10 Simple Lifestyle Changes For Raising Healthy Kids
1. Limit Television, Computer, and Gaming Time.
Kids tend to be addicted to playing video games or watching their favorite shows. They can keep doing so for hours. Therefore, it is important to limit the time they use to do these things. Furthermore, it is a proven fact that kids who tend to sit around all day in front of screens tend to get more obese faster as oppose to an active kid.
2. Spend Quality Time.
Spending quality time with your children can mean a lot to them and will make them more willing to try something new if parents are encouraging them. Try to promote long, hilly hikes and intense bike rides. Do some outdoorsy activities that they would not do on an average day.
3. Engage Them.
Although many children dislike doing chores it is a good way to keep them distracted and help parents around the house. Also, doing chores will give them a sense of responsibility and keep them away from trouble and things they shouldn’t be doing.
4. Compulsory Playing Time.
Kids joining a sport they enjoy is a great way to meet new people and get a good deal of exercise. It was teach kids a valuable lesson on how to be a team player and cooperate with other kids in a mannerly fashion.
5. Take A Walk Rather Than Take A Car.
If you have to grab something from a store nearby don’t always take the car. Grab your kids and take them with you for a walk to the store. That is a great way to promote some movement in your kids if they don’t do much. Alternatively, bribe them, if they want ice cream, they have to walk there and get it.
6. No Homework Right after School.
Don’t promote your kids to do their homework right after school. Allow them to go do some fun activities outdoors with their friends. It is important that kids stay active after school and before dinner.
7. Allow them to Express.
Don’t try to decide what your child gets to wear or not. Of course lay down ground rules, but decide their whole wardrobe for them. Allow the child to pick what he/she wants, that way they can express their sense of style. Don’t always go choosing things to do, signing up for events without their consultation. Their opinion about the stuff is the most important since they are going to be the ones enduring them.
8. Feed them Healthy Foods.
Eating healthy is very important, it can prevent many future diseases and injuries. Don’t allow you kids to eat chips, candy, ice cream, etc. all day. Limit them to a limited serving at a certain time once in a while, every day is not good. Also, try mixing it up! Mix up variety of fruits in the mixer and add a scoop of ice cream in it, Or give them celery with melted chocolate, apples with peanut butter. There are so many options; you just have to take the time to find them.
9. Listen to them.
When you child comes home from school listen to what he/she have to say. Don’t cut them off because of your own business. Allow them the chance to say what they need to say, who knows you might find out something new. If you don’t listen to what your children have to say, that might put a distance between you and your child, it can have quite an emotional effect.
10. Allow Your Children Some Space And Independence.
Allow your child some independence, that does not mean that it is okay for them to leave uninformed or come home late it just means don’t be all over their space. If you child want to go to hang out with his/her friends in the park don’t always tag along, or if they are playing video games in the living room, don’t sit there and watch their every move. It is okay if your child wants to do things alone, they are growing up, and you should expect changes.
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