Family Health Starts with You

Nowadays, parenting is a bit challenging. It is not as simple as providing proper nutrition and some minutes of physical activity to prevent kids from developing diabetes and obesity. In this generation, parents need to be fully armed to win unhealthy temptations. Parents have to consider the environment in which their kids grow up. Also, they must take care of their mental health to bring up their kids in a healthy way.

Kids need affection from their parents and friends. If you are suffering from mental illnesses, it can be daunting to provide your kids with the love they need. It’s challenging for depressed parents to talk to their kids, understand, and show them how they can live healthy, happy, and safe.

First, it is prudent to know that dealing with mental illness doesn’t make you less of a parent. It will help if you don’t struggle with the issue alone. If you are a mom, find help for women’s mental health in your area.

Some people struggle with mental illnesses for a short period. For example, women are likely to experience postnatal depression, weeks or months after delivery. However, other parents experience depression or anxiety that can be as a result of stressful life events. If this is the case, you need to visit a mental health expert for help.

Here are tips to bring up your kids in a healthy way

1. Model Remarkable Behavior

Young kids learn by emulating their parents. Control your anger when your kids are watching you. If you behave weirdly when angry, your kids are likely to be aggressive too. Raise your kids to be honest, friendly, respectful, kind, and tolerant. Show them to do good without expecting a reward. Make it a behavior to compliment them and express gratitude after they have done a recommendable job.

2. Plan for Healthy Meals

There is no harm in taking fast foods, but teach your kids that healthy meals can be prepared at home. Give them fruits, vegetables, foods rich in proteins, and carbohydrates. Make nutrition a fun affair in your house by getting your kids involved in food preparation, especially during the weekends. They will learn how food is made and enjoy food that they have helped to prepare.

3. Be Physically Active

Set aside one hour every day for physical exercises. Play active games such as going for a walk together, blowing bubbles so that your kid can chase them, playing hopscotch, tickle monster, or a ball in your backyard. A child gets some sense of fulfillment when you spend time together.

4. Motivate Your Kids

A kid’s sense of self starts developing at a young age in life. Your kids emulate your body language, your tone of voice, and your way of expression. Your words and actions have a significant impact on your kid’s self-esteem. Make it a habit to praise your kid’s accomplishments, no matter how small they are; it makes them feel proud of themselves. Also, it develops a sense of independence and makes them feel strong and capable of achieving great things.

Avoid belittling comments or comparing your kids to another in a negative way. Be compassionate and careful with your words. Let your kids know that error is to be human. However, never shy away from disciplining them when they do wrong.

As a parent, it is imperative to take care of your mental health so that parenting can be a manageable job. Besides work and parenting, do things that make you happy. Focusing on yourself doesn’t make you selfish; rather, it helps you to take care of your children in a better way.