Every parent wants the best for their child. This includes the best health, the best education, and the best experiences. Part of receiving the best starts with teaching your child healthy habits, which lead to a healthy lifestyle and the achievement of the best things life has to offer. Get your child to adopt healthy habits by implementing the following tactics!

Offer Small Rewards

Offering small rewards to your child helps them feel recognition and direction. Rewarding good behavior tells your child that you are pleased with their efforts and encourages them to continue those habits. You can also implement a tangible reward system like a sticker chart to help them achieve goals. Goal achievement leads to confidence and the establishment of healthy habits. Rewarding your child does not have to be a sweet treat, however. Intangible rewards are often better, like playing with toys or doing activities together to celebrate their wins.

Model Good Behavior

Your child’s first teacher in this life is you. Whether you realize it or not, your child is watching much more than you think. If you want your child to adopt healthy habits, you must model good behavior. According to Northwestern Medicine, babies and children are more likely to enjoy brushing after seeing you do it. As another example, at the dinner table they’re more likely to eat the foods you put on your own plate, including vegetables. When you put physical exercise, nutrition, and education as a priority in your life, your children are much more likely to follow.

Manage Screen Time 

Studies have shown that excessive screen time leads to sleep problems in young kids. Too much screen time also creates a sedentary lifestyle and limits a child’s creativity. Teach your child to adopt healthy habits by managing their screen time. Avoid looking at screens with your child at least one hour before bed as the blue light will make it harder for them to sleep. According to All 4 Kids, video games, TV shows, and smartphone apps all fall in the technology consumption category. Encourage your child to play outside or participate in various activities to keep screen time at a minimum.

For the first few years, your child’s life centers around you. You are their greatest role model and the most important teacher they will ever have. Set your child up for success with a healthy lifestyle by encouraging them to adopt healthy habits early on.

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