Now that the festive season is over and done with, it’s time to get yourself and your children into a strict and healthy regime for the start of 2022. Getting them into a routine will be better for them in the long run so that they can get used to leading a healthy lifestyle and less likely to pick up bad habits. So here are some examples of what you can do as a parent to encourage your children to adopt a more healthy lifestyle.
Be a Good Role Model
Your children are likely to look up to you as a role model, so whatever lifestyle you lead is going to have a significant impact on them from a young age. Ideally you want to promote a healthy and physically active lifestyle to your children from a young age so that they are more likely to pick up good habits from you.
Do Activities Together as a Family
You want to create great memories for your children so that when they look upon their childhood years they will remember these times fondly. Going on outdoor adventures or exploring new places together is a great way to create some lovely memories whilst also encouraging your children to get out and explore new sceneries.
Encourage a Good Rapport
When you spend time together as a family you are more likely to get your children openly talking to you. Creating a good rapport will help to instill a good attitude and a willingness to learn new things and adopt healthy practices in their routine.
Cook Homemade Meals
What your children eat on a daily basis will make a difference to how healthy a lifestyle they lead. It is best to introduce healthy, home cooked meals from a young age so that they can become accustomed to eating a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables.
You don’t need to cook long or complicated meals, but something simple, quick and tasty will be ideal, particularly on weekdays when you are working and they have school the next morning. You can encourage your little ones to get involved with the cooking process and help you choose fruit and veg when you go to the grocery store.
Get Outdoors and Get Moving
Although the weather might be a bit chilly at the moment you can still get outdoors and do some enjoyable activities with the children. You can go for long country walks, identify different species of birds or even go camping. It is a great way for your children to connect with nature and spend time away from technological devices which will better for their mental health and ability to concentrate on everyday tasks.
Play a Variety of Sports
Keeping your children active with fun and interesting sports is an excellent way to get them to do some exercise. Purchasing some Gearbox pickleball paddles in advance will make your day out a lot easier, as you will know you have the appropriate equipment with you, and can start playing as soon as you reach the courts. It is also more enjoyable to alternate which sports you play with your children so that they can learn a variety of different sports from a young age. They might also be inspired to play one of these sports professionally when they are older.
Encourage a Good Bedtime Routine
Sleep also forms an important role in leading a healthy lifestyle so it will be necessary to include. It is vital your children get a good amount of sleep each night so that their cognitive development reaches optimum levels. Sleep is a big factor in how your children can concentrate on everyday tasks, the ability to recall memories and mood control.
So really you want to encourage a good night time routine from a young age where they can get used to drifting off to sleep without the help of a blue screen. A good night’s sleep can help regulate your child’s healthy lifestyle so it is important not to underestimate the importance of good sleep.
Overall you can easily incorporate some, if not all these elements into your child’s routine. The more you can achieve together as a family will help to instill a good and positive attitude towards leading a healthy and happy lifestyle for your children, that will encourage them to adopt this when they reach adulthood.