Being a parent is a responsible task, seeing as how you’re responsible for the formation of a whole new human being. You’re not just taking care of them, you’re actively working towards making them able to take care of themselves, at one point. With that purpose in mind, it’s your responsibility to help them develop some healthy habits early on.
1. Read to them
If you read to them while they’re young, they’ll develop a passion for the written word. Then, when they’re older, they’ll seek out literary works to enjoy on their own. Reading is an underrated tool for mental self-healing and frustration venting. Moreover, it’s a habit that they’ll adopt early in life or not at all.
2. The importance of physical activity
Your children need to stay active. Kinesthetic learning is not just one of the four styles of learning, it’s also good for their overall health and condition. Therefore, encouraging them to play outside and on the playgrounds, as well as enrolling them in a sport early on are incredibly important. Just make sure that you pay attention to what they like and dislike.
3. Healthy dietary habits
Kids take their dietary habits from home. If they’re accustomed to sugary drinks, skipping breakfast, and eating refined food early in their childhood, they’ll do so later on, as well. Now, aside from just serving them healthy food, you need to talk about the importance of proper nutrition. It’s not just about knowing what to eat, it’s also about understanding why this is so important. Also, ensuring that they understand the importance of a homecooked meal is imperative.
4. Brushing twice a day
While brushing after each meal is ideal, you won’t always be in the position to do so (dining out, etc.). According to experts behind Church St Dental, by just teaching them to brush early in the morning and before they go to bed, you’re already making a world of difference. To prevent tooth decay in children, this is one of those things that you adopt as a kid and just keep doing for the rest of your life, without giving it much thought.
5. Maintaining personal hygiene
No amount of deodorant, lotions, and perfumes are going to make up for the fact that you’re not bathing regularly. Applying a disinfectant on your palms is not a substitute for washing your hands. Applying makeup is not a substitute for washing your face. Overall, these are just some personal hygiene principles that a surprisingly large number of people just seem to be completely oblivious of.
6. Importance of sleeping schedule
Letting your kids stay up late is not a good idea, not because you won’t get enough rest yourself but because it upsets their day-night cycle. Humans are diurnal creatures and even though some people claim that they’re not functioning well in the morning, the truth is that developing a habit of going to bed early and getting up early is good for you in the long run.
7. Responsibility is the key to self-respect
The more responsibilities you have in life, the easier it will be to organize your daily schedule. It’s as simple as that. Also, by earning their allowance, they’ll feel more grown-up and develop a healthy relationship towards work. No, it’s not enough to just give them something, you want to give them a chance to earn it.
8. You love them unconditionally
This is incredibly important for their mental health and it will help them avoid seeking approval from people who are not worthy (at different stages of their lives). They need to understand that, as a parent, you love them unconditionally and there’s nothing that they can do to lose this love. You’re someone that they can always talk to and the first person that they should address when they have a problem.
9. Spending time with friends and family
We’re living in a world that’s getting more and more digital with each passing moment. The habit of maintaining human contact is good for more than just one’s mental state. According to surveys, hugging can actively improve our cortisol levels. Moreover, it’s vital for one’s immune system and even improves one’s heart rate.
10. Going offline
In a world where the majority of entertainment is digital, you want your kids to develop a habit of going offline. Being in the digital world isn’t that bad and that you don’t want your children to grow up pariahs. We’re living in a digital world and you want your child to be digitally literate. Just try to maintain the level of exposure of these devices to a minimum.
Wrap Up
If a habit is adopted in childhood, your child will go through their life taking it for granted. They won’t eat healthy because their doctor warned them that it’s about time, they’ll do it because it’s what they’ve always done. The same goes for all the rest. Overall, teaching your kids some of these healthy habits is the most important thing in the world and the sooner you start, the easier it will be.