As childhood obesity rates continue to rise, it’s never been more important for parents to start teaching their kids about healthy living. Starting them off at a young age will increase the chances your children will grow into healthier adults. The question is, how can you teach children to be healthier?
Here, you’ll discover some of the best ways to teach your kids about healthy eating and exercise.
Never force them to finish their plate
When you were growing up, it’s likely you were always told to finish your plate before you could leave the table. This is a teaching many parents continue to pass on to their children. However, it’s also thought to be a contributor to overeating and obesity.
Forcing them to finish their food even when they’re feeling full, will push them to start overeating. As the stomach gets used to eating more, it expands, allowing you to eat even more before you become full. So, if you continue to force your children to overeat, they’ll gain a bigger appetite and be much more likely to develop an unhealthy relationship with food.
Be a good role model
Of course, the best way to teach your children about healthy eating and exercise is to be a good role model. This means eating a healthy diet yourself and exercising regularly.
If your kids see you lounging around watching TV, snacking on crisps and chocolate, they’re going to do the same thing. So, aim to become healthier yourself and show your kids how it’s done.
Encourage family exercise
Your children aren’t always going to self-motivate themselves to keep active; especially with the temptation of technology. So, you’re going to need to organise family exercise activities.
There’s lots of things you can do together from hiking to indoor rock climbing. You could even buy scooters for the entire family and head off to your local park. Anything you can do together as a family encourages your kids to be active, while also giving you the opportunity to bond. You can buy great quality scooters from companies such as Skatehut.
The above is some simple yet very effective ways to teach your children about healthy eating and exercise. You could also try growing your own healthy foods. Kids love to eat things they’ve helped to grow themselves. Remember, the earlier you start teaching them about healthy living, the more likely they’ll be to develop and stick to healthier habits.
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