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Children are very impressionable, and they tend to pick up habits and behaviors from their surroundings right from an early stage. As a parent, it is essential to help your child build healthy habits when they are still young as these will produce life-long benefits. The things children are exposed to can influence their overall health, discipline, lifestyle, and how they interact with other people as they grow. Here are the measures that you can take to foster healthy habits in your kids at an early stage.
Model Good Behavior
Children are greatly influenced by their surroundings; therefore, they are more likely to follow what you do. Lead by example and make a point of explaining why certain habits are essential for their health and well-being. For instance, children are more likely to hold on to the practice of hand-washing before meals or after visiting the bathroom if they see you do it. Both good and bad habits are hard to break if kids learn them at a tender age. Let every adult in the home set a good example for the children through their habits.
Foster Healthy Eating
Children often prefer processed foods and sugary treats over healthy snacks and vegetables. Help them understand that healthy foods boost gut health, improve the body’s immunity, prevent weight issues, and improve their memory among other benefits. If you help your kid develop healthy habits when choosing foods at an early stage, he or she will carry on the practice and adopt a healthy lifestyle. Here are some useful tips that you can follow to encourage healthy eating:
• Show your kid how to incorporate fruits and vegetables in their diet.
• Allow them to help prepare meals as this encourages them to eat.
• Pack fruits and vegetables together with their snack.
• Pack sliced fruits and vegetables in small containers and put them in the fridge where kids can easily access them.
Make a habit of preparing sweet snacks at home with healthy ingredients such as honey instead of processed sugars. Also, ensure that you monitor what your kid eats away from home, whether it’s at the daycare or in school, and make sure that it is healthy.
Self-control is an important trait in children. However, it is one that’s often lacking even among adults. Research shows that children who develop self-control at an early age are set up for greater success in the future. Help your kid learn how to make the right decisions on small issues at a young age. These include using devices such as mobile phones, tablets for specific needs, and television at appointed times, and saying no to sugary treats. They will be in a position to tackle difficult situations better than children who never learned self-control at an early stage.
Encourage Physical Activities
Children who are exposed to physical activity at a young age are more likely to embrace exercise as they grow. Exercise strengthens the body, boosts immunity and mental health, and provides a sense of overall wellbeing. The child is less likely to suffer from weight-related conditions such as obesity and cardiovascular disease in the future. Look for activities that they enjoy such as bike riding, swimming, running, skating, and playing football. You can do these activities as a family and use them to bond and build a better relationship with your child.
Make a habit of attracting positive energy around your home at all times. If you focus on the negative and tell your kid what they can’t do all the time, they may develop a negative mindset or even have low self-esteem. This may cause them to adopt unhealthy lifestyles and relationships in the future. Praise and reward your kid’s good deeds like when they excel in school. Avoid intimidating or bashing them when they fail, instead, boost their morale.
Follow these tips to help your kid develop healthy habits while they are still young. They will lead a healthy lifestyle, develop admirable traits, and relate well to other people as they grow. Let every adult in the home lead by example to ensure that the child doesn’t pick up bad habits from the older siblings or relatives.