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Most adults understand the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, but kids must be taught healthy habits from an early age. It may seem difficult to instill healthy habits in your children, but helping them develop crucial skills now will set them up to be healthier adults. YBL Goods shares these four habits to encourage your kids to be healthy.
Show Them How to Practice Self-Care
Self-care is important for people of all ages because it helps them reduce stress and rejuvenate so they can tackle life. Kids don't understand how self-care prevents burnout, so you must model it. Make time to take a warm bubble bath each night and explain to your children that the activity helps you unwind from the day and get a good night's sleep. Try a new hobby and show your kids that relaxing is a good thing. Find ways your children can start practicing self-care and help them make it a priority.
Model Consistent Exercising
Daily exercise is crucial for staying healthy. Your kids don't need to work out and lift weights every day, but finding fun ways to exercise gets them into the habit of moving every day. Sign your children up for a dance class or encourage them to participate in sports. Give them plenty of time to play in the backyard on a trampoline or playground. If it's storming and your kids can't get outside, make an indoor obstacle course or take them to a local indoor playground. Teach them yoga or have a dance party in your living room. You can also start taking family walks every evening to get your kids in the habit of exercising together. One study found that only 24% of children between the ages of 6 and 17 get at least 60 minutes of daily activity, so instilling this habit in your kids is important.
Offer Healthy Meals and Snacks
As a parent, you choose which foods you serve to your kids. When making your grocery list each week, plan to serve healthy meals and snacks so that your kids stay full and get all the nutrients they need to grow. Make sure you offer a diet rich in lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. You should also strive for a varied diet with foods from different seasons served each day of the week. Serving too much of a single food can be detrimental to the health of your kids. Sometimes processed snacks are more convenient, but try to limit their consumption.
Help Develop Leadership Skills
One of the top ways kids learn is by watching the adults in their lives. Model good leadership skills so that your kids will learn how to live with integrity and honor. You want them to motivate people and make healthy choices. If your children have good leadership skills, they are less likely to be tempted to experiment with drugs, so they can live a much healthier life if they stay away from these potentially addictive substances. Helping your kids develop leadership skills also prepares them for dynamic careers as adults.
If you instill healthy habits in your kids from an early age, they are less likely to fight you on a healthy lifestyle as they get older. Turn a healthy lifestyle into a family affair by using these tips.
Written by: Amanda Henderson