Health And Kids: Teach Them To Be Healthy

Teaching kids about health and healthy living involves two key components. The first component is to teach kids about healthy lifestyles. The second component is to model a healthy lifestyle in your own choices and behaviors.

Healthy Eating

Childhood obesity is rising and is as high as we have ever seen. This means that parents should make good healthy food choices when selecting meals to select from. Kids can make good choices at home when eating as well as when it is time to eat out at their favorite restaurant. Protein is a vital important part of a healthy diet. This would mean poultry, meats and fish which all contain very high levels of protein. Teaching our kids that protein works like gas in a train and it is needed for the vehicle to run properly.

Kids can also learn about the healthy choices when choosing side dishes as well. Another important role in the lids diet is carbohydrates. Teaching them which carbs are bad and good is essential when making good healthy decisions. Other sources which are great are fruits and vegetables which are great sources for them to eat. Potatoes, rice, even pasta are good. But the best choices are in the whole grain family. Proper servings for these foods are about 1 cup. Show your children how much a cup really is which is the very best visual to help them understand about food portions.

Please not that some fats should be included in our diet. Do not get rid of them as a whole. I am not a big fan of sugars, but some sugar is ok just don’t let your children over indulge.

The Path To Good Health Is Exercise

Back when we were kids, we used to play outdoors until our parents called us to come inside. Safety is the concern of today’s parent which is why most kids are not outside playing with their friends. Parents are becoming even busier and most households that have two parents usually work outside the home in which scheduling needs to be penciled. There just isn’t enough time made for extra activities.

Kids these days are frequently into gaming, computer time, or watching tv. I have found that there are some innovative videos games that actually deal with healthy activities while playing. This is great for using games as a healthy activity.

One of the best ways to teach children about healthy exercise is to engage them in healthy, fun activities.

Let’s get our kids back outside to playing the old fashion way by using the swings and slides, chasing one another, and playing the old game of tag. This alone will get the heart pumping. Skating and jumping rope as well as riding a bike and walks in the park will ensure healthy habits.

Healthy Hygiene

Taking a bath as a child is very fun especially when toys and bubbles are involved. But as the child grows, most grow to a stage where they will need to be monitored when concerning their bathing habits because they either will become lazy or not bathe at all.

Both girls and boys hit a point where getting them to take a bath or a shower is something akin to torture. Then they emerge from the bathroom barely wet with dry hair, dirty fingernails, and re-dressed in the same clothes. They seem unaware that they need to develop good hygiene habits so they don’t smell bad and get teased by classmates. As the caregiver, you need to teach them how to wash properly.

You need to teach your children how to thoroughly wet and soap up a washcloth and wash each body part thoroughly. It’s best to start teaching them these skills when they are as young as possible so they will argue less about it when they reach their anti-bathing stage. You also need to instruct them about washing between their toes, behind their ears, and in other body crevices. In addition, you should show them how to gently massage their scalp with their fingertips and work up suds to wash their hair thoroughly. You’ll also need to teach them how to dry themselves off thoroughly.

Dental care is another important part of good hygiene. Children should be taught how to brush and floss from a very young age. Mouthwash is also a great habit to initiate early in your child’s life so that it becomes a part of their lifelong healthy routine. Again, modeling these behaviors is the best way to teach them.

We Are The Parents

Parents need to take their parenting responsibilities seriously. In addition to teaching them about eating right, exercising, and proper hygiene, they need to model all of these healthy behaviors personally. They also need to talk with their children-and listen-so they can help them avoid the negative influences of others and prevent them from adopting bad habits like smoking, drinking, or drugs.

Parents need to be sure their children get adequate sleep each night for healthy bodies and minds. They also need to teach them responsibility with household chores, so they can become responsible people.

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