Creating a Healthy Foundation for our Kids
Hi friends! Today I want to talk to you about something that is on my mind a lot as a parent, and that is creating a foundation of health for our kids. Children learn from what they see us do and the culture of our homes, so I wanted to share with you some ways that we can help set them up for good health as well as a good relationship with food and their bodies in the future.
TUNE IN: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | STITCHER
As I’ve already alluded to, this really starts with us! Kids really do default to doing what they see their parents or those in their homes do - so we first need to evaluate what we are modeling for them.
A few ideas:
Let them see you make healthy choices.
Let them hear and see you taking care of your body
Let them hear you being appreciative of your body rather than critical
If you are feeling super uncomfortable right now because you know you haven’t been doing those things - that’s okay! It’s never too late to start making these changes and let your kids be a part of that. If they are old enough to understand, you can even give them a head’s up that you are going to be doing some things differently because you want to take good care of your body and be thankful for all that it does for you. Then let them watch you as you then follow through on what you’ve told them. It will teach them so much just by getting to see you start to make changes. *Just a reminder though - this needs to be through a very positive lens and from a place of appreciation for your body and not punishment of yourself. Nothing about how we engage in “healthy” habits or the language that we use should convey that our kids aren’t healthy or “good” if they don’t eat veggies, exercise, etc.
In addition to setting an example and encouraging a healthy mindset, there are some healthy habits that you can start reinforcing in your kids very early on from infant/toddler age, again by modeling yourself and then encouraging in them as well.
Some ideas:
Drinking water throughout the day
Try giving their milk, etc. with meals and then water in-between meal times. the more you offer them water, the more normal it will become. Consistency is key!
Division of responsibility at family meals
This theory for feeding states that it’s the parent’s responsibility to provide food and decide what food is served and it the child’s responsibility to decide how much of that food she will eat. For more about this theory, as well as one of my favorite methods for helping kids with healthy eating habits, check out Ashley’s “Love It, Like It, Learn It” method on her website veggiesandvirtues.com as well as on her Instagram account.
Include your kids in your workouts and/or have active family time
Whether it’s a family walk or dance party after dinner, letting your kids tag along for your jog, or a family workout in the living room, kids love to be active.
Help them learn to deal with stress and anxiety
We know how difficult this can be even as adults, so it’s important to give our children tools to help manage their anxiety and worries from a young age. One of my favorite resources for this is Sissy Goff, a child, and adolescent counselor. She offers tons of great tips and resources on her Instagram account as well as her website raisingboysandgirls.com
Set healthy sleep practices
Set them up for good sleep by doing simple things like ending screen time at least an hour before bed; avoiding any scary books or shows right before bed; getting them to bed on time; ensuring that their room is cool and dark and optimized for sleeping. It can also be helpful to have a conversation with them about why sleeping is so important to our health and makes a big impact on how we feel the next day.
Don’t be overly restrictive with food
Research shows that being overly restrictive on how much or what kinds of foods children can eat can often lead to an unhealthy relationship with food in adulthood - at times in the form of food addictions and eating disorders. One way to avoid having to restrict or say “no” all day is to only have foods in your home that you are okay with them eating regularly.
Help your kids have a healthy mindset about food
Help your kids understand how food fuels our bodies, how to listen to their bodies (hungry vs full, happy tummies vs sad tummies, etc.) Take them with you to the Farmer’s Market or try growing your own veggies in the backyard to help them understand where food comes from. Just let them in on the process!
Get your kiddos involved with meal times
Let them help you chop veggies or stir ingredients together. Commission them to set the table or fill the drinking glasses with water. It’s amazing how much more open kids are to new foods when they’ve been involved in preparing them.
Reminder: It is incredibly damaging to children if they are shamed for eating too much or too little of something or if their weight or bodies are scrutinized or criticized. Do NOT do that! They shouldn’t be the least bit concerned with what they weigh, size of their clothes, or the way their body moves or performs. If you are seeing that in them, please intervene and that may start by evaluating how you approach your own body. If you feel that your child needs some help from a professional counselor or therapist, please provide that for them while they are still young.
Remember they are listening to you and watching everything you do - so please be intentional with this. Be gracious with yourself and with them - it goes a long way.
I hope this episode has been helpful for you and given you a few ideas of ways to create healthy foundations for your kiddos and maybe even yourself! If you have any specific questions, leave them in the comments on this post or you can send me a DM on Instagram.