Our kids are like tiny, messy little mirrors, revealing to us exactly who we are. They are always watching, mimicking, and repeating the things we do and say, reflecting our good and… less-desirable… habits.
This is no different in the area of nutrition, exercise, and overall health. It’s even more crucial in this area, actually, because we have so much control over the schedule and the food that we bring into the house. As moms, we hold their health in our hands.
Childhood obesity is truly an epidemic in our country, and that’s just a hop-skip-and-a-jump into increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and stroke as they grow into adults. Because of this, our kids are expected to be the first generation to not outlive their parents.
It’s not just their physical health that’s at risk, either. Our generation is the most anxious, depressed, and stressed generation in history, and our kids are following suit. Poor nutrition has been tied to behavior issues and a slew of mental disorders.
It’s heart-breaking, right?
The good news is, we MOMS can be the healthy super heroes they need us to be! We can right the path for their health & longevity, and it all starts with modeling healthy behaviors.
Here are 10 tips for being a healthy example to your kids:
1. Eat meals together.
There’s a ton of research out there to support that kids benefit IMMENSELY when the family regularly enjoys meals together. These kids make better grades, have healthier diets, and are at less risk for mental health issues and substance abuse.
There’s a lot of reasons for this. They get to see YOU making healthier choices and there’s more opportunity to discuss the food that’s been served and why. That super important quality time together is priceless and the benefits go way beyond physical health.
With our over-booked schedules these days, it can be hard to make family meals happen regularly. Start by prioritizing just ONE family meal together a day (it doesn’t have to be dinner!) MOST days of the week. As you feel the benefits, you’ll feel motivated to make it happen more often. Our family dinners are consistently our kids’ favorite parts of their day.
2. Take them grocery shopping with you.
I know, I know… when the kids go with you, it takes longer, it’s often more expensive, and you run the risk of having to abandon a full cart mid-store due to a full-blown toddler fit.
I get it. I am amazed, though, at how interested my kids are in the foods we’re buying. They love helping to pick out the produce and they always have questions about why we’re picking one item over another. It definitely helps to give them a job to do so they feel empowered while you shop.
Taking them with you to the store gives you the opportunity to model things like reading labels, carefully choosing nutritious options, and explaining why the quality of the food we consume is so important!
3. Watch your language.
I’m not talking about the occasional four letter word you drop when someone cuts you off in traffic… you know, when your 3-year-old who hasn’t heard a thing you’ve said for the past 20 minutes then starts repeating that ONE WORD as loudly as possible in the backseat. *eye roll*
What you say about food, exercise, and YOURSELF have a profound effect on your kids and their behaviors and attitudes. If you use food as a reward or a coping mechanism, they notice. If you constantly make negative comments about your body, they get complicated messages about their own body image.
The best thing to do is NEVER talk about weight, size, or diets – yours or theirs. Don’t label foods as “bad” food or “good” foods. Always focus on eating and exercising for optimal health, energy, and to feel your best. Someone much smarter than me taught me to talk to my kids about food in terms of energy… fast energy foods, muscle building foods, sustained energy foods, etc. If we talk to kids about how foods affect them and their energy, it empowers them to reflect on how they feel after eating and make their own wise choices.
4. Let them help you cook or plan meals.
When my kids are involved in the process of getting the food on the table, they tend to be more adventurous with what they’ll try AND they’re learning many valuable skills. Cooking together is all about teachable moments. You learn about the nutrition side, but there’s also letters, colors, critical thinking, coordination, etc.
Let them help plan the menu. This gives them some control over the experience. Can you imagine NEVER getting a say in what you were eating? That would be frustrating for ANYONE. It’s good to let our kids have some input about what’s for dinner and what goes on their plate! It doesn’t matter how you do it – get them involved in the process and make it a positive experience.
5. Try new foods and activities together.
Make it a goal to try a new food and/or active play activity together once a week.
Try going for a walk, jogging, or riding bikes together. Go to a trampoline park. Take a mommy & me dance or yoga class.
Buy a new exotic fruit at the grocery store or visit a new restaurant together. Make a new snack recipe together, something with fun shapes and colors and lots of good nutrition.
Through these adventures with you, they’ll learn to associate active play and eating with quality time with mom. That’s some serious positive reinforcement!
6. Reward them with attention and fun.
Don’t reward yourself (or your kiddos) with food. You are not dogs.
This is a tough one for me because, in my family, love is spelled F-O-O-D. Growing up, getting ice cream was both a celebration and a way of cheering myself up. Anyone else a recovering emotional eater?
Instead of rewarding good behavior or accomplishments with food treats, find alternatives that are fun, active, and where they get your full attention. Learn to spell love a different way, T-I-M-E. I’m not saying celebrations should never include a treat, but pay close attention to the frequency. Is food ALWAYS the reward? Is this a healthy association they’re building over time?
Take them to the park. Get a new activity or coloring book and make beautiful things together. Give lots of hugs and kisses and encouragement. Ask THEM what they want to do to celebrate!
7. Limit sweet treats.
We avoid labeling foods as “bad” or “good” foods in our house, but we do discuss how foods make us feel. We also practice moderation and avoid depriving enjoyable foods.
Sweet treats are a tough one, because we know that too much of the processed candies and cakes can be detrimental to health. They’ve made them so addicting that it’s hard for ANYONE to moderate their intake. We tend to not keep a lot of treats in the house for this reason.
When the kids have gorged themselves on sweets (looking at you, Halloween,) I ask them how they feel. I encourage them to pay attention to their bodies, is their heart pounding and do they feel bouncy? I ask how their brain feels, is it busier than usual? When I see them crashing, or they complain of a belly ache, I ask them why they think that is. I ask if they think that was a fast energy food or a sustained energy food? They have often made the association themselves that they had too much sugar, and over time they’ve gotten better at moderating their own sugar intake to avoid the belly aches and busy brains.
8. Be active together every day.
Play in the yard. Wrestle on the floor. Have a tickle fight. Invite them to join you on a walk. Send them on errands that keep them moving, like “explore every corner of the park and find me 3 special leaves!” Let them think of a game!
Find ways to be active with your kiddos every day. Not only does it show them that being active is FUN, it will also give YOU the opportunity to be a kid again!
9. Limit the drive thru and processed foods.
The overabundance of over-processed food-like substances is the reason our society is getting sicker and sicker. I could write a whole other post on this alone, but the gist of it is this… don’t let processed foods be the staple of your diet.
It’s nearly impossible to live in our society and not indulge in some heavily processed food-like substances from time to time, especially since most of us were raised on it. Those habits run deep, but they can be reflected upon and changed. Also, like if busy and sometimes we have to lean on convenience. It happens, no biggie. Do pay attention to what your family eats MOST of the time, however.
10. Keep it fun and adventurous.
Remember, it’s all an adventure. Learning any new habit or routine is one great big experiment, and this is one you get to embark on with your whole family. If you approach things together this way, it’s a lot more fun for everyone.
Don’t expect to ever be a perfect role model – in any area. You’re a human, after all. Let your kids know that you are doing your best to make food and activity choices that reflect how you want to FEEL. Ask them to explore those choices with you.
Take this opportunity to really connect with your kiddos in a whole new way. Talk about what you’re learning and how great it feels to be a healthy family, together.
There are many ways to teach your kids, but nothing has the profound impact of your example.
