Parents are doing better these days when it comes to connecting with their kids and spending as much time with them as they can. Not only is this good for the children, it’s good for everyone, both mentally and physically.
As parents we can talk to our kids all day long about how to live a healthy life — and this is a good thing. But unless we walk the walk, it won’t be meaningful.
Here are four ways to promote a healthy life for every member of the family.
1) Eat together
I didn't really understood the notion of families not having dinner together every day until we became working parents. Working long hours and working evening shifts can make it impossible to eat together every night. The working world isn’t like it used to be. A 24/7 demand has called for 24/7 work shifts.
We need to work to support our families and it’s OK not to eat together every night. But we need to work hard to do it on a fairly regular basis.
And lots of us are! An article in the Huffington Post reports, “According to the latest CASE reports, 59 percent of surveyed families said they ate dinner together at least five times a week, a significant increase from 47 percent in 1998.”
Not only is this improvement good news for family bonding, it also promotes healthier eating when parents can serve up nutritious meals. It can also guard against kids straying away from family and making poor decisions on their own.
Again from the HuffPost: “According to a number of reports issued by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University(CASA), children who eat at least five times a week with their family are at lower risk of developing poor eating habits, weight problems or alcohol and substance dependencies, and tend to perform better academically than their peers who frequently eat alone or away from home.”
These meals don’t always have to be evening dinners. Lunches, or an afternoon snack together, can help the family stay close and bonded.
Even if this isn’t something you do now, it’s not too late. Kids need to know that they are important, and involving them in meals helps to make that clear. Let them help plan the menu, set the table, and do some food prep, too. Make a point to have one weekend dinner together every week.
2) Exercise together
Fancy a family-oriented gym where the whole family can swim, play tennis or basketball or where your teens can use machines?
Join. Make it a point to go twice a week. If the gym is too expensive, invest in a secondhand workout machine at home.
Don’t like machines? No problem. When I worked out to DVDs all my kids did it too! It was distracting and ridiculous half the time, but it was really funny, and I then did it alone to get my workout.
Taking an evening walk with family is one of the easiest ways to stay fit. It’s also a good way to chat with each other and talk about the news of the day.
There are lots of ways to incorporate exercise into daily life. Gardening is great for fitness, and kids love it. We need to model healthy behavior for our children. We can’t expect them to do this on their own. Kids who see their parents exercise and maintain a good level of fitness will be more likely to do so themselves.
3) Have family meetings
I’m a firm believer in family meetings. It’s a good way to discuss family issues from household chores, activities and schedules. They provide opportunities for all members to express their thoughts and feelings. Children need to know if they are slipping on their responsibilities, and parents can reiterate their expectations.
Personal or more serious matters should be discussed on a one-to-one basis and not in front of siblings. Respect your child’s privacy.
But kids also have a right to their own feelings and thoughts on family dynamics. Hear them out. Involve them in planning family life.
SheKnows.com emphasizes this by telling parents that you “raised your children to have an opinion and to be their own person. So, when you are deciding how your family should spend time together, allow your children to chime in with their opinions. If your children feel like their opinions and preferences are considered they will be happier to hang out all together; they may even look forward to it.”
4) Involve your children’s friends in family life
Keeping up with your childrens’ friends is a good way to keep tabs on the behaviors and lifestyles of both your children and their friends. Especially in the teen years, friends become hugely important to our children.
Invite them over for dinner or to hang out and watch a movie. Get to know them as people.
Earn their trust so that if something goes wrong in your teen's life, friends who know about it may trust you enough to let you know. We hear too many stories of parents not knowing their child is pregnant, using drugs/alcohol, bullying, or being bullied.
Don’t be the “cool parent” who acts like a teen with your kids and their friends. Keep boundaries. But knowing who your child spends their time with is important, and let their friends know that you’re available when needed.
Healthy families aren't just about working out and healthy foods. Eating well and exercising are important, but so are the mental and emotional health of every member of the family. Everyone is important and everyone’s opinion counts.
Parents need to be the captains of the family ship and staying involved in their children’s lives. Eating, playing and talking together are what promote all-round holistic health. This in itself promotes a family that loves, supports and stays together.
Sources:
The Huffington Post. “Eating Together as a Family Has Multiple Benefits”. Web. Retrieved August 5th, 2015.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timi-gustafson/family-dinner_b_1898387.html
SheKnows.com. Parenting. “6 Ways to bring your family closer together”. Web. Retrieved August 5th, 2015.
http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/812432/6-ways-to-bring-your-f...
Reviewed August 17, 2015
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith