The importance of role modelling healthy habits
Our primary role as Mum’s is to care for our children and in doing that, we learn early on that this means ‘educating’. So we ‘demonstrate’ how they will feed, wash and dress themselves. We even read books to them to teach language.
Something we don’t always do quite so well as the years roll on and we become more time poor is demonstrate ‘healthy habits’.
We know that the power of example is spectacularly ginormous and seemingly much more influential than the spoken word.
Watching another human exhibit behaviour can have a profound affect on how you conduct yourself. And even more importantly, YOUR attitude towards that concept or discipline will directly affect how your children will commit themselves in the future.
How many times have you told your kids to finish their breakfast, eat their fruit or even better, when they have asked you to skip basketball practice because they couldn’t be bothered going, you told them to stop whining, put their boots on because they are going regardless.
But when it comes to our own nutrition and exercise we somewhat find our excuses much more valid. Possibly the most ironic part of all of this is that you are relentless in your pursuit to have your kids comply because YOU KNOW how imperative it is to their physical and mental well being. But the same doesn’t apply to you?
So what can you do to help encourage our little people to practice healthy habits and make good choices that will impact their own health now and in their future?
It couldn’t be more basic.
Eat the food that you encourage them to eat and let them SEE you eating it. Actually sit down at the dining or breakfast table WITH them and talk about your daily plans and events. This is beneficial on so many levels.
Exercise regularly. Even if this is not at the same time that they are undertaking their own extra curricular sport or activities, let them SEE you in your work out gear and making an effort to be active.
An active and healthy Mum is a motivating Mum. Without realising it, we often become our children’s inspiration and even sometimes ASPIRATION. Let’s make sure we are providing them with a positive role model to work from.
