As a parent, making sure your child stays healthy is your main concern. There are certain things you can do to set them up for a healthy lifestyle. Encouraging a healthy routine in childhood can set them up for a healthy rest of their life. Read on for our tips about promoting a healthy lifestyle in your child’s everyday life.
Table of Contents
1. Lead an Active Lifestyle
Although this might seem like an obvious one, it’s important enough to be included on this list. It is much easier for children to pick up active hobbies when they are younger and continue them into adulthood, versus figuring out how to be active when they are older. Putting them in sports and outdoor activities not only gets them interested in being more active, but also has many other health benefits and will help them sleep at night. Getting in an active routine as a family is beneficial for everyone. For example, going for evening walks together or finding an outdoor activity that everyone enjoys can be great bonding time as well as a good example for them as how to live a healthy lifestyle. Everyday things such as walking instead of driving to close places or limiting your own screen time can also be a great example of healthy living to them.
2. Encourage Healthy Food Choices
Another important part of your child’s health are the various types of food they eat everyday. Although everything is fine in moderation, they need to be taught healthy nutritional balance when it comes to their diet. One of the best ways to teach them about proper nutrition is to model it yourself as their parent. It will be more difficult to get them to eat fruits and vegetables if not everyone else in their family is doing the same. Getting them involved in the meal planning process can be a fun activity that can also get them more interested in healthy eating.
3. Frequent Wellness Visits
It is important to catch any health issues as soon as possible, which is why parents need to stick to the recommended well child visit schedule. Finding a pediatrician that is a good fit for you and your child can make these visits much more enjoyable and useful. A pediatrician that they are comfortable with can allow for them to open up more about how they are doing and give the doctor a better understanding of who they are. If you are unhappy with their current pediatrician, it may be time to find a new one. You can start your search by asking friends in your area with children if they have a recommendation on doctors nearby. If they don’t you can start by searching online for doctors. For example, if you search ‘pediatrics in Warrenton’ you will get a list of offices nearby with their reviews listed to go through.
4. Mental Health Check-Ins
Setting aside time everyday to ask your child about their day can be one of the best ways to make sure they are doing okay. This can be done after school, at dinner or before their bedtime depending on when they are most likely to open up. Being an active listener during this time and asking in depth questions about how things make them feel can give you better insight to how they are doing. Make sure to bring up any concerns with your pediatrician who can always refer you to a therapist or specialist.
By reading this article it shows that you are a good parent that prioritizes your child’s health and well being. Hopefully, this list gives you a reminder of what you can be doing to encourage your child to live a healthy life. Doing these things now is setting them up for a healthy adulthood and will greatly benefit them now and in the future.
