Start the year off by creating healthy habits as a family. The new year may have you thinking about making resolutions or improving your health. Research shows that small, incremental changes combined with social support makes it easier to make long-lasting change. Rather than aiming to overhaul your life- start small and include your kids, while creating healthy habits as a family!
Four healthy habits to start as a family:
- Move together. Whether your family enjoys walking the dog, heading to the playground, riding scooters or bikes, or cruising around the zoo, San Diego has something for everyone. Getting outside and moving makes for enjoyable time spent as a family while also getting some exercise.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables. Get your kids on board by having them help choose a fruit or veggie at the grocery store or farmers market. Additionally, allowing kids to help choose recipes or prepare foods makes it more likely they will try something new!
- Turn off the screens and enjoy playtime as a family. Taking time during the week or weekend to actively turn off the screens and play a game together can help promote family bonding and fun. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes, “In addition to boosting a child’s health and development, play helps to build the safe, stable and nurturing relationships that buffer against toxic stress and build social-emotional resilience.” Play is important for promoting healthy self-esteem and resilience in kids.
- Prioritize an evening routine to promote sleep. Sleep is crucial for the physical health and well-being of everyone (you too, mom!). By having a calming and predictable routine in the evening, you can set the family up for better sleep, and surprisingly, better health. Dr. Natalie Muth, a local San Diego Pediatrician and Registered Dietician, says “
Studies support that consistent mealtime, bedtime, and screen time routines are associated better nutrition, decreased risk of childhood obesity, improved child sleep (and parental sanity!), decreased risk-taking behaviors in teens, and overall better health.” Bedtime routines can be as simple as taking a bath and taking some time to read with your child. What matters is that the routine is the same each evening.
Here’s to a healthy and happy new year! If you need help improving your health habits as a parent, Cassandra Padgett, a mom, certified personal trainer, and health coach has free resources available here to help moms create positive nutrition and exercise habits.
