Help Your Kids End Their Year Healthy
By Brandi Goodman
The end of the year is incredibly near. For many, it's a time to overindulge on treats and spend time inside recuperating from all the troubles the year brought. Your kiddos shouldn't spend the remainder of their year engaging in unhealthy behaviors -- and neither should you. Help your kids end their year healthy so they can start off the following year on the right foot.
Encourage Daily Exercise
Exercise is necessary for both physical and mental well-being. Even on vacation, it's important to encourage your kids to exercise daily and get their bodies moving for at least 30 minutes per day. Play with them outside. Go for a family hike. Walk around the neighborhood to look at the holiday lights. Dance indoors. There are plenty of options.
Help Them Find Stress-Reducing Activities They Enjoy
The end of the year can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety in some people. Whether your kiddos are worried about the long break away from their friends, or they're nervous about the new year starting, help them activities they enjoy that can work to reduce feelings of stress. Encourage them to read, write, draw, or enjoy time to themselves doing what they like. These healthy coping mechanisms will hopefully stay with them into adulthood.
Get Them to Help With Meals
Each day should include three healthy meals, and a couple of healthy snacks. Making these from scratch can help to reduce the calories, fat, sodium, and sugar of many store-bought versions. Get your kids in the kitchen to help make these meals. It will show them exactly which ingredients are going into the dish, and encourage them to give it a try since they had a hand in making it.
Incorporate Health into Your Holiday Plans
If your year ends with holiday plans, make sure you're incorporating health into them. Instead of hosting a party where everyone is gathered around the table to eat, fill the evening with games and activities instead. Put out a few healthy appetizers and snacks for people to munch on for a bit, and then put them away so people aren't grazing all night. Serve water, tea, or infused water instead of soda pop and juice.
Teaching healthy habits and keeping your kids on the right track is the goal. You want them to grow up to be healthy and well, and not use unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with the stress in their lives. End the year strong with your kiddos with these tips in mind.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Eastvale, Calif.