Want your kids to value health?
As a fairly new parent (almost 3 years experience!) I’ve discovered that one of the benefits of having children is the personal development journey that they are taking me on. Much like good leadership of any team, I’ve discovered that a key aspect to effective parenting is ‘walking the talk’. This is a simple concept that can be really hard to put into practice!
We all want the best for our kids. We want to maximise their opportunities through good education and by providing them with experiences. We also want them to be brought up with ‘good values’ – a sense of what is right, what is wrong and what is important in life. Without doubt, we also want them to enjoy good health for their lives – to be fit and healthy so they can do the things they want to do.
How can we ‘give’ our kids good health and guide the decisions they make that will effect their health? My children nearly always do what I do and only sometimes do what I say – this means that I have to role model the behaviours that I am trying to create in them!
- Do your children see you exercise regularly each week and priorities time for this over other commitments?
- Do your children see you make food choices in the interest of ‘being healthy’?
- Does your family incorporate ‘active activities’ such as going for a bike ride together as part of your family time?
- Do your children see you take opportunities to incorporate incidental physical activity such as using the stairs into your day?
Every time I see my children making choices at this early age, I just look in the mirror and know where they have come from!
-Kristin Lewis