8 Healthy Habits to Teach Your Kids

 

You, as a parent, pass on to your kids a lot more than just genes. You also pass your habits. So, if you spend all of your free time on the couch, if you eat unhealthy foods, if you swear a lot, etc., be sure your little ones will soon start doing the same. Ask yourself - do I want my child to grow up with these unhealthy habits? The answer is undoubtedly going to be NO! All parents want what is best for their children; that goes without saying. And, what's best is a happy and healthy life, which is something that can be learned. You just have to teach your kids what to do from an early age and make sure that what they do becomes second nature. Here are eight healthy habits to teach your kids and help them become healthy individuals one day.

1. Wash Your Hands 

Many parents believe that teaching kids how to stay safe is the most important thing. Yes, that is important, but when it comes to healthy habits to teach your kids, nothing beats the habit of washing hands. The simple act of hand-washing can save your child (and your entire family) from germs that can cause various illnesses. So, as soon as your little ones start walking and talking, teach them how to wash their hands. Moreover, speak to them about hygiene. Use simple terms to explain to them why hygiene is so important. For instance, you can say something like: 'We have to wash our hands to stay healthy'. 

Help your child with hand-washing until they learn the skill.

2. Brush Your Teeth 

Right after your children have mastered the act of hand-washing, you should teach them how to brush their teeth. Oral hygiene is just as important as hand hygiene! So, teach them the golden rules of the perfect smile. First, you should be the one brushing their teeth twice a day, and then, when they get comfortable, let them try to brush their teeth alone. Be warned that kids are always hesitant when it comes to washing their teeth. So, try buying some fun toothbrushes and some gentle, kid-friendly toothpaste - these two always do the trick. 

3. Move Your Body 

Next on our list of the healthy habits to teach your kids is moving their bodies. This will not be a problem for most preschoolers out there, as we all know how restless they can be. Going to the yard and running around without any aim is their ultimate goal. However, once they start growing up and discovering how fun smartphones, tablets, TVs, and other gadgets can be, they will soon focus all their energy on playing with them instead of outside. Prevent this from happening with exercises! Luckily, younger ones can stay active by doing many things - playing in the yard or the park, running around with their friends, going to practice, exercising together as a family, etc.

4. Put a Lot of Sunscreen On 

And, while you are outside trying to move your bodies, don't forget to slather sunscreen on your kids. You already know how dangerous the sun can be! And, if your kids get exposed to too much of it, their chances of developing certain illnesses in the future may increase. Thus, make sure your little ones are completely covered in sunscreen whenever you go outside. When they become old enough (1.5 -2 years old), start teaching them how to put the sunscreen on all by themselves. This will not take a lot of tires as this 'skill' is easy to learn. But, just to be safe, supervise this habit until they are older. 

Wearing sunscreen is important for both children and adults.

5. Protect Your Head

How to protect the head is probably one of the most important healthy habits to teach your kids. This is something all doctors and even all experienced sports trainers from dubaipt.com will tell you: safety comes first! So, wherever you're outside, riding a bike, for example, put a helmet on your child. Insist on it even if your child doesn't like it. As soon as they become old enough to ride a bike, teach them why protecting the brain is important. Again, use simple terms so that they can understand. Then, once they grow up and start rollerblading, skateboarding, or even riding a motorcycle, be sure that your child (who knows the risks of not wearing a helmet) will think twice when considering whether to wear a helmet or not. 

6. Buckle Up! 

According to recent statistics, seat belts save more than 15,000 people each year! If this is not the reason to teach your child to buckle up, we don't know what is! To make them understand this habit, you need to talk to your child about cars, traffic, accidents, and, unfortunately, all the bad things that can happen when one is not buckled up. Most kids are not happy when hearing these stories, but talking about them is mandatory. It is mandatory if you want your child to be safe and to always remember to buckle up in the car. 

You should remind your children to buckle up themselves every time they enter the car.

7. Cover Your Mouth 

This may be one of the most problematic healthy habits to teach your kids. Teaching your kids how to cover their mouths will not be an easy task! But, hey, raising kids is no easy task. So, to implement this habit, you have to start reminding your kids to cover their mouths every time they sneeze, cough, yawn, etc. And, you have to start it from an early age. Be persistent - learning this habit may take longer than you think. But don't give up! Toddlers may not like this habit, but if you keep reminding them why people need to cover their mouths, they will start doing it as soon as they are older. 

8. Put it Where it Belongs 

The last of the healthy habits to teach your kids is to put everything where it belongs. This applies to toys, books, crafts, clothes, shoes, and even trash. Most kids hate doing this as they associate it with something boring. But, putting things where they belong doesn't have to be boring - it can be fun too! For instance, you can make a game out of this 'task' - put some music on during this task, make a competition out of it, offer a reward, etc. If your children learn to tidy up and put things where they belong, they will grow up to be more organized and independent individuals.

Photos Used: 

https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-and-girl-talking-while-lying-on-bed-4473774/ 

https://www.pexels.com/photo/content-black-mother-with-son-washing-hands-in-sink-7114636/ 

https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-young-in-floral-swimwear-sitting-on-a-chair-7863079/ 

https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-asian-kids-traveling-in-car-4473498/