Children
are today’s seed for tomorrow’s harvest. They are
full of promise, which will one day yield a bright future. It
is important for us as parents to “equip” them with
morals, values, and healthy habits to carry out a prosperous plan
for the future. As parents, we are entrusted with the responsibility
of being their teacher and mentor. A key characteristic of a great
teacher is being a great student. In other words, in order for
us to teach our children how to live healthy, we should also be
students of living healthy lifestyles. How many times have we
told our children something only to turn around and say it over
and over again? We can attest to the fact that children are not
always listening, but they are always watching. Since our children
are our audience, we can optimize the opportunity and teach healthy
living.
What is a healthy lifestyle?
A healthy lifestyle is a lifestyle that consists of healthy habit.
The great thing about a habit is that it can be broken or created.
Mothers are usually the Chief operation officer of their homes.
We have a big influence in our homes, so it is important to take
an assessment of our health (not our size). What does your “health
walk” look like to you? For example, it is a known fact
among my five kids (1yr old boy, 3yr old twins, 5yr old and a
14 yr old) that fitness and wellness is a huge part of my life.
They are aware of the fact that I am exercising during their nap
or early in the morning before they wake up. Sometimes, I will
even include them into my workout as the weights and they love
it. During the day (in spite of how hectic it gets AND BELIEVE
ME IT DOES) I am not missing a meal. They see me drinking my protein
shakes. They understand on a basic level the importance of good
food verses junk food. This is not to say that can’t have
candy, cookies, or chips. However, they are learning to how to
use moderation. I teach my children healthy living by living it
out in front of them. This is my “health walk”.
The following examples are
what I have used to help form healthy habits among my children:
• Always leave water or other healthy beverages assessable
for them to grab.
• Leave fresh fruit and veggies in their view for them to
snack on
• Allow them to get involved in menu planning
• Allow them to request healthy food from the grocery store
• Let them help you create and make healthy alternatives
to junk food. For example, a few weeks ago we made homemade tortilla
chips and they enjoyed it.
• Have silly time with them. For example, let the little
kids play freeze dance. Since the older kids are too cool for
“ freeze dance”, a dance – off or competition
may get them involved.
As a woman, I am aware of
the fact that we can be really critical of ourselves. There is
always something to we would like to “fix”. However,
it is crucial to understand that as moms we are a “mirror”
for our daughters and a “portrait” for our sons. In
other words, we are showing our daughters what it is like to be
a woman. For our sons, we are what they expect a woman to be like.
Men don’t marry their moms; they marry what they perceive
a woman to be based on the “portrait” their mom “painted”.
I know that when our children
enter their school years they will also be introduced to the “world
of the nachos and pizza line. This is a great opportunity to further
instill the importance of moderation. This is also why it is important
to use healthy alternatives to junk food. We don’t want
them to be fearful of junk food or feel ashamed for eating cake.
We want to empower them to rise above the monotony of unwise lifestyle
choices. We can do this simply by living it out and encouraging/
applauding them for making healthy choices. Moms understand that
it will be from your years of dedication that will pave the way
for a healthy future for your children and their families. As
we come together as moms we have the power to make the world a
better place for and through our children.
Contact LaTonya: lbaruc@aol.com
/ Facebook Blog: http://www.facebook.com/BarucWellness
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