Parents have several different jobs to do when it comes to their children, and one of them – one of the most important – is to keep them fit and healthy. A healthy child who understands how to maintain a good lifestyle and why it is so essential will become a healthy adult, which is so important. They will then pass their knowledge down to the next generation and so on, ensuring that more people can live longer and happier. Here are some ways to instill that information in your children so that they understand and remember.
Photo by Kamaji Ogino from Pexels
Less Tech
Although those screens can be important in terms of education, and they are fun when you look at the games and apps that you can enjoy, they shouldn’t be used all the time. Some screen time is fine, but it needs to be curtailed when it becomes too much and is to the detriment of going outside, spending time with their family, or getting exercise.
As a parent, it is down to you to set the rules, and therefore you should decide on a specific amount of screen time and make sure that the rules are enforced. Remember that you will also need to stick to these rules yourself in order to set a good example, but that’s no bad thing – it is easy to become addicted to screens and social media, so if you can stop using so much of it as well, then it’s better for everyone. Recent studies shows that an average screen time per day is 5 hours and it’s a huge amount of time that can be allocated with some fun activities with your kids.
Get Them Involved
There will come times when your children complain that they are bored, and ideally, they should be able to find things for themselves to do, but you can also take advantage of this ‘boredom’ and encourage them to do chores around the house. When it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, living in a clean home is paramount, and therefore learning how to use the vacuum cleaner, how to dust, how to do laundry and put clothes away, and other tasks that need to be completed around the house can be extremely useful.
Helping with food preparation is also a good thing to involve children with. A child who understands what has gone into their food and who has helped to create the dish is far more likely to eat it, and this can be a great way of ensuring your children eat well.
Eat A Balanced Diet
As the old adage goes, you are what you eat, thus you must educate your children on how to eat a well-balanced diet. Along with adopting healthy choices, such as including nutrient-dense foods in family dinners, there are other ways to make nutrition a fun family activity. Try any of these ideas to educate your children on the value of adequate nutrition:
- Allow your children to choose fruits and vegetables at the grocery store.
- Allow your children to assist you in the kitchen while you prepare meals.
- Teach kids to read and understand nutrition labels.
- Have fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds on hand for healthy snack options.
- Reduce your consumption of fast food.
- Try sparkling water in place of sodas and juices.
- Teach your children how to eat in moderation.
Be creative in preparing nutritious recipes so your children will always be excited to eat every meal. Gently introduce new foods regularly. This will help you incorporate all the nutrients your child can easily consume. You can provide them with various fruits, lean proteins, vegetables, and whole grains for a well-balanced meal.
Don’t Let Food Become A Reward
Food as a reward, such as chocolate for finishing their homework, or a cookie for tidying their room, can be an easy habit to fall into, but although you might feel you are treating them and being kind, it could be that this habit follows them into adulthood, and means that they are less healthy than they could and should be. They will always associate good deeds with food that is bad for them, and when they are the ones who are in control of their own rewards, they may choose to give them to themselves much more freely.
Practice Good Hygiene
Developing good personal hygiene practices is essential for limiting the transmission of germs and keeping healthy, so it’s a crucial skill to teach your children. It’s the very least they can do to keep themselves healthy and to help others around them too. Keep in mind to mention the following characteristics of cleanliness when teaching them what they need to do:
- Thorough regular bathing – daily is ideal, although this can be a flexible schedule sometimes
- Cleaning your teeth
- Washing your hands
- Regularly visiting a dental expert like this dentist who does dental bondings and fillings in Harrisburg
- When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth
- Cleaning your clothing
- Cleaning your bed linen
The ideal way to educate your children about these personal hygiene recommendations is to participate in these activities together. That way, they can see exactly what needs to be done, and you’ll also be teaching them responsibility as they’ll understand more about household chores and tasks.
Have A Good Bedtime Routine
Routines help children flourish, which comes in handy when it’s time to sleep. That’s because establishing a consistent bedtime routine can be a game-changer in terms of providing your children the rest they need.
According to research, getting enough sleep provides many advantages for children and teenagers. Attention, memory, and behavior are often mentioned. However, many areas of children’s mental and physical health have been found to improve when they receive adequate sleep.
But, how much sleep is enough? The quantities recommended differ depending on the age group. A child between three and five years would benefit from ten to 13 hours of sleep, for example, whereas a child between 14 and 18 will need between eight and ten hours of sleep. Try to establish a nightly routine to assist them in meeting their daily sleep requirements.
Make the hour before bedtime caring and quiet for young children. Bathing, dimming the lights, and reading a story or two will help youngsters move from playing to sleep. Don’t forget that consistency is essential for healthy nighttime rituals.
Regular bedtimes are also beneficial to older children and teenagers. Going to bed at the same time every night helps your adolescent get adequate sleep. Teens should also switch off electronic devices thirty minutes to an hour before going to bed. Blue light from phones, tablets, and TV displays makes it difficult for the brain to relax before bed.
Lead By Example
The best way any parent can teach their children about leading a healthy lifestyle is to lead by example. Children will always be perceptive when watching and listening to their parents, even when you don’t realize they are watching and listening. Therefore, exercising regularly, eating well, going outside as much as possible, and researching quotes about Tuesday to boost your positivity levels shouldn’t just be something you encourage your child to do – you should do it too.
