Being healthy isn’t just about eating right - it is not just about getting your fruits and vegies every day. Being healthy involves much more than this and it is important as parents that we are teaching children how important a healthy body and a healthy mind is. The best way to do this is to give them a well rounded understanding about total well being. So here are seven ways to raise a healthy happy child that focuses on mind, body and soul.
1. Focus on Food as Energy – yes, children need to know what is good and what is bad food, but rather than focus on these negative connotations, try to look at food for what it is – the source of energy. Teach your children that eating the right foods will help them grow strong and give them plenty of energy to do the things they want.
2. Eliminate Food as Rewards – another common issue that we all do (at least I know I am very guilty of this one) is to use poor foods as rewards or treats. This can provide children with a negative message about certain foods and give them more reason to want to indulge down the road. While this doesn’t mean we should treat chocolate and lentils as the same, it just means to focus on moderation rather than rewarding good and bad food.
3. Teach your Children Appreciation – food aside, another important lesson that every child should learn is gratitude. The best way to teach your children to appreciate everything they have is to talk about; however, don’t make it a threat or a lecture but rather make it a conversation about what makes you feel lucky, special and happy. Steer clear of the guilt trips and try not to give them everything they want. Another thing to focus on is teaching them to appreciate non material items (love, respect, etc) rather than material goods.
4. Help Them Understand Their Emotions – I don’t know about you but I still have trouble managing my emotions and keeping in control (especially when it comes to anger). However, teaching your children to identify the feelings inside them (happiness, sadness, guilt, embarrassment, anger, curiosity) can help them communicate how they are feeling and learn the best way to handle these emotions. Being tuned in to how you feel is a skill that can take years to master but start using “I’m feeling…” in normal conversation to help younger children put a name to the emotion.
5. Promote Exercise in Every Day Life – rather than focus on exercise as a chore (which is often how adults see it), consider it a part of life. Many children are already active every day but some are not. If you have a hard time getting your kids off the couch, then look for outdoor activities to incorporate into your every day life. This doesn’t have to be organised sports (but it can); other suggestions include walking, bike riding, kicking the ball around, flying a kite, setting up the sprinkler in the backyard to run around, bouncing on the trampoline or even playing hide and seek. If you are having trouble getting your child involved in physical fitness, then try to add these activities to his daily routine.
6. Focus on a Good Sleep Routine – younger children love to resist sleep and while you can;t wait to hit the sheets at night and would give your left foot to be able to take a nap during the day, children seem to be the opposite. Many will resist sleep as long as they can and may even fall into a habit of sleeping less than what they need because they are so overtired and used to it. While not all children are the same, in general, children need 11 to 14 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. If your child is waking up grumpy, falling asleep close to dinner or even having a hard time getting to sleep, it could be because he is overtired and exhausted.
7. Help them Understand Others – empathy has got to be one of the hardest things to teach a younger child; after all, the world revolves around their needs and learning to care about someone else is not even on their radar. However, as your toddler grows you will need to focus on showing them how others feel. This relates back to teaching children about emotion. It also helps to spend time with other children of all ages. Older children may have a better time showing empathy and care if they are asked to take on some responsibility, such as taking part in a younger student tutor program or walking the neighbourhood dogs. Most importantly, talk to your children about how they are feeling and how others could be feeling in all instances.
Jenna Gallina is a WAHM to two young children and lives in Cairns, QLD
Array
(
[0] =>
B
[1] => 37
)
)
-->
The post Seven Ways to Raise a Healthy Happy Child appeared first on Stay at Home Mum - Survive and thrive on less!.