Help Your Kids Develop Healthy Habits
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), adults and kids are both at risk for heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. But kids also look to their parents to help them learn to be healthy. If you’re not sure how to help your family live a healthier life, follow these tips, developed by the AHA.
- Set specific goals and realistic limits. Don’t push your kids too far or emphasize winning. Kids need time to be kids too, and shouldn’t feel pressure to stay involved in activities or excessively train. If goals or limits are drastic, you’re setting your child up for failure.
- Find new ways to celebrate good behavior. Our culture has enough celebrations that focus around food. Reward your child with a new toy, a special outing, or some special “Mom” or “Dad” time together. Rewarding kids with food teaches them to turn to food for reasons other than hunger and nutrition.
- Make dinnertime a family time. Families who eat meals together at home consume more nutrients and less junk. Plus, it’s a chance for the whole family to connect, bond, and learn from each other.
- Make a game of reading food labels. Understanding food labels is an important skill for everyone to know. After learning how to as a family, challenge each other during your shopping trips to find the healthiest bread, cereal, snacks and more.
- Be an advocate for healthier children. Not every family has access to the health information that you do, and only through advocacy and support can other people benefit from your knowledge and skills. Get involved with planning the school’s lunches or snacks or physical activity requirements, for example.
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