Your children’s after-school activities coupled with an endless list of chores can make focusing on healthy habits for your family challenging. But, if you put in the time to model and focus on healthy habits, you will reap the benefits of healthier and happier children in the near and long term.
The most effective way to promote healthy habits is to model them yourself. According to the
National Institutes of Health (NIH), your everyday behavior also plays a big part in shaping your child’s behavior.
Think of the following five ideas as two-for-one habits. As your children follow your lead in creating healthy sleeping, eating and activity habits, you will become healthier and happier together. Ready for a healthier family? Here are five ways to guide you and your family toward improved well-being.
5 Healthy Habits for Kids & Parents
1. Get active
The
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that children ages six through 17 get at least 60 minutes of activity daily. The list of benefits of being active is long and persuasive. It includes improved school performance, reduced risk of depression, improved blood sugar and metabolic health, better weight management and strong muscles and bones.
Unfortunately,
only about 25% of kids get enough physical activity. Planning family activities such as
bike rides,
hikes,
swimming at the pool or beach or just walking the dog daily can encourage your children to get active. If biking or hiking is not their thing, let them try a variety of sports until they find the activity they enjoy.
2. Limit screen time
Another way to encourage them to get active, and also improve their social skills and school work is to limit
screen time. Depending on how old your child is, interacting online may be unavoidable, but setting limits, even if they don’t want them, will help them in the long run – whether they realize it or not.
Too much screen time has been
linked to obesity, behavior problems, poor school performance, sleep problems, and violence. Experts suggest creating a family media plan that may include guidelines on screen-free zones, screen-free times, appropriate content and internet safety and privacy. And again, modeling good behavior by not driving and texting or using your device at family meals or activities can go a long way in promoting healthy and appropriate screen use.
3. Eat breakfast
This may be the easiest habit to encourage. Start your children’s day off right with a healthy breakfast every day or most days this year.
Studies show that kids who eat a healthy breakfast tend to eat healthier throughout the day and have a lower risk of obesity. Additionally, a good breakfast may help your kids get better test scores and improve their focus and attention.
If you can eat breakfast together as a family in the mornings, that will encourage your children not to skip this important meal. Other ways to encourage eating healthy meals before school include going to bed and waking up earlier, preparing
breakfast the night before and having a variety of grab-n-go options such as a bagel and cream cheese,
homemade muffins, yogurt,
breakfast bars or hard-boiled eggs.
4. Read
Imagine if your children spent as much time reading as they do scrolling on their devices. We know it’s not likely, but still, a parent can dream. On the other hand, reading is a great way to minimize time online. It’s also a great way to improve your vocabulary, learn about cultures and time periods, relieve stress and help you sleep better.
Let your child pick age-appropriate books or topics they like to encourage a daily reading habit. This way, reading feels less like a chore or assignment and more like a fun activity. Consider starting a family book club where everyone reads and discusses the same book.
5. Make sleep a priority
Teenagers need between eight and 10 hours of sleep a day, and pre-teens need nine to 12. Guess how many kids get the amount of sleep they need?
Only about a quarter of kids get the sleep they need to rest and recharge.
Lack of sleep can make your kid more than just groggy and grumpy. Not getting enough sleep can lead to mood swings, depression, inattentiveness and weight gain. You can help your child sleep more by doing the following:
- Turning off devices an hour before bed
- Encouraging them to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
- Limit caffeine
- Encourage them to do their homework earlier rather than later
The earlier you establish healthy habits for yourself and your family, the more likely it will be for your children to take these good habits into their adulthood. Don’t let a busy schedule prevent you from establishing healthy habits for you and your family. The time and effort will pay off big time.
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