The one way to ensure your kids live a healthy lifestyle is to teach them. It’s our responsibility as parents to ensure our children grow up with the right frame of mind so that they can continue to make the right health choices when they leave the house, and subsequently teach their kids. So how do you teach them?
The most effective way to teach your kids to live a healthy lifestyle is by example. If you, yourself don’t know what healthy living entails, how can you teach them or expect them to be healthy? There are three main areas to focus on to ensure the whole family is healthy:
Food and diet
If any of your kids have food allergies – wheat, nuts, dairy, gluten, etc. – then you may already be clued up about healthy diets for children. If not, why not visit a nutritionist for some advice on the best healthy diet for your kids? Try to limit their intake of fizzy drinks and junk food, and get them to enjoy vegetables by cooking them into a delicious stew or pie.
Exercise and physical activity
For this one, you don’t necessarily have to take the kids to gym with you; simply get them on their bicycles to ride alongside you while you jog, or initiate a game of soccer in the backyard. The best way to get the kids moving is to create the habit, which requires scheduling a physical activity three to four times a week. If they grow up with the habit of exercising at 16:00 every day, chances are they will make time for exercise or gym when they’re adults too. Your medical scheme encourages family health, so make good on their advice and guidelines.
Sound sleeping
If you don’t want your kids to learn bad sleep behaviour, then don’t fall asleep in front of the TV or sleep at random times. If you have trouble getting your kids into bed and lights-out by (say) 20:00, then turn it into a little healthy competition: “The first one to sleep through to tomorrow morning gets to ride in the front seat on the way to school,” or to open the new packet of cereal, etc.
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