Inculcating healthy habits in your kids is vital as doing so will help them have a good quality of life in the future. It also helps build the character of your child and aids in their physical as well as emotional development. As parents, it’s your duty to teach them good habits and values and be their role models. The best time to start inculcating these habits in your champ is when they are young. Because that’s when they are the most observant and learn new things by watching their parents, rather than listening to what they are taught. Therefore, make sure to follow these values yourself in order to properly imbibe these habits in your child.
9 Healthy Habits For Kids To Inculcate
Never Skip Meals
Getting your child to follow a breakfast-lunch-dinner routine is essential as it will help them avoid unnecessary snacking right from the beginning. Having a fixed meal routine will help your child adopt healthy eating habits at a young age. Also, since this is a crucial learning stage, explain the importance of healthy eating and how junk food can affect their health. Make nutritious meals complete with all food groups to help your child stay energetic and active throughout the day.
Wash Hands Thoroughly Before Eating
Hand washing is undoubtedly one of the most essential healthy habits to teach your kids. Start with explaining the importance of washing hands to your little kid and then focus on teaching them the correct technique of hand washing —thoroughly cleansing both sides of the hands for twenty seconds. Teach your kids to wash their hands with a natural foaming handwash. Make sure the handwash contains organic and plant-based surfactants such as coconut and mango oil that provide protection against germs and keep the hands moisturised.
Your kids should wash their hands well after using the bathroom and before eating a meal. The same must be followed after they come home from school or playing outdoors as it can help remove any germ or infection lingering on your child’s hands.
Promote Brushing The Teeth Twice A Day
Dental hygiene is vital for kids as they tend to snack a lot. Make your child realise the importance and what will happen if dental hygiene isn’t followed properly. To avoid the occurrence of cavities, teach your kids to brush their teeth twice a day (once in the morning after waking up, and before going to bed) with less-fluoride toothpaste to fight cavities and decay in their teeth. Also, make sure they do not snack on anything or eat foods right after brushing their teeth at night.
Bathe Every Day
Teaching your child to bathe each day is essential for warding off germs and infections. So even if your child makes a fuss about going to the bathroom to take a bath, make them realise that not bathing daily can be an unhygienic habit and cause illnesses. Additionally, you can try to make their bath time more fun by bringing some toys to the bathtub or using a soothing natural foaming wash and shampoo formulated with ingredients like vanilla oil, cocoa oil, and calendula extracts. These ingredients impart a soothing fragrance that instantly calms your child while bathing and helps effectively clean and moisturise their scalp and body.
Spend Quality Time With Family
Family time is extremely important, especially for a growing child. Spending quality family time will help your child to connect better with other family members and learn healthy values. Dinner time is usually the ideal time for the entire family to sit together, eat, and talk. Teach your child to interact with the other members during this time and actively participate in the conversations.
Read A Story Book Daily
It has been scientifically proven that reading story books can help children develop strong reading skills and also do better in school and at work. Therefore, imbibe story reading habits in your child from an early age and encourage them to read a story every day. Reading story books regularly will also expose them to new words and expand their vocabulary, and support their conversational skills.
Don’t Be A Couch Potato
With the advent of the myriad electronic gadgets, you may find your child glued to one electronic device to another. You may also find them lying and sitting on the couch for long hours of time and playing games or watching videos on those devices. However, staying inactive for such long hours can increase your child’s weight and also cause developmental delays.
Therefore, try to encourage your child to ditch those devices and go play outdoors under the sun. Even if they are fussy, try to make them realise the importance of playing outside and its positive effects on their body. You can also engage them in outdoor household activities such as gardening or watering the plants.
Maintain a Good Sleeping Routine
Make sure your kid gets at least 9 to 12 hours of sleep every night. Sound sleep is crucial for maintaining your child’s health and supporting their development. Make sure your child goes to bed at the same time daily, as having a regular sleep pattern can help them be more attentive in class, stay in a happy mood, and build immunity.
Limit Screen Time
Kids love to watch cartoons on television and if not paid attention, they can continue watching them for hours at a stretch. However, sitting glued to the television screen can harm their eyes and deprive them of their sleep. It can also take a toll on their immunity and make them prone to various infections. Therefore, make sure that they have a limited screen time every day, with some relief occasionally.
Inculcating healthy habits in your kids is essential as they go a long way in protecting them from illnesses and defining their personalities. Therefore, make sure to teach your child to learn age-appropriate healthy habits and follow them yourselves to encourage your child to observe and do the same. These habits, if incorporated consciously, can become a part of your child’s daily routine and ensure their overall well-being.
