Most parents want their children to follow healthy behaviors such as eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise but are unsure of how to get the message across. A great piece of advice that may seem a little harsh, however must be said:
LOSE THE "DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO" approach. What does that really mean? Well, put simply, you should be following all of the "suggestions" you make to your children. For example:
1. Don't want your kids to drink soda? Then why the heck are you pounding diet soda after diet soda? One word: WATER!
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2. Want the kids to feast on fruit, rather than chips? Then stop bringing it into the house. As you run out of the foods you want them to avoid, slowly replace with healthy fruits and make sure they see you eat them.
And one of my favorites:
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3. "Get outside and play! When I was your age I spent my entire childhood riding my bike!" Really? Not so believable when you are making this statement from your spot on the couch. Send them outside to play while you work on the yard or head over to the park for a walk.
Now I am not saying that treats are forever forbidden, but seriously, start following the healthy habits as a family and you may get some changes to stick.
Questions?
