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Ten Things to Teach Your Kid:

Health

By Jennifer Black YoungPublished 2 years ago 5 min read
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Ten Things to Teach Your Kid:
Photo by Jony Ariadi on Unsplash

Eat Well

I’m not here to say you should be vegetarian or vegan (I’m not as of this moment) but I am here to say that you should eat more fruits and veggies. Yes, across the board. And you should teach your kids to eat more fruits and veggies. You should show them from as early as possible how to create balanced meals with fruits, veggies, and grains as the main star of the meal. Teach them to eat when they are hungry and to stop when they are full. They don’t have to be clean platers, food can be stored. Teach them that food is not a replacement for emotional fulfilment - it is not your friend, it is your fuel. Find a way to get your kid to try new things, and do your best to feed them “grown-up” foods instead of additive filled “kids foods” like hot dogs and chicken nuggets everyday. You may be surprised by what they end up liking.

Use Sunscreen

Seriously, put it on your kid...let them see you put it on yourself. Wear hats, hats are cool. Don’t bake yourself in the sun. Be diligent. Teach your kid to be diligent. It’s fine to play in the sun...we need to play in the sun...but we also need to put on sunscreen when we play in the sun...AND REAPPLY IT!!

Exercise

Physical activity doesn’t have to be a grueling workout every day. Physical activity can be a sport you play with a friend once a week. It can be an after dinner walk you take with your kid. It can be stretching in the morning. It can be dancing while doing housework. Walk to the corner store instead of driving. Teach your kid that exercise isn’t a dirty word and that moving your body and being healthy feels good. You don’t even have to make it a big deal. If your kid sees you doing lightweight and fun physical activities, they will be more inclined to participate in similar activities without even really thinking about it...it will just be normal.

Don’t smoke

Just don’t smoke. I smoked for 34 years and only recently quit. It’s gross and has virtually no redeemable qualities. Kids with parents that don’t smoke are less likely to smoke, plus smoking is not really seen as all that cool anymore. And it’s seriously fucking expensive.

Get your check-ups

I don’t like going to the doctor either. If it isn’t bleeding and it’s still attached I don’t see any reason to waste the time...except that it is actually important. A physical once a year, coupled with taking measures to live a healthier lifestyle, can make sure you around longer for your kid and teach them to get into the same habit. I don’t mean that you need to run to the doctor for every single thing, but if you know in your gut something is wrong, go to the damn doctor. Your kid wants you to.

Brush your teeth

Brush your teeth and go to the dentist twice a year...and schedule your kid’s dentist appointments for twice a year. Brush your teeth in front of them, teach them the right technique, explain what happens if you don’t brush your teeth - including the whole deal about bad breath and how no one wants to hangout with someone with really gross breath (this one really seems to hit home for kids).

Get some sleep

We all know how important sleep is. We also know how much harder it is to get a good night’s sleep the older we get. Teach your kiddo a solid sleep routine that can adapt with them as they get older. Let them know how important sleep is - it’s when we grow, when we heal, when we figure out our toughest problems.

All things in moderation

Good food is good but you don’t need to eat all of it at once. A cocktail after work is nice but you don’t need 3 or more. A lazy day, or few days, is fantastic but isn’t realistic for your physical or mental health needs. You can do almost anything you want, but the key is to not go overboard with anything. This includes restrictive dieting, exercising, and anything else seen as healthy. Too much of ANYTHING is BAD...period.

Watch out for your mental health too

Everyone on the planet has some sort of mental health issue. I don’t care what anyone says, every single person has some “quirk” that may bother them or cause them problems in their life, even if only occasionally. THAT IS NORMAL...but that doesn’t mean that it should be ignored. Make sure to not let yourself be under constant stress, don’t live in a rut or a state of burnout. Take breaks and vacations of some sort, even if it is just at home. See a mental health specialist if you think it is needed, or even if you just want to. Take your meds if you have a condition that is best handled with meds. Remember that your mental health affects your body and vice versa.

Get your vitamins, one way or another

Eat well, take supplements, spend time outside, do a combination of these things and make sure to get your vitamins and minerals. Obviously getting it via your food is the best way, but supplementing your diet is fine, especially if you have a restricted diet for any reason such as health or religion.

children
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About the Creator

Jennifer Black Young

Jen is a writer, mom, and officiant from Ohio. She likes to travel and collects things like coffee mugs.

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