Raising kids can be a challenging and the most rewarding part of life. Here are 6 parenting tips for raising happy and healthy kids.
Parenting Tips for Raising Happy and Healthy Kids
As a parent, the role that you play in shaping your kids future is cardinal. You are the person your kids look to for comfort, advice and familiarity.
More often, your kids will grow up with the lessons and attributes that you taught them. This journey usually begins with you declaring what you want for your kids.
We all want happiness, health and success for our kids. But how can we raise them to ensure that these three are within their reach?
Well, you’re in luck. We have compiled a few parenting tips that will assist you in raising happy and healthy kids.
6 Parenting Tips
These parenting tips are a starting point and can easily be incorporated.
- Connect with Your Kids
- Encourage Playtime
- Stand Back and Watch Your Kids Try
- Instill Self-Discipline in Your Kids
- Encourage Healthy Eating Habits
- Practice Daily Gratitude
1. Connect With Your Kids
In this age of social media, it’s easy for kids to disconnect from reality. They might start seeking consolation from their online peers and idols instead of from their parents.
Strive to build a strong connection with your kids, such that they can always come to you with anything they would like to share. One way to connect with them is by being genuinely interested in the happenings of their life. Ask them about their day in school, the friends they made, or any other thing that happened to them.
Introduce family time in your daily routine where you can sit, give stories and engage in an activity together.
2. Encourage Playtime
Outdoor playtime is like meditation for kids. It not only keeps them fit but also influences their mood.
As a parenting tip, encourage your kids to engage in outdoor activities like running, playing soccer, or any other outdoor sports they like. You can as well join them in activities like bike riding or playing a game of catch.
Outdoor playtime will enhance your kids’ socialization skills, which will lead to better relationships when they grow up.
3. Stand Back and Watch Your Kids Try
It might seem hard to stand back and watch your kids struggle to achieve or master something, be it drawing, riding a bike or playing the guitar. You might feel like you are abandoning them.
According to research, these early struggles of trying to be better at a task will improve your kid’s self-esteem. It prepares them to become go-getters and not to fear failure.
Grant your kids the environment and space to try something new. Of course, this is not to say that you do not help them when they ask you. Be open to their questions.
Acknowledge your kids’ efforts, compliment their successes and always show them that you love them, whether they succeed or fail.
4. Instill Self-Discipline in Your Kids
Instilling self-discipline in your kids will train them to be more responsible as adults. You can begin shaping your kids’ self-discipline by creating a routine around their life, for instance, doing homework with their phone in a jar, brushing teeth every night or sleeping at a specific time.
Don’t expect them to dive straight into doing these routine duties. Self-discipline is not easy to master. Even adults struggle to tolerate the pain and discomfort associated with self-discipline.
5. Encourage Healthy Eating Habits
The way to encourage good eating habits is not by forcing healthy diets down your kid’s throats, but by shaping their attitude towards these diets. This is an important parenting tip, have healthy food choices like fruits, vegetables and fibers in your house.
Involve your kids in meal preparations, and use this time to teach them the benefits of eating healthy and the foods suitable for good health.
Most importantly, be an example. If your kids see you binge eating burgers and sodas, they will want to do so too.
6. Practice Daily Gratitude
Instill in your kids the art of counting one’s blessings. Practising daily gratitude will help them lead a more positive life, despite the misfortunes that might occur.
You can create a daily family ritual where you all state the things you are grateful for, be it friends, good life, health, or more. A family ritual like this will help you connect with your kids and set them up for a happy life.
Special Thanks
Samantha contributed this post and is currently writing for Firstcare. Samantha has been working in the care industry for 5+ years. She regularly blogs about both the personal and practical challenges of caring and is always actively working on producing informative content.
*Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your cost will be the same, but My Mommy Style will receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated!