Modeling Positive Attributes

Author: Laura Rayburn
It should come as no surprise that most children look to their parents for guidance in word, thought, and deed. For better or worse, small children take pains to emulate their parents’ behaviors. So, if you are a parent, it’s important for you to use your own life to model the positive attributes that you would like for your children to eventually acquire for themselves.
That said, when it comes to parental guidance and impact, there may be few areas where you will have more impact on their futures than in the area of physical fitness and well-being. Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that is popping up across the country, and it can have long term effects on the health of your child. However, as a parent, you can be proactive against allowing your child to succumb to the obesity epidemic by adopting a healthy lifestyle for you and your family.

Healthy lifestyles start with eating healthy foods. Get your kids into the kitchen to help you with dinner once a week. Teach them the value of eating fresh produce, and including it with your meals. Explain to them how you decide which foods should be served together, and teach them about the different components of a balanced diet. The things that you teach your children about food now will stick with them as they get older and start making their own decisions about what to eat.
Take your children out for some exercise sessions as well. A simple walk, jog, or bike ride can supply plenty of fresh air for you and your children while also providing you with other physical fitness benefits as well. Explain to your children why you think that exercise is important. With their help, make some goals for yourself and let them see you meet those goals. Impress upon them the importance of including exercise in your daily routine.

It is also important to the health of your child for you to model positive attitudes about your own body image. Just as you can positively impact your child’s ideas about physical fitness and balanced diets, you can also be a positive influence on their idea of self. By maintaining a positive attitude about your own body, you will not be reinforcing the ideas that they get from our modern culture about what a perfect body should look like and the lengths that one should go to in order to attain it.

Last but not least, don’t leave your healthy habits at home when you go out on errands. Choose snacks from YoNaturals organic and natural vending machines to keep your family on track to a lifetime of healthy eating habits, and, remember, the most important step that you can take towards being a positive role model for your children is that very first one.

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