It’s no secret that keeping your family healthy, happy and active is challenging at times. Schedules are busy, and there’s always a lot going on when you have kids and pets. It’s important that you give yourself a break and do the best you can, but also be proactive about getting your family to pay attention to your advice.
There’s nothing wrong with a little trial and error or learning from your mistakes. You shouldn’t feel guilty if someone catches a cold or the house isn’t spotless. Use the following tips to help keep you on track for keeping your family healthy year-round. Take it one step at a time and get organized to help yourself stay on top of it all.
Educate Yourselves on Best Practices
The key is making sure you have the knowledge you need to create positives change in your household. The more you understand what it takes to keep you and your family healthy, the easier it becomes to do. It’s good to know what the experts are advocating and why they’re making particular recommendations. For example, you know to wash your hands, but telling your kids why they’re doing it will help reinforce the habit.
Schedule Regular Dentist & Doctor Visits
Be proactive about getting everyone in your family to the dentist and doctor at the appropriate times. You could set a schedule where you all go in together and get it done at once if that’s easier. You should keep the reports in a safe place in case you need to refer back to them. These appointments are also a good time to bring up any questions or concerns you have about your health or that of your children or spouse.
Be Aware of any Abnormalities
Health issues can sneak up at any moment in time and wreak havoc on your family if you’re not careful, and this includes your pets too. Use a resource like Vitality Science to read up on malignant tumors in dogs and what signs you can look for. It’s extremely important that you do the same for you and your kids. Have resources like blogs and books handy that can help answer your tough questions on the spot and encourage your kids to speak up if they don’t feel well or find a funny mark or bump on their bodies. The same goes for you and your spouse, talk about if anything’s bothering you and get to the doctor right away.
Clean Regularly
Everyone’s homes get dirty once in a while, but it’s good practice to keep it clean on a regular basis. Try to at least pick up any clutter and wipe down surfaces consistently. It’s especially important if you have visitors coming in and out of your house often or you have pets. It’s worthwhile to put a routine in place that helps you get through each task without having to think too much about it. Have your family members help out if you’re busy or running short on time. A clean home is a happy home and will keep the germs away.
Exercise & Stay Active
Your best defense against health issues is a good offense like working out on a regular basis. Keep your heart healthy and stay active to help fight off disease and unwanted complications. Try to make it fun and get the whole family together for outings where you play volleyball or take the dog for a long hike. You should sign the kids up for activities and sports they like to do or play and find entertaining hobbies for you and your spouse like bike riding. Set the tone for the entire household by keeping active yourself and encouraging others to do so.
Practice Open Communication to Minimize Stress
A major reason that stress emerges is that no one talks or communicates about their emotions or feelings. Create a home that welcomes healthy discussion and doesn’t make you feel bad for opening up. Let your kids know that you and your spouse are always available to chat and have family meetings if it helps clear the air. Stress is an important topic for all ages, so it’s vital to let all your family members know the harmful effects of stress and talk about ways to manage and reduce it.
Cook Healthy Meals
Cooking and eating nutritious meals is a great way to combat any health issues that could arise from a poor diet. It includes purchasing healthy cereals and snacks. It’s good practice to pack lunches for everyone so you can monitor what your family is eating and the portions. You should try to go grocery shop regularly and try different recipes that are not only nutritious but also tasty. It’s important to eat dinner as a family to connect with each other at the end of the day and talk about whatever comes to mind. Eating on the go and when you’re stressed out can create some very poor habits.
Volunteer Your Time
Enlighten your kids and help them see the world from a new perspective. You can do this by volunteering your time together to help those in need. It’s an excellent activity for boosting mental health and learning how to practice gratitude for what you have. Involve your kids in the decision about where you’re going to go or who you want to help, so they feel like a part of the volunteer experience. You’ll meet new people, put a smile on someone else’s face and bond with your family all at the same time. Make it a regular occurrence as a way to remove yourselves from the chaos and stress of everyday life.
Keeping you and your family healthy throughout the year only takes awareness and putting forth a little extra effort to make these ideas a reality. The benefits of feeling better and not having to deal with as many health issues will be worth it. It’s a team effort and takes everyone getting involved in making it work. Not only will the overall wellbeing of your family improve, but so will your relationships with each other.
