When you’re a parent, it can seem impossible to juggle it all. With a hectic schedule and countless responsibilities, making healthy choices for yourself and your family isn’t easy.
But childhood obesity is on the rise, so it’s more important than ever to achieve healthy living. If you need a place to start, here are five smart parenting tips to make your kids healthy.
1. Stay on schedule
Has it been a while since your son had a checkup at the doctor’s office? Are your kids behind on vaccinations? It’s not hard to forget about appointments. Putting them off however, can be dangerous.
In order to keep your kids healthy, stop procrastinating and stay on schedule. Write down reminders in your calendar, date planner, cell phone, or any other place you’re sure to see it.
This will help you to stay on top of everything you need to.
2. Provide nutritional snacks
Sure, it’s easy to hand your kids a bag of chips and sit them down in front of the TV. Surprisingly, it can be just as easy to provide them with healthy snack options.
How long does it take to wash and cut an apple? Or grab a nutritious granola bar from the pantry? Many parents have gotten so used to grabbing junk that they forget how easy it is toserve nutritional snacks!
For healthier children, simply put a little more thought back into their snack foods.
3. Keep them active
With video games, tablets, and DVDs galore, it’s harder than ever to get your kids up off the couch. To make sure your kids are healthy, though, you’ll need to get them active.
Sign them up for an activity, like a basketball club, dance class, or parks program. Not only will they get to interact with other children their age, but they’ll be exercising in a fun way!
4. Don’t ignore health problems
Life isn’t always perfect. There will undoubtedly be times when someone in your family isn’t feeling well for one reason or another.
The important thing is to get help when you or your child experiences health issues. Why? It’s never a good idea to ignore health problems.
In fact, it can make things much worse in the long run. So to keep your kids healthy, make smart decisions and know when to reach out for help.
5. Teach good habits
In order for your kids to live a healthier life, you’ll need to teach them good habits. This can include brushing their teeth after every meal, wearing sunscreen during the summer months, washing their hands regularly, and not overeating.
Remember, it is best to lead by example. Be sure to incorporate healthy habits into your life and the lives of your children. It will benefit the overall health of your family.
Originally posted on November 4, 2013 @ 7:17 pm