Planning and ensuring a healthy lifestyle for oneself is a big task, let alone for the entire family. One of the most significant responsibilities of having and raising a family is working towards healthy living.
This became even more of a hassle during the COVID-19 pandemic when everyone was forced to stay indoors, recreation activities minimized, and socialization outside our homes became problematic. One of the pandemic’s negative impacts was the introduction of a sedentary lifestyle.
Nonetheless, families continued working towards promoting healthy living. Some took advantage of the opportunity and bonded better as a family. It made us realize just how important family time and regular activity are.
As parents, the duty of planning such a lifestyle rests on your shoulders, and if you are here looking for ways to ensure good health for your family, you are in the right place. The following tips will surely help you out:
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Make Bonding Time A Must
Today everyone is so busy in their routines that it is easy to lose sight of time and altogether skip out on family time. Working parents and children who are studying often find their days pass away with no time spent together. Such a lifestyle is quite unhealthy.
Kids, in particular, need to feel loved and acknowledged. In their teens, kids are likely to fall victim to problems like drug use due to loneliness, isolation, or peer pressure. Bonding together as a family can help you identify and cure such issues in time. If your loved one is suffering from a substance abuse problem, institutes like Palm Beach Group can help you out.
Quality time as a family helps develop a strong emotional support system that boosts self-esteem, builds confidence, keeps everyone in the loop, prevents loneliness and isolation, and even promotes physical health.
Minimize Screen Time
It is a culture in many families to always have something to watch on television or mobile phones during lunch or when not having anything else to do. In the long run, this habit can have terrible consequences, particularly for the children in the household.
In addition to promoting a sedentary lifestyle with no physical activity, too much screen time can also harm your physical health. It can affect your eyesight, lead to obesity, and cause sleep disturbances.
Unfortunately, most children aged 8 to 18 have an average of 7 and a half hours of media entertainment daily! Many parents cannot control their children’s television habits; the primary cause is that they don’t set the right example. An average adult can spend as much as 11 hours or more a day using technology.
To get rid of this unhealthy habit in children, the first step is to work on your own habits as a parent. Instead of spending hours on your mobile while your kids watch television on their own, spend time together playing board games or reading stories. Also, limit screen time by specifying hours for watching tv or using smartphones.
Prioritize Sleep
Your family should have a fixed sleep schedule that lasts even when your kids enter their teens. It is easy to dictate young children to sleep on time, but when your kids grow older, they try to exercise their independence. However, it is likely to continue if you work strictly on your sleep routine since childhood.
But first, you must also work on your own sleep habits. Yes, sleep is often not a priority for adults, especially if you are a working parent. However, remember that sufficient sleep is as crucial for your children as it is for you. In the long run, insufficient sleep can add to problems like hypertension, strokes, obesity, and heart problems.
To ensure everyone gets enough sleep, include the following: establish the following habits; put down all electronics an hour before bedtime, have a relaxing bedtime routine like reading, bathing, or doing yoga, and sleep with the lights off and with no noise in the surroundings.
Engage In Physical Activities As A Family
There is no denying the fact that physical activity is crucial to ensuring a healthy lifestyle but doing it as a family will make things all the more fun. Include a daily or even weekly physical activity you engage in as a family.
This doesn’t necessarily have to be a high-intensity activity; it can be something as simple as cycling and walking. Go out to the park, play some outdoor sport like badminton or basketball, or go hiking if you live in a mountainous area.
In early childhood physical activity is essential in promoting good physical, mental, emotional, and social health. It is also crucial in boosting children’s self-esteem and confidence. Absence of activity in childhood can lead to weight gain, unhealthy body fat, bone health problems, etc.
Eat Healthily
You are what you eat; your eating habits majorly affect your physical and mental well-being. A balanced diet is essential for all ages, and you can ensure your kids eat healthily by doing it yourself. Work on proper meal planning and make it a priority to prepare healthy meals.
Plan out your week so you don’t eat junk or fried food more often than is healthy. Make sure your diet includes nutrients in the right proportion. Also, make it a habit to eat as a family and restrict using electronics at the dinner table. Use this opportunity to bond together and share experiences.
Another thing to remember is that you should not make healthy eating a matter of weight. It should be solely for the reason of wellness. Discussing body weight and slimness with kids can lead to mental health issues and eating disorders.
Make Regular Health Checks A Routine
Even if you feel fine, something might be happening inside your body and deteriorating your health. Regular health checks are the only way to catch problems in time and prevent them from escalating. Regular health checks include a thorough assessment of various aspects.
For adults, such exams include tests for blood pressure, eyesight, cancers, cervical screenings, physical exams, etc. With regular check-ups, you can promote good overall physical health.
Final Words
Promoting a healthy lifestyle should be a family venture. In addition to your personal well-being, the rest of your family also depends on you. To promote a healthy family lifestyle, make family time a must, minimize screen time, prioritize sleep, stay active, eat healthily, and get checked up regularly. Doing so will yield positive results in the long run.