HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — This is Every Kid Healthy Week. It’s dedicated to promoting the physical and mental health of all children.
In Mommy Matters, the nonprofit group Action for Healthy Kids has some ideas on ways you can help your children grow up healthier.
- Enjoy mindful meals. That means everyone is together without distractions. The TV is off. The phones and tablets are put away. Slow down, eat your food, and enjoy each other’s company. Don’t gulp down dinner and let everyone rush off to do their own thing. Mindful meals now can become a positive lifelong trend.
- Garden with kitchen scraps. Show your children how you can take leftover fruits and vegetables from the table, plant them, and grow more food. We have a Grow Like a Pro segment on how to do it. Get your children to help you grow the scraps. Then let them do the harvesting. That will make them more interested and more likely to eat a fruit or vegetable. It also teaches children to avoid wasting food.
- Use household objects for fitness. Working out doesn’t have to mean an expensive gym membership. Use a milk jug or a bottle of laundry detergent for weights. Little ones can use cans of soup. Or use masking tape to create an imaginary balance beam on the floor. Have the kids walk it like a gymnast. Your children will think it’s fun and forget that it’s exercise.
- Talk to your family about the dangers of smoking or vaping. That remains a big threat to children’s health. Action for Healthy Kids has a parent toolkit that can help you get the conversation started.
- Model healthy behaviors yourself. If you don’t smoke, your children and grandchildren will be less likely to smoke. If you exercise, your children will likely be physically active. Showing your children how to lead a healthier life can set the tone for the rest of their lives.