Healthy Habits: How Parents Can Lead By Example

February 27, 2019



Parents need to encourage their kids to eat right, exercise and take care of their mental health. Thankfully, a child’s brain is like a sponge and it absorbs information at a rapid rate. The only problem is that you may not set the example you want to your children. After all, they can pick up habits which are unhealthy and don’t set them up for the future.

As a role model, it’s essential to focus on the good stuff and keep the bad things at bay. How can you do that when they are constantly learning and watching? The answers are underneath for anybody who needs inspiration.

Cut Out Cigarettes And Alcohol

Although they are legal, cigarettes and alcohol are two of the biggest killers on the planet. Along with heart disease and strokes, they account for lots of deaths. Even worse, it’s easy for young people to become addicted as they view them as cool and, therefore, abuse the substances. While MAT is helpful, the best cure is prevention which is why you shouldn’t drink in certain circumstances. For example, don’t say you’re stressed and unscrew a bottle of wine. All it does is to teach kids to relate tension to alcohol and it’s a very dangerous path.

Work Out Together

Children need visual cues; otherwise, they struggle to see the full picture. With that in mind, stop preaching about the virtues of exercise and show them instead. Working out together is an excellent way to encourage them to exercise regularly. Not only will they understand the importance of it, but they will start to enjoy the process. To reinforce the enjoyment element, you need to ensure it’s fun or else they’ll get bored. So, focus on the things they like to do such as soccer or basketball and instill some light-hearted yet challenging competition to the mix.



Invite Them Into The Kitchen

Kids, especially young ones, are vulnerable to pretty much everything. As a parent, your job is to keep them safe which is why you don’t like them in the kitchen. With pointy edges and red hot surfaces, it’s a deathtrap. However, banishing them from the area means they don’t develop an understanding or love for food. By inviting them to cook and prepare their meals, you can teach them about healthy recipes. Plus, they’ll enjoy the activity so much that they’ll feel compelled to cook from scratch. This is important as the key to a healthy diet is fresh produce.

Vent

The idea of losing your temper isn’t a nice one as you want to come across as cool, calm and collected. On the flip side, there’s a good chance you will teach the kids to bottle up their emotions. When this happens, the stress builds and eventually boils over. Of course, yelling or crying may scar them so try and manage your anger until you’re in a controlled space. A boxing gym, for example, is the perfect place to let loose.

Parents have to make decisions based on the kids’ best interests. Hopefully, these will offer inspiration.

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