How to Encourage Healthy Habits for Kids

Keeping ourselves happy and healthy can sometimes be a challenge.

When it comes to our kids, though, we want the absolute best for them. We want healthy, happy, and well-rounded kids. But where do we start?

The kids of today are faced with some pretty tough obstacles. More than 40% of teens are overweight. Kids are becoming less interested in outdoor activities. Screen time on smartphones, tablets, and video games is causing anxiety, lack of energy, and a general lack of social connection.

However, all is not lost.

As parents, we have the ability to make changes to help our kids. There are a number of things that we can do to help combat some of these negative habits. Making just a few small changes can make a huge difference in creating healthy habits for kids.

Do you need a few tips and tricks on how to make your kids do healthy things? Check out some of these simple strategies.

Screens, Junk Food, Lack of Energy - Oh My!

It seems that every kid faces the same challenge.

They are bombarded with technology, processed foods, and too much stimulus. Many days, families are in a rush to get kids to school and parents to work. Time has become a challenge in most American households.

Kids come home from school. Parents return from work. Everyone is tired.

Boxed and frozen foods serve dinner quickly. TV and other devices can offer a quick fix when we need to finish a bit of work or pay a few bills. By the end of the day, no one has any energy left.

A few simple swaps and changes, though, can create a healthy lifestyle for kids, and even us adults.

Here's where to start.

Food Fun

Food is the number one ingredient for energy and performance.

However, many of our diets, and especially the diets of our kids, consist of simple carbs and starches. The ease, convenience, and price of processed foods make them a popular choice for many households.

The problem, though, is that kids are losing most of their energy due to the foods they are eating. Junk food, processed food, and foods high in sugar lead to a type of carb crash.

The food that is supposed to fuel kids, can actually do the exact opposite.

Studies found that a highly-processed food diet causes fatigue. The good news, though, is that if we change the diet - we can lose the fatigue.

Here are a few ways that you can encourage healthier eating habits at home with your kids:

• Have your kids plan the meals for each night.
• Let your kids get involved with the cooking.
• Replace junk food options with good alternatives like yogurt, cheese, and fruit.
• Have quality food options available for each snack and/or meal.
• Sneak healthy foods into meals.

Ever hear these sentences come out of your kids' mouths: I don't like that food! I'm not going to eat it!

A really quick and easy fix to this common response is to give your kids a bit of control with what they eat. When they come up with the meal, they feel like they had some of the control. If you let them help cook the meal, they'll be excited to try what they created.

Some kids just need to be given chef privileges in the kitchen. Just keep an eye on the stove and other potentially dangerous situations.

Tell your kids that you'll be their sous chef. They'll love having you as their assistant!

Family Fitness

The family that works out together, stays together.

Getting your kids active and involved doesn't mean that you have to bring them to the gym. There are endless ways that you can get your kids moving.

The best part is that none of them require money.

Every kid needs at least an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity each and every day. To get our kids off the couch and away from the TV, though, may require us to be participants, too. This is an added bonus. We can get some great time in with our kids and we can burn some extra calories along the way.

Here are a few ideas for getting everyone's heartbeat pumping:

Kid Created Workouts

This one is a blast.

Have your kids create the workout. You have to do exactly what they do. If they run from room to room and do jumping jacks at every stop - you do it, too.

Race Time

In the living room or outside in the yard, you can race your kids.

Set up a few cones, or even a few stuffed animals. When your track is ready - it's time to race. This activity is a great way to laugh and have fun with your kids. It's also a great way to get everyone moving. 

TV for Fitness

YouTube is a gold mine for fun activity.

Type in fun family workouts and you'll have thousands of videos to check out. Some videos are actual workout videos. Others are silly dances that make you laugh while you're moving. There are even yoga videos that the entire family can do to relax and unwind.

When screen time is used effectively, it can serve a good purpose. Just try not to let your kids take over the remote when the workout is done. Instead, have your kids come help you make a great snack or cook the next meal.

Finish one healthy activity and follow it with another.

Get Them Involved

Kids need daily activity.

This doesn't mean that you have to sign up for a ton of pricey sports and after-school activities and camps. That would cost a small fortune.

There are a number of ways that kids can get involved that don't cost anything.

Here are a few ideas to consider:

• Meet new people in your neighborhood. Encourage play dates.
• Have your kid(s) volunteer. Organizations like the Kiwanis Club, the 4H Club, the SPCA, and the Humane Society offer all kinds of volunteering opportunities for kids of all ages.
• Explore the idea of Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts. Nowadays, there is the option for joining a Scouting Troop that includes both boys and girls.
• Consider a local club or church group. Parents and kids don't have to attend a church for their kids to join a youth group.
• Look into school-based clubs. Many of these are offered before or after school, and they are a great way to meet new people and learn new things.
• If you have young, non-school aged kids - look for a parent group. These groups usually meet at local parks or malls and do all kinds of fun things without spending a dime.

There are dozens of ways that kids can get involved with extracurricular activities. You don't have to send your kids to a paid program to get them involved with other kids after school.

The benefits of finding a place where your kids have fun, and learn something or help others, encourages them stay emotionally healthy.

As an added bonus, there is research indicating that kids do better in school when they are active after school.

Teeth Time

Emotionally and academically healthy kids are important.

Hygiene and physical health is paramount, too. When you are looking for how to create healthy habits in kids, focusing on dental hygiene is extremely important.

Getting your kids to the dentist every six months is a great start. But, the most important part is getting your kids to brush their teeth at least twice a day.

Starting a good dental routine should begin within the first week of life. This does not involve finding a toothbrush and toothpaste that fits a newborn's tiny mouth. Simply use a clean cloth to gently wipe down your baby's gums, especially after feeding. Of course, if your baby falls asleep during feeding you can wait until he or she wakes up.

Didn't start a dental routine with your kids immediately after they were born? Don't stress!

An easy way to transition into healthy dental habits for your kids is to start with twice-a-day brushing and once-a-day flossing. If your kids aren't excited about the brushing and flossing routine, find a way to make it fun.

Here are a few ways for encouraging health habits for kids when it comes to their teeth:

• Make it a game. Who can brush the longest for at least two-minutes? Use your phone, a stopwatch, or something like a sand timer to race your kids and find out who can brush the longest.
• Make a reward chart. Find a way for your kids to mark each time they brush their teeth. At the end of the week, pay out the reward. This doesn't have to be with money or a prize. Easy activities like playing a game as a family, going to the beach together, or having friends come over can be a great reward.
• Make a video. This generation of kids are growing up with how-to videos on YouTube. Have your kids make a video showing other kids how to brush and how to floss. You don't have to upload the actual video. It's just a fun way to have your kids show what they know when it comes to healthy dental hygiene.

Adding a few simple steps to make brushing and flossing fun can make a huge difference in the the health of your kids' teeth. Of course, don't forget to schedule those dentist appointments.

If you need help finding a dentist, or even a pediatrician, ask Siri or Alexa to find a dentist or a pediatrician near me.

Bathing Blunders

A clean kid is a healthy and happy kid.

But, we now live in a world where we fear germs and dirt. We, as a society, tend to go a bit overboard with how often we bathe our kids. In fact, studies show that 21st century kids may be bathing too often. Turns out, a little dirt and germs are good for the overall health of our kids.

This doesn't mean that we shouldn't consistently bathe our kids. But, it does mean that we don't have to stress about our kids being squeaky clean each and every day.

The American Academy of Dermatology has given us some pretty straightforward guidelines about bathing our kids.

Here's a quick glance:

• Children ages 6-11 only need to bathe at least once or twice per week.
• Teenagers should shower daily and wash their face daily.
• Kids should wash with soap and water instead of choosing to overuse antibacterial hand-sanitizers or body wipes.

Of course, if kids are sweaty, dirty, stinky, or swim in a body of water like an ocean, and extra bath or shower is always a good idea.

Limit Screen Time

We all know this warning.

We've been hearing the dangers of extended screen time for a few years, now. Thanks to the dawn of the digital age, our kids are constantly exposed to devices. Smartphones, tablets, video games, and computers are taking over our kids' lives.

Studies are showing us that screen time can lead to psychological effects like anxiety and depression. We're also finding that too much screen time can, also, lead to an altered idea of life and how to socialize.

Here's an idea of screen time limits for our kids:

• Small kids under the age of five should be limited to no more than an hour of screen time per day. Ideally, kids under the age of five should avoid screen time altogether.
• Older kids should keep screen time under three hours per day.

Happy and Healthy Habits for Kids

Keeping our kids happy and healthy doesn't take a lot of time and money.

It does take some good planning, some good routines, and some easy changes to our daily lives. Kids are happy when their family and friends are happy, too.

When you're looking for how to create healthy habits for kids, it's easier to work together as a family.

We want the very best for our kids.

Get involved together. Get active together. Get healthy together.