Looking back in hindsight, don’t you think it’s rather remarkable how things have changed since our childhood? The way we spent our free time is totally different from how our kids do today. The activities we enjoyed being a part of, don’t fancy our kids at all. While most changes are inevitable and are a part and parcel of the dynamic times, not all contribute positively to the emotional, mental and physical well-being of our little ones! It is, therefore, important that you instill the right values in your child from a very early age. You must try and bring about the right balance that he needs in his life to grow up to become a healthy and responsible human being. Here are five ways you can teach your child healthy habits that will stay with him all his life:
- Set A Strict Routine And Guidelines – Though every parent in the world loves to spoil their kids silly, it is important to know where to draw the line! You must make it a point to set strict guidelines for your child to follow as far as his sleep, meal, study and play timings are concerned. Doing this will help your kid grow up to be more disciplined and structured. You should also be very particular about ensuring that everyone in your family eats their meals together. Avoid giving in to your child’s requests of staying up late in the nights to watch TV or play games on his Playstation. Lack of sleep can make him irritable and even impact his attention span and performance at school.
- Encourage Healthy Eating – Kids can be extremely fussy eaters! Getting them to eat healthy can be quite a challenge, especially when the advertisements of tempting (and unhealthy) foods all over TV and the city billboards engulf them! Though once in a while it is alright to let your child give in to the temptation of fast foods, you should avoid letting him overindulge in such meals on a regular basis. Include a mix of all food groups in your child’s diet and try to make his meals more interesting by experimenting with new and exotic recipes often. Take your child along when you go shopping for groceries to the supermarket and let him pick out his choice of veggies and fruits. This will reduce your child’s resistance to foods and prevent mealtime from becoming a horror story, both for you and him. You can also involve your child in the process of cooking to increase his enthusiasm about mealtime.
- Promote Outdoor Play – Outdoor activities like sports and adventure go far beyond contributing to the physical development of your child. These activities also help benefit his emotional and mental health. They help encourage the traits of persistence, team spirit, self-esteem and social skills in your kid. What’s even better is that outdoor physical activities contribute to your child’s peaceful sleep at night and thus help improve his attention span at the school. Enroll your child in his choice of sports and adventure training like soccer, tennis, horse riding, rock climbing, archery, kayaking, etc.
- Limit Technology Time – Almost every public place you go to – whether it is a restaurant or a park, you’ll see just about everyone’s head bent down, looking into their smartphones. Doesn’t it make you miss the old times when people would actually converse with each other in person, rather than conversing over texts? Even kids these days walk about flaunting their expensive smartphones and tablets. They spend hours playing video games and watching TV, caring little about the other important things. Though technology can be a great learning tool, if misused, it can lead to many physical and developmental issues in your child like obesity, poor eyesight, and mental stagnation, too. Set fixed timings for your child to use gadgets and constantly monitor his exposure to various media.
- Be A Good Role Model – In order to ensure that your child enjoys a healthy life, you must set an example for the same. Model ideal behavior in terms of your eating habits, social etiquettes, sleep schedule and value system. Before indulging in any behavior or activity, ask yourself this question – “would I want my child to follow the same path now or in future?” Remember that your child looks up to you and seeks your guidance in everything he does. It is, therefore, important that you teach him good habits by practicing them yourself first.
In addition to these tips, make sure you spend quality time with your child and ask him about every little detail of his life. Appreciate and encourage his good behavior and don’t shy away from reprimanding him when he seems to go off track. The strong foundation that you lay for your child today is what will determine his future!
Author Bio
Aradhana is from India. She is a veteran writer on topics concerning parenting, child nutrition, wellness, health and lifestyle. As a regular contributor to popular sites like Huffington Post, Natural news, Elephant journal, Thehealthsite, Naturally Savvy, Curejoy and MomJunction.com. Aradhana writes to inspire and motivate people to adopt healthy habits and live a stress-free lifestyle.
