Healthy Habits: The Best Foundation for Your Child

The last week of April will see the celebration of Every Kid Healthy Week. This special observance highlights the link between nutrition, physical activity and learning. It also spotlights the efforts of school partners to improve the health and wellness of students so that they can thrive — both in school and in life!

The entire celebration is centered on habits, which could be compared to a foundation. These habits go with your children wherever they go. The question is: Are they healthy habits? Further, do they keep your kids healthy and safe

In the age of always being on the go, it’s too easy and too tempting to swing through the drive-thru and grab over-processed, unhealthy food. While this is okay sometimes, it’s unhealthy in the long run when it’s the norm. Instead, your kid’s diets should be filled with a variety of colorful fruits and veggies. This will keep them healthy and strong as they continue to grow.

Also, you should help them to stay hydrated…but not just with any liquid. For example, soda is filled with sugar. While it is tasty, allowing your kiddos to drink it all the time could lead to cavities and other issues. Instead, make sure that they drink plenty of water, which has more benefits than we can even count.

Regular physical activity is one of the keys to keeping a kid healthy and happy. It builds muscle, maintains a healthy weight, sharpens mental focus and more. In addition to the physical benefits, kids can also learn about teamwork, sportsmanship and respect. These positive things often carry over into other aspects of life.

Encouraging your child to read can be good for so many reasons. For one, it will make school a bit easier. After all, reading is at the core of schooling. Also, it can improve concentration, widen vocabulary and spark a love for learning.

Sadly, the majority of apps and video games that are so popular among kids don’t do any of the above. If you help and encourage your children to read, they’ll be much better off.

Spending time with good friends develops strong social skills. And plus, who doesn’t like to hang out with friends? Even if your children are on the shyer side, they still need regular interaction with other young ones — whether at school, outside of school or even within the family.

If possible, team up with parents who also value healthy habits. This might mean setting up a playdate where the kids can get some exercise and then enjoy a healthy snack or lunch.

Are you ready to start encouraging these healthy habits in your children? During Every Kid Healthy Week, you can join thousands of others in doing this. How? Many schools host healthy food taste tests, field days, walkathons and fitness classes. Why not get involved if you can? Or, even better, why not plan a fun event yourself?!

Of course, the health and wellness of your children doesn’t lose importance after this special week passes. However, it will give you a good start and lay a good foundation of healthy habits for your little ones.