Parents often pass down more than genes to children – habits are usually picked up too! Keep reading for some healthy habits you can cultivate in your kids just in time for going back to school.
- Focus on balanced nutrition – if your child has grown accustomed to eating poorly, it may seem like an uphill battle to transition them to eating healthy, but don’t give up! Keep introducing new foods and be a role model to them by maintaining a healthy diet yourself. Try not to use food as a reward – instead, teach your children to eat for strength. Ensure that your children eat a healthy breakfast before school. Check out our website for recipes you can make with your kids.
- Reconnect at family mealtime – shared meals give children the opportunity to talk about what they did in school and other activities they enjoyed. It also helps them develop the art of communicating, which is an extremely important social skill. Our website has countless one pot meal ideas that will save you time in the kitchen so you can spend more time at the dining table with your ‘ohana.
- Set a specific bedtime – your children need the right amount of sleep to functional optimally so give them a clear bedtime routine. Putting away toys, running a bath, or reading a bedtime story can all serve as cues so your kids know when it’s time to start getting ready for bed. Our stores also offer a variety of “sleepy time” herbal teas if your child has trouble falling asleep. Just make sure they’re not prone to wetting the bed overnight!
- Start a home garden – from indoor window herb planters to fully-fledged backyard nurseries, home gardens have been trending like crazy lately! Gardening gives children the chance to be outdoors, enjoy some exercise, and learn to nurture and care for other living things. We sell an array of organic seeds in all of our stores as well as basic gardening supplies to get you started.
- Get active – kicking off the school year can be a busy time, but there are so many easy ways to keep your kids active. You could go for a digestive walk after dinner, play jump rope at the park, shoot some baskets, or even follow a pilates video in your living room. It’s even better if you can all be active together – lead by example and your children will follow.
- Manage back-to-school stress – prepare your children for going back to school well advance of their first day. Take them with you when purchasing supplies so they can be involved in the decision-making process and mentally anticipate returning to school.
- Reduce screen time – kids are being more and more drawn to screens these days, whether it be phones, tablets, computers or TVs. Instead of plonking them in front of a screen to keep them occupied, try turning off the screens and talking with them instead. Suggest playing outside after school and join in with whatever outdoor activity they choose. Be a good role model by reducing screen time yourself.
Hope your school year gets off to a great start!