subject: Training Children To Be Healthy [print this page] With obesity levels in children rising annually, it is becoming more important to teach your children to be healthy than ever before. Kids who are obese and overweight are more likely to contract illnesses like diabetes and heart problems. Being overweight or obese is not a healthy condition for a child, and it is extremely difficult for children to overcome this problem on their own. When kids reach adolescence and may already want to do something about the problem, it may be too late as they may already have well-entrenched eating and activity habits that can easily overpower them if they are not disciplined enough, or they will be trying vainly to break free from it for the rest of their lives.
As a parent, it is very important that you set an example for your children when it comes to being healthy. Eating healthy food should be the rule while fast foods, cake and candy are only exceptions which can be enjoyed on occasions. Those categorized as unhealthy food should not be stocked inside the house so as to avoid being tempted.
Be sure that the consumption of fatty foods are minimized while encouraging your children to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meat and poultry, and wholegrain carbohydrates. Make it a point to serve healthy meals to the whole family so that it becomes the standard and anything unhealthy is frowned upon as not in keeping with that standard. Physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle - encourage your children to be active, even if it is just throwing a ball around the yard. Activities like skipping, hopping and running can easily be integrated into various games. Teach your child 'old-fashioned' games like hop-scotch, tag and handball to encourage them to engage in physical activity. There are also organized activities and sports that your children can join once they start playgroup or pre-school. Tell them how active you were during your younger days by showing old photos of mom in her cheerleading outfit or of dad playing football.
Just as you should read to, with and front of your child to encourage them to read, you should do the same with physical activity. Support them when they participate in any sport or physical activity, play with them if you need to, and most importantly, set an example for them by engaging in physical activities yourself.
Bear in mind that the focus should be on being healthy and not just on being thin or plainly losing weight. Your children need to appreciate that a balanced and healthy lifestyle is better for everyone in the family. Parents stand to gain a lot from being fit and healthy because aside from feeling better, they will also be able to lead a better quality way of life to enjoy with their children and even grandchildren.
It is our responsibility as parents to train our children the best we can. There is no 'How To' manual for parenting, but it is well worth the effort to keep your family healthy. Don't give in when your kids return from play dates and ask you for certain kinds of food because they claim that their friends can eat whatever they like. Unhealthy food is full of additives, preservatives and flavoring designed to make it taste better, but it is unhealthy. Train your children to be healthy from the start and you won't be sorry.
