How to Encourage Healthy Habits with Your Kids + Free Printables!
Every parent wants the best for their children, and as hard as we may try to instill important lessons through what we say to our kids, the reality is they learn far more by watching what we do than listening to what we say. That’s why it’s so important to model the behaviors you want to foster in your kids, especially since they pick up on a lot more than we realize.
While it’s easy to accept this truth in theory, it can become more of a challenge to actually put it into practice—particularly when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet. It’s no easy feat staying on top of the endless responsibilities that come with raising a family, and our healthy habits can end up taking a back seat as a result.
If you can relate, you’re not alone! Parenting is tough, and we’re only human. But if you feel like you’re ready to put some healthy habits back on the family priority list, there are a few tips that can help reduce the overwhelm and make the process more manageable for you, and fun for the kids!
For more on this topic, check out the full Staying Healthy collection
Download this free printable below!
Hold a Family Meeting about Healthy Habits
A good place to start when it comes to introducing healthier habits to your kids is by setting aside some time to discuss the topic as a family. Carving out just twenty minutes to discuss why sticking to healthier habits is important for them (and to mom and dad!) can help your child feel less reluctant to try something new. Talking about your health and wellness goals as a family gets everyone engaged and on the same page.
Maybe you want to add more fruits and veggies to your family’s diet, spend less time on screens, or make it a point to get outside more. Whatever your aspirations are, talking them through together helps set everyone up for success.
Download this free printable below!
Make Healthy Habits Fun
One of the keys to helping your kids stay engaged in the pursuit of healthy habits is to add an element of fun to the process. A great way to do this is by using a visual goal tracker to keep up with everyone’s progress. Visually tracking goals helps boost motivation, commitment, and encouragement, and it’s a great way to stay focused as a family.
By having a visual reference of what you’ve accomplished so far, visual goal tracking not only helps you stay on track, but it also stirs up excitement to see what else can be achieved in the future. To help you get started with your healthy habits, these printable Wellness Wheels and Bad Habit Breaker worksheets are great for visually mapping your goals and solidifying them with your kids. Adopting a healthier lifestyle isn’t always easy, but it makes a wonderful way to work towards something challenging as a family!
Healthy Habits Printable Worksheets
For more on this topic, check out the full Staying Healthy collection
