Keeping things healthy is definitely NOT easy in the daily life of a busy family—while we may have all the best intentions to make sure our kids eat a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise, we may be sending them a completely different message with how we pay attention to our own health. Setting a good example of a healthy lifestyle can be the most important thing we do to ensure our own children will lead healthy lives.
It seems pretty obvious that whether or not we smoke, and how we approach drinking and other substances will influence our kids—but our own eating an exercise habits affect our children too. If our kids see that we choose to walk or ride a bike instead of driving, or that we get out and exercise or play on a regular basis, they will be much more likely to take it on as a family value.
Here are some thoughts—do you drink soda or beer with a meal while giving your children milk? Do your kids see you skip meals, fuss about dieting, or encourage them to get outside and play while you stay inside? When was the last time you did something active as a family?
Sending clear messages to our children and establishing strong family values around things like healthy living require that our actions and our words are consistent. While serving up healthy meals and discouraging smoking or other healthy choices is good, living our own healthy lifestyle is important too. Think of it this way—our kids really NEED us to be and stay healthy, not only as a role model for their own lives, but so that we are in our best shape to care for our children and take care of our families!
See Also: Getting Teenagers to Wear Sunscreen and Teens, Health and Habits