As a parent, you want your children to grow up and make healthy choices.
It is important to start early and teach them the right way to live. This includes making good nutritional choices, getting enough exercise, and getting enough sleep. Parents need to set a good example for their kids.
They can’t just tell them what to do – they need to show them by practicing healthy habits themselves. There are many ways to develop healthy habits – consider the following tips!
- Nutrition
Make sure your kids are getting proper nutrition. Nutrition can set the groundwork and foundation for your child's health for the rest of their life. This means providing them with healthy food options and teaching them how to make good choices. At some point, they will start to understand and continually implement healthy eating habits throughout their life.
A great way to start instilling proper nutrition in their lives is by making it a natural process in their routine, while also being something that they can look forward to. Imagine being a kid and being served boring, 'healthy' food that you're forced to eat. However, if you make it fun and let them help with the process, they will be more inclined to eat it and like it.
A great to do this is to have them help you cook and shop for groceries. You can also get them involved in growing food. Let them plant a little herb garden or help you water the plants in your yard.
Not only will they be getting exercise, but they'll also have a sense of responsibility and ownership over their food.
2. Physical Activity
Regarding exercise, being physically active doesn't just make you look pretty--it's essential for healthy development for your child. Childhood obesity is a problem in the U.S., with about one out of five kids considered obese. This number has more than tripled since the 1970s.
That's a lot of kids carrying around extra weight that could lead to health problems later in life, such as type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
You can help your kids avoid this by ensuring that they get enough exercise. This can be done in a number of ways.
You can sign them up for sports teams or classes, such as dance, karate, or swimming. Or you can encourage them to be active with you by going on walks, bike rides, or hikes together.
Making physical activity a family affair is a great way to get everyone moving and also spend quality time together. Again, doing things that lead to positive reinforcements through fun and creative activities can get your kids excited and ready to go out the front door!
3. Sleep
Make sure your kids are getting enough sleep. Just as our bodies are important, so are our minds. Sleep can impact every aspect of our lives, especially the lives of our little one's by affecting their mood, health, behavior, and ability to learn. Plus, part of their mental development is done by getting their proper rest--which is key to setting them up with an awesome foundation for their life.
Most children need between nine and twelve hours of sleep every night--which as a parent, we all know can be quite tricky! They may want to stay up late to play games, or watch YouTube, or even, can't fall asleep because they're too energetic.
A few things you can do to help is to limit their caffeine intake, especially later in the day. Also including healthy habit #2, physical activity, can help your wild one use up any extra energy they have, making it easier for them to fall asleep.
You can also establish a bedtime routine that includes winding down activities an hour before they sleep. This could be reading a book, taking a bath, or writing in a journal. Whatever it is, make sure it's something that relaxes them and gets their minds ready for sleep.
When they have a set routine, their minds and bodies will know it's time to sleep, and they'll be more likely to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep throughout the night.
Developing healthy habits is essential for kids. It's never too early to start. By teaching them proper nutrition, getting them involved in physical activity, and making sure they're getting enough sleep, you're giving them the tools they need to lead a healthy and happy life.
What other healthy habits do you think are important for kids? Let us know in the comments below!
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These are just a few tips to help you get started on teaching your children how to live healthy lives!