Did you know? Eating healthy and staying active are not only important for a child’s growth and development, but healthy habits can also help boost a child’s academic performance! When bodies and minds are feeling good, the benefits are endless- better focus, more energy, and a decreased chance of developing chronic health conditions. This year, make it a priority to incorporate healthy habits into your family’s everyday life.

Promoting Wellness Within Your Family

While eating well and exercising are great ways to stay healthy, there are also plenty of other ways for you and your family to stay in tip-top physical and mental shape:

• Get some fresh air, even if just for a few minutes. Spending time outdoors can help the whole family lower stress levels and increase feelings of well-being.

• Ensure you and your family are all getting enough sleep. Limiting screen time before bed is one way you can make sure children are getting the recommended hours of sleep for their age. Setting good bedtime routines is another great way to promote healthy sleep habits.

• Regularly check in with your children and other members of the family; ask how school is going, if there is anything they are worried about that you can help with, or even just how they’re feeling that day. Let them know that you are always there for them if they need to talk, or even if they just need a hug.

Staying Healthy Can be Fun!

Let’s be honest: We all have moments where we want to reach for the chips before we reach for an apple or banana, or times where we choose watching our favorite television show over a physical activity. However, by making healthy eating fun, there is a higher chance that more fruits and vegetables will make it onto your child’s plate during snack and mealtimes. Additionally, regular physical activity is also fun, and comes with many health benefits- including stronger bones and muscles! Here are some tips on how to promote staying healthy in a fun way:

• Let your child help cook healthy meals and snacks. Have them choose the recipe, wash vegetables and fruits, and/or stir the bowl. Kids are more likely to try healthy foods if they help in the kitchen!

• Go grocery shopping together! Have your child pick out some new things they might like, such as a different type of apple from the kind they normally eat, or new breads, meats, and cheeses.

• Make physical activity part of your family’s daily routine. Take walks, ride bikes, or visit playgrounds together.

Tips for Picky Eaters

Picky eaters require some patience. A child may need to try a food multiple times over several months before they start to like it. And if they still don’t like it? That’s okay too! There are plenty of healthy foods out there, and one of them is sure to delight your child’s taste buds! In our family, we try to follow the basic rule of “You don’t have to like it, but you have to try it.” And while that doesn’t work 100% of the time, it’s a good way to get your child to try different things. Here are some other ways to help picky eaters:

• Put together a list of new foods for your family to try and make a game out of it- have your child pick which new food you’ll try for dinner that night!

• Tell your child about a food or recipe you haven’t liked in the past and explain that you’re giving it another chance because your taste buds may have changed. This may encourage your child to give something a second chance too!

As long as your child is healthy and is eating a variety of foods, no need to worry over every uneaten fruit or vegetable. As kids grow, so will their taste buds and willingness to try new things.

Conclusion



Remember, your child is always learning from you! You can help promote healthy habits by being a good role model- eat healthy snacks with your child and listen to your body’s needs. There will be days when rest and relaxation take priority over everything else, and that is perfectly fine! Check out our Family Resources webpage for more tips on how to stay healthy and active: https://www.elcpalmbeach.org/family-resources.