Maintaining children’s health and nutrition is essential for them to have a well rounded, healthy adulthood. In this article, we have chalked out practical tips that are not only easy to follow, but produce phenomenal results as well. Read on to find out.
1. Take Daily Walks
It is not just a parenting tip, but the American Heart Association’s recommendation that kids get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. If you can add this into your daily schedule and make it a part of your routine, it will be much easier to meet this recommendation. A great family exercise routine is a daily walk together. Choose a time when everyone will be at home, such as after dinner, and start your family walk routine. A 20-30 minute walk can do wonders to your health, and help you bond together as a family.
2. Let Children Choose Meals
Some children can really be picky eaters. If you find that your child refuses to eat anything besides chicken nuggets or their personal favorite, it is time to stop this pickiness before it becomes a habit. At some point, children develop a distaste for foods they used to love and may begin to refuse the dishes you serve them. It is important that children have a well-rounded diet, full of various foods. Instead of serving a surprise dish that your child may not like, let them choose the meals. Give them at least 2 or 3 healthy options for dinner and allow them to choose which one to cook. This parenting tip allows your child to think that they are calling the shots, making the entire process worth it.
3. Stick to a Bedtime Routine
If your child doesn’t get adequate sleep, it can negatively affect all areas of their life. A lack of sleep causes diminished focus and poor performance in school. In addition, it can also cause mood swings and depression. If you want to raise kids that are happy and perform to their best abilities in school, then you have to enforce set bedtimes – no matter how hard it is. Choose a bedtime that will allow between 8-10 hours of sleep each night and stick to it. On weekends, don’t allow your child to stay up more than 1 or 2 hours past their weeknight bedtime, lest it alters their sleep routines.
4. Lead by Example
If you want to raise respectful children, then you need to show them respectful behavior. After all, you are the person who spends the most time with them and thus has the most effect. Parenting tips aren’t always about changing your child’s behavior, but they are sometimes about changing your own. Be mindful of how you speak to others around you including your spouse and children. If you don’t want your children cursing, then don’t curse around them. If you don’t want them talking back, stop that behavior in yourself first.
6. Pick a Physical Outing Each Week
Exercise doesn’t have to always be boring. Spend time together as a family and choose some activity that is fun for you and your child to do together every weekend. Some great options include swimming in a lake, taking a hike, walking around the zoo or simply going to the park. Doing something fun together is a great way to bond while also fitting physical activity into your busy schedule.
7. Sneak Veggies into Meals
It is a well-known fact that kids tend not to like certain vegetables. Raising kids to eat vegetables should be done from the very start of their life; however, they will eventually grow a resistance to at least a few of them over time. When all else fails, the very best parenting tip to get your kids to eat vegetables is by sneaking them into meals. Cooking them into pasta meals, rice dishes, omelets and fruit shakes can conceal the sight and taste of vegetables so your children consume enough servings without any resistance.