Keeping Your Child Healthy

Every parent wants their children to grow up strong and the key to your kids' health is to provide a well-rounded and balanced lifestyle. You can provide your children with the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle by teaching them the importance of physical exercise and good nutrition, as well helping them prevent spreading germs.

Healthy Kids: Parents Play the Most Important Role

Parents play the most important role in helping their children learn how to live a healthy and satisfying life. You want to teach your children at an early age the importance of fitness, exercising, eating well and engaging in regular doctor visits. As a parent, you have the power to make these activities fun and turn them into lifelong habits.

Help for Parents for Healthy Kids:

• Help your children understand the benefits of healthy eating habits. Encourage your family to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Replace candy, soda and chips with yogurt, fruit juice, nuts and baked snacks.
• Never make your child clean his/her plate. Serve your children the correct portion sizes and allow them to ask for more if they're still hungry. Don't put mounds of food on their plate and then expect them to eat all of it.
• Engage in their favorite physical activities with them. Maybe your child enjoys spending time with the family dog, so instead of watching television with the pet, you can all enjoy a walk outside together.
• Plan active weekends. Take family trips to the park, zoo, swimming pool, etc. This will allow your child to look forward to physical activity.
• Stop spreading germs. Encourage your children to use soap and sing Happy Birthday or say the ABCs while washing their hands. This will ensure they are washing their hands long enough to make a difference.
• Make sure you keep up with regular checkups and immunizations. You'll want to explain to your children what happens during a routine visit to the doctor and why it's necessary to go.

Continually encourage your children to engage in healthy and active lifestyle habits. It's important to inform them from a young age so that they're not swayed by unhealthy advertising as they get older. Providing your children with these fundamental basics for a healthy life will encourage them to stay fit in the future.