Help Your Kids Set a Health Goal this Year

Almost every parent wants their child to be healthy, but what does that look like practically? In the United States there is a public health push (5-2-1-Almost None = 8) to address health problems that are a result of unhealthy habits that are common to our culture. It’s helpful to involve your own children in setting health goals this year.

Ask your children the following yes or no questions:

Do you eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables a day?
Do you spend 2 hours or less on screens a day?
Do you spend 1 hour or more being physically active each day?
Do you have almost no sugary drinks?
Do you get 8 hours or more of sleep each night?

If your child answered no to any of the above questions then help him or her set a 5-2-1-Almost None = 8 health goal this year.

5 or more fruits or vegetables a day:

Think about ways as a parent you can provide more fruit and vegetable options.
Encourage your child to try the vegetables you serve. Taste buds change. Your child may be surprised that they like a food they used to hate.
Take your children shopping with you. Let them pick out fruit and vegetables.
Involve your children in researching recipes that have added vegetables.
Serve a side salad with supper.
Serve fruit or vegetables as snacks: apple slices, celery sticks with peanut butter, carrot sticks with hummus, apple sauce, frozen blueberries, canned mixed fruit, or raisins.
Sneak vegetables into recipes. Keep frozen peas in the freezer to add to casseroles.
Make a weekly progress chart. Your child can color in a square each time they eat a fruit or vegetable that day. Reward them with a trip to the park if they make their goal.

2 hours or less on screens each day:

Parents are encouraged to make a media use plan for their family.
Devices can be programmed to turn off after a set time. At first children will groan and whine, but as a friend pointed out, boredom will lead to creativity.
Send the kids outside. Encourage them to play with toys, draw, read a book, ride a bike, kick a ball, or meet a friend. Go to the park. Find new hobbies.
Set up screen free play dates.
Take away screens for a full weekend and plan a family game weekend.
Encourage your children to join extracurricular school activities such as band, drama, or sports.
Have screen free zones and times such as at the dinner table.
Set a reduced screen time goal for yourself so you can be a healthy model to your child.
Turn all screens off two hours before bedtime. Kids rest better when they have a break from screens before bedtime.

1 hour or more of active play:

Play is exercise for children. Our kids need at least an hour of active movement/play per day. Provide opportunities for your child to get outside and move! Playing together is a great way for the whole family to get some exercise. Ensure that your child’s school has both P.E. and recess.
Find out if there are any community sports in your area. For families living internationally plugging your kids into the local sports events (even if it’s just a pick up game on the street), is a great way to help your child make friends and connect to your community.
Go to the park. Set up obstacle courses and time each other going through them. Your kids will love watching you try to go down the slide! Play tag.
Go for walks or hikes together. Get a map or hike app to track your progress and try to hike all the trails in your area over the next year.
Ride bikes. (Be sure to wear helmets)
Set the timer and dance with your kids for 30 minutes- talk about a great workout!
Invite other families over for hide and go seek outside or capture the flag.

Almost no sugary drinks:

Water is the best drink for children. It’s also helpful for your child to have 2 or at most 3 servings of milk a day. Sugary drinks (even sports drinks) are full of empty calories that make your child’s body think it has been fed, and keeps him from eating healthy foods.
Get in the habit of keeping clean, filled water bottles available for when you are on the go. This is particularly important when you live in a place that doesn’t have safe drinking water.
Don’t buy drinks. Spend the money you save on drinks to buy fruit instead.
Serve water for meals, even when you have guests.
Drink water yourself. Kids are more likely to drink and enjoy water if they see that’s what you drink.

8 or more hours of sleep each night:

Children that get 8 hours or more of sleep at night are healthier and have less psychological concerns than children that are not getting enough sleep.
When your children are young develop a regular bedtime routine (bath, brush teeth, read a book together, sing a song and/or say a prayer, then tuck them in and let them know you love them). Put them to bed early enough for you to have some time with your spouse before your bedtime.
Have a set bedtime each night (even for teengagers) that ensures they get at least 8 hours of sleep before they need to wake up to get ready for school.
Turn off screens (phones, TV, computers, tablets) two hours before bedtime.
At night, keep phones in another room. Studies have shown that screens in the bedroom wake teens up all through the night, resulting in poorer sleep and worse moods.
Set a good example and go to bed at a reasonable time.

The new year is a great opportunity to talk about health. Children are more likely to be healthy if the whole family is healthy. Have a family meeting and read through the ideas above and encourage your children to make a health goal. Then, set a family goal. Mark your calendar for a 3 month family goal check in. Review your goals and take another step towards health.