Setting Standards Worth Imitating by YoNaturals

Author: Laura Rayburn

In the on-going fight against childhood obesity, it is increasingly important for parents to model healthy behavior for their children. It’s no secret that children look to their parents for ideas on what kinds of actions, behaviors, and attitudes are accepted and expected in their household. Children will then imitate these patterns and habits that are set forth by their parents or guardians. This means that, as a parent, it’s your responsibility to model the positive attributes that you want and expect to see in your children one day, including good attitudes toward healthy eating and exercise routines.

The food that you put on your child’s plate (and on your own plate) now will affect them for the rest of their life. Feed them healthy foods now, and later on it will seem strange to them if they are not eating healthy foods. For example, if you put an emphasis on purchasing and preparing fresh vegetables for dinner each night, then your children will be much more likely to make fresh veggies a cornerstone of their diets when they are grown and have families of their own.

Exercise is another area where you can get your child involved early on. A cursory glance at your local park will reveal that there are many new moms and dads that take their babies out for jogs, walks, and bike rides. In addition to the physical fitness benefits that you will reap now, bringing your children up in a climate where fitness is emphasized will benefit them as they grow older and are able to exercise on their own. As your child matures into her adolescent years, talk to her about the importance of maintaining a regular exercise schedule and the impact of exercise on your own health.

Another positive habit that you can model for your children is maintaining a positive body image. Even as children, they will be on the receiving end of many of the messages that our culture sends. Unfortunately, one of the messages with potential to cause the most harm is that in order to be beautiful, a person must meet certain physical standards set forth by the fashion industry. Reinforce positive ideas about physical fitness and healthy eating instead of focusing your attention on comparing yourself to a stick-thin supermodel.
Last but not least, remember that it’s going to be difficult to always be prepared with a healthy snack when you’re a parent. Fortunately, these days you have a better option than choosing a snack or soda from the traditional vending machines. Seek out YoNaturals healthy vending machines instead. Choose it for you, and choose it for your child.