Being a parent implies many different things and one of the most important ones is to teach by example. Even though teaching kids to adopt healthy habits may seem like an uphill battle right now don’t give up, be persistent and it will pay off.
Let’s see what healthy habits you, as a parent, can start teaching your kids while they are still young.
1. Positive thinking
All kids are different but the one thing most of them have in common is getting disappointed and discouraged when things don’t go their way. Your job as their parent is to teach them not to give up and to stay positive.
Encourage your children to develop a positive attitude, praise them, and tell them that they are capable and in that way help them build resilience and develop healthy self-esteem.
2. Healthy eating habits
This is just another thing that you can teach your children by example. Teach them very early on that regularly eating a well-balanced diet is very important. Tell them that they can like something more or less, but that everything needs to be eaten.
Teach them the importance of nutrition for a healthy life. Also, they should know all about eating intervals – breakfast is important and it should never be skipped! Snacking is allowed but as long as the snacks are healthy.
Don’t forget to tell them about the dangers of junk food and drinks – frequent consumption of junk food can lead to many different health issues over time.
3. Dental hygiene
One of the most important healthy habits that you can teach your kids is to take proper care of their dental hygiene. Teaching them from an early age the importance of healthy teeth and overall oral health can only benefit them later in life.
Start by teaching them how to brush their teeth, how to floss, and before all teach them to regularly visit the dentist. Never skip taking your child to their first dental appointment. Taking your kids to the dentist from the start will prevent them from developing the fear of the dentist.
A good kids’ dentist will show you how to teach your child all about dental and oral hygiene, they will also advise you to regularly visit their office in order to prevent any potential problems in the future.
4. Physical activity
Physical activity is something that every parent should try to incorporate in their child’s life. It’s a good way to do something together as a family and at the same time teach your kids the importance of being active.
There are many physical activities and exercises that you can do together – from hiking to swimming. Find something all of you enjoy and try to make it a habit.
5. Limited screen time
Exposure to the digital world can be both positive and negative. It’s ok to teach your kids how to use digital media such as television, computer, and smartphones. However, it’s the amount of time they spend exposed to it that should be carefully managed by parents.
Don’t allow your kids to become addicted to screen, learn to limit their media use. Set boundaries and teach them that the overuse of media is not healthy.
If you let these limits get blurred you risk your child’s overall well-being – too much exposure and immersion in the digital world can lead to social distancing, lack of sleep, and exercise, to name a few.
6. Reading time
Many parents make a huge mistake by not teaching their children to enjoy reading in time. The sooner you start reading to your child the better. Reading books can become a before the bed ritual for you and your kid.
Make reading books a regular thing – if you start reading to your child as a baby you will help them form connections in their brain early on. These connections will play an important role in your child’s development, plus it will make them fall in love with books while they are still young.
Your child looks up to you, so be sure that you set a good example. Help them develop healthy habits while they are still young and in that way, you’ll be making sure that they have lifelong benefits.
