luna, Lunita Lunera. Additional children's work by Argueta include: Xochitl and the Flowers, Trees are Hanging from the Sky, Zipitio, Talking with Mother Earth, The Little Hen in the City and The Fiesta of the Tortillas.
For more info on the author visit: www.jorgeargueta.com or follow Argueta on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jorge.t.argueta.3
Source: California Milk Processor Board