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Being healthy is important for you and your kid. You can help them create healthy habits that will follow them for life! How can you help them start living healthier today?
1. Speak Their Language. Explain nutrition and physical activity in terms your child can understand.
- Fruits and Veggies – Are like fuel for your body and mind. They also help prevent you from getting sick by providing you with vitamins and minerals important for your health. They also help to decrease hunger by providing fiber.
- Whole Grains – Give you lots of energy to run and play.
- Protein – Builds up your muscles to make you big and strong.
- Physical Activity – Makes you quicker, stronger and more flexible.
2. Make Health Fun. Find ways to make healthy habits enjoyable for your kids.
- Cut fruits and veggies into animal shapes or create nicknames for different healthy snacks. Have your child help pick out new fruits and vegetables to try when grocery shopping.
- Make up a game! Try Football Soccer. It’s the same game as soccer, except you kick around a football instead of a soccer ball.
- Try this fun, kid-approved recipe and activity. Try this Teddy Toast recipe and Animal Yoga game!
3. Talking About Tobacco. Being tobacco free is another important way kids can stay healthy. Try to talk with them early and often. Use this download for more talking points!
1. Be Positive. Explain how nutrition and physical activity are about feeling good and staying healthy.
- Your focus – and your teen’s – should be on eating well and staying active, not on body or clothing size.
- Don’t compare them to anyone else. Help them use personal goals, and not anyone else’s achievements, to measure success.
- Let them voice their opinions. Ask questions like, “What can we do as a family to make better choices.”
2. Show By Doing. Your children look up to you. So when you develop healthy habits, it’ll inspire them to do the same.
- Your kids will be more interested in eating healthy food if they help prepare it. Try these healthy dinner recipes today and start cooking as a family!
- Maybe it’s a family bike ride or walk around the block after dinner each night. Kids need 60 minutes of physical activity a day and adults need 30!
- Whether it’s at dinner or after an activity, hydrate with some H2O. Avoid soda and sports drinks and encourage your kids to do the same. Just how unhealthy are sugary drinks? Click here to find out!
3. Talking About Tobacco. Being tobacco free is another important way kids can stay healthy. Make sure to talk to your kids often about the latest trends, like e-cigarettes and JUULs. Use this download for more talking points! Click here to learn more!
1. Talk Often. Talking about health isn’t a one-and-done conversation. Constantly remind your teen about the benefits of nutrition and activity.
- Tips about talking about nutrition:
- Give you energy and keeps you alert in school
- Keeps your immune system strong
- Reduces risk of illness or disease
- Fiber in fruits and vegetable decreases hunger and provides vitamins and minerals important for your health
- Tips about talking about hydration:
- Prevents headaches
- Keeps you hydrated and alert
- Water has 0 sugar (unlike soda, sports drinks and energy drinks); sugar causes weight gain and increases risk for developing diabetes
- Tips about talking about physical activity:
- Give you energy and improves mood
- Builds stronger muscles and bones
- Improves balance and flexibility
2. Offer Suggestions. Inspire your kids to make healthy choices by providing them with a few suggestions.
- Ditch the salty chips and sugary cookies. Encourage your kids to snack healthy with these easy recipes.
- You don’t have to play a sport to get active. Explore tons of unique ways to move more.
- Sugary drinks can really add up. See how much sugar your kids drink and make the switch to water. Learn more here.
3. Talking About Tobacco. Being tobacco free is another important way kids can stay healthy. Make sure to talk to your kids often about the latest trends, like e-cigarettes and JUULs. Use this download for more talking points! Click here to learn more!