As a family, one of the most important things you need to do is to teach your children to take care of their health. With good health, comes a good life! When you are feeling healthy, you will feel more positive, your mental health will be at a high (mental health is just as important for children as it is for adults) and your children will perform better at school.
Your children will look up to you as an example of what they need to do and learn important lessons that they will carry with them well into their adulthood. Yet sometimes it can be tricky knowing what is best for your family and how you can support them in improving their overall health. For example, if your children suffer from their hearing, it’s important you support them with their hearing care beyond the first appointment, if they need professional support.
To help you, we have put together a guide on three ways you can teach your children to take care of their health. Keep on reading to learn more.
Be a good role model
Being a good role model is important in all aspects of your children’s life, whether that is being kind, working hard or in this case, taking care of your health. By teaching your children key things, such as the importance of eating five pieces of fruit and vegetables, getting at least seven hours of sleep and drinking plenty of water and doing yourself as an example, they will hopefully copy as they will see you as a role model.
Teach them independence (brushing their own teeth, washing, brushing their hair)
Another useful tip is to teach your children independence (you aren’t going to be there to watch them 24/7, after all). Brushing your teeth, washing your hair, and cleaning your hands, are all things you can teach your children to do as part of their routine and when you are not watching them. The more you teach them to do things independently, the more likely they are to do it as a habit, without you needing to ask them.
Read them books that show the importance of health
Reading books is so important for a number of reasons. Reading can help broaden their imagination, it can improve creativity and it teaches children new things. You can read any type of book and it will help them learn more, whether it’s a fictional read or a non-fictional one. In this case, if you are trying to teach your children to take care of their health, you could read them books that show the importance of health, this way they get a better understanding and want to do things themselves to help their health.
What tips would you recommend to parents trying to teach their children about taking care of their health? Which of the above tips do you think is most useful? Is there anything missing in our guide that you think we should be adding? Let us know in the comment box below, we look forward to hearing from you.
