Healthy Parenting: 5 Ways Parents Can Help Children Lead Healthy Lives

Believe it or not, you give your children a legacy of health that goes far beyond the genes you give them. It also conveys health beliefs and models health-related choices. Here are 5 tips that will put your kids on the path to a healthy life.

1. Instill a sense of wonder about the body.

Many adults fear and mistrust their bodies. They believe that the body is fragile and that disease is just around the corner. The myth persists that you will catch a cold if you go out without a coat. Your kids listen to you when you look in the mirror and say to no one in particular, “I’m so fat.”

The truth is that your body is the most miraculous mechanical system on the planet. Cuts heal without a single thought or action on your part. Your immune system is your own personal homeland security system, protecting you from bacterial and viral terrorists. Yes, disease is part of the human condition. And we have powerful treatments that add to your body’s own ability to heal. Look at your body’s ability to fight illnesses, such as the common cold. This alone offers concrete evidence of your body’s resilience.

Comment on your son’s amazing body. “Wow, that cut healed up in no time!” or “You have such strong and fast legs” or “Look what your hands could have drawn.” Remind your child how wonderful it is to have such well-functioning eyes, kidneys, and hearts.

2. Become a student of the human body with your child.

Your children will come to you with questions about how their bodies work. It can be uncomfortable for both you and your child when you don’t have the answers. This discomfort can teach children to avoid questions about how their bodies work, which may, in part, explain why parents themselves are reluctant to ask doctors embarrassing questions.

Remember, no one has all the answers. That’s why your doctor participates in continuing medical education. Your child can remind you of the joy of discovery. Together you can search for answers. I mentioned to my son that bones produce blood and he asked me, “What about creatures with exoskeletons?” I said, “What an interesting question. Let’s go on the Internet and see what we can find out.” Have an appropriate children’s book on the body available and learn and use anatomically correct words. Maybe you can have a family contest to find the coolest medical term.

3. Teach your children to listen to their bodies.

It often feels like adults are being rewarded for ignoring or overcoming their bodies’ signals. The “hero” who comes to work with the flu or the mom who ignores her need to eat or sleep. Health is maintained when you know the signs that suggest your body is out of balance and respond in a timely manner when your body signals that it needs something.

Help your children identify when they are cold, hungry or tired. You can even say to a baby, “You look sexy, so I’ll take the blanket off you.” Give your child some experience regulating his external environment, such as putting on and taking off sweaters. Educate your children that pain is there to keep them safe. Say, “Owies aren’t fun, but they’re there to keep you from burning yourself on the stove or cutting yourself with a knife. That’s how your body reminds you to be careful.”

4. Model healthy eating habits.

Childhood obesity is a growing problem. Talk to your children about good and bad food choices. Encourage them to ask themselves, “What kind of food is my body hungry for right now?” and “Am I full?” even if there is still food on the plate. Pay attention to see if your child is a “graze” kid or eats 3 squares a day and set a meal schedule that reflects her style. Decide if it’s okay to indulge in unhealthy food choices from time to time.

5. Reward health instead of disease.

Some of my best childhood memories come from times when I was sick. In an effort to ease my pain, my mother inadvertently rewarded the illness by lavishing attention on me, handing me endless bowls of ice cream, and playing with me. Who wouldn’t want to be sick!

Instead, lavish attention on your children when they are well. While you don’t want to punish your children for being sick, consider what health privileges should be withdrawn during sick days.

When you instill in your children a sense of pride, wonder, and respect for their bodies, you have given them the foundation of health.

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