As much as we might like to, we can’t protect our kids from every bump or scrape. But I think it’s safe to say that we all want to raise active healthy kids. But if we want our kids to have the best chance of a healthy lifestyle, we’ve got to teach them the right mindset and habits now to take with them into adulthood.
Healthy kids ~ five ways to help raise healthy kids.
- Practice what you preach. Kids learn by example. You can’t ask your kids to do things you don’t do. You can’t ask them to eat all their veggies if you never do. And you can’t teach them the health benefits of exercise if you never get any exercise yourself. Pay attention to what you say about yourself, too. Positive self-talk and kind words about your body teach your kids to have a healthy body image.
- Make meal time a learning time. Teach your kids to know what their eating. Ask them to look at their plate and tell you which food is a protein or a carb. Talk about how you need carbs for energy and how proteins help your muscles work. Teach them how their food provides fuel for their body.
- Put yourself first. Make a family whiteboard and hang it somewhere everyone can see it. Put everyone’s schedule on it for the entire week. If your kids see: “Mom is working out from 9am to 10am” they know that’s not a good time to ask for anything. Teach them to respect your time. When your kids see you prioritizing your health, they learn to do the same. Sacrificing our needs for the sake of our kids only teaches our kids that we don’t value ourselves. When you take care of yourself, you’re better equipped to take care of your kids — mentally and physically.
- Be active together as a family. The most important workout is the one you actually do. If you don’t like something, you probably won’t do it, and you definitely won’t stick with it. Find an exercise you love to do and encourage your kids to do the same. Get active as a whole family. Have a goal to move more and be active every day. Go for a hike, swim or bike, or try something new like dance. If your kids learn that exercise time can be fun time they’ll be more excited about doing it.
- Get your kids involved in sports. Let your kids pick a sport to try and experiment to find the one they like. If team sports aren’t for them, how about individual sports like swimming, gymnastics, fencing, cheerleading or dance? Sports show kids to believe in their bodies and what their bodies can do, take care of their health, learn leadership skills and work as a team. Kids learn about winning and losing. Sports teach skills that can last a lifetime.
What tips do you have to raise healthy kids? I would love to hear about it in the comments below.
Love all of the advice. I bet every parents should know this. Being outside and doing activities together is always the best choice to spend time together. Thanks a lot for sharing.
I love all these tips. thanks for sharing 🙂
my kids are 3years old, I always teach them to say hello, goodbye, sorry and thank you in every situation. they have to do all the things that they can do by themself and they love running outside with me every Sunday morning. i’m so proud of them xD
I love all of the tips, great suggestions about the hiking part.
I love all of the tips, great suggestions about the hiking part.
I love these tips – especially the ones about setting an example. It’s so important for us to set an example in what we eat and do on a daily basis. Kids are constantly watching and learning from us after all.
We like to add some yard work or outside time into every day; my son loves going out into the yard and helping me cut branches, or doing something else active. I like the example that this sets for him.
These are great ideas! My kids love to be out in the garden with me. It seems like whatever they have a part in growing, they also want a part in eating 🙂
My niece has just started to learn to cook…. its been a learning experience for her and I to eat healthily! Its been great both spending time together and setting up good skills for later in life!
These are all important standards for helping raise healthy kids. I still have a really hard time with #3. It’s my biggest struggle.
All great tips. Especially put yourself first. I work with clients that too often feel guilty for taking time to workout or do anything thing for themselves.
These are awesome tips! Something that my parents did that was awesome in the long run was that we ate what they ate. No other options available!
Amen to practice what you preach! It’s so easy to tell kids to do something but they wont always listen if they don’t see it in practice!
I love all of these suggestions. I love to get out and be active with my kids, not just have them be active!
Doing your best to raise happy healthy kids is so important. I love the tip that says, make time for yourself. Without a happy mommy, how can they be happy too.
Being active is SO important! My husband and I don’t have children, but these are such great tips 🙂
My kids are definitely super active but we could use help in the veggie eating department. 🙂 I guess I need to lead by example.
I need to remember to put myself first.. I always put everyone else first.. but its so true you can only raise healthy kids if you show them they have to love them selves and take care of them selves by putting them selves first and they will only learn this if they see you do it too…
It is so important for kids to see parents taking care of themselves and engaging in their own pursuits.
Start socializing while still very young. Kids need to learn how to play and share with other kids. It’s a learning process and can’t be pushed.
I am so pro sports! I loved being an active kid, plus it makes them tired and hungry at the end of the day haha. Great and informative post
Your last point makes me remember that it took several tries to figure out what the kids liked. Eventually they honed in on their interests though!
I love that you said put yourself first. Though I have no human kids, this is so important to take good care of YOU
what a great list! I need to put me into our schedule as I don’t get to do the things I need to do when I don’t do that
I love the “Put yourself first.” I don’t see this as selfish. If you don’t take care of yourself, you have nothing to give back.
These are all great ideas! I really like the one about being active as a family.
Lory
http://www.therobinsnestdesigns.com
This is a great list. We make it a priority to do activities together as a family even if it’s just a walk around the block.
Your list is great! We try to be outside and moving as much as possible.
We do, too! It definitely keeps us happy in addition to keeping us healthy!
Loving all of your suggestions. We try to do a lot of activities together. We hike a lot, ride bikes and just get out there as much as possible.