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Healthy Habits for Kids

Topic Overview

Habits are hard to break. That's why the sooner in life we build good, healthy habits, the easier it is to keep them and stay as healthy as possible. And when good habits are in place, it's easier to resist bad ones.

Your child's habits start with you

The most important thing to remember is that you are your child's role model. Your habits affect your children's habits.

If your habits are unhealthy—smoking, drinking too much alcohol, or always expecting the worst, for example—your child is more likely to get those habits.

If your habits are healthy—eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, looking forward to tomorrow, for example—your children are more likely to build those habits in their own lives.

What follows is help and advice for building good, lifelong habits in four areas:

  1. Healthy eating.
  2. Regular physical activity.
  3. Staying safe and healthy.
  4. Healthy thinking.

Healthy eating

Healthy eating links

Get the facts:

Take action:

More healthy habit information:

Regular physical activity

Physical activity links

Get the facts:

Take action:

More healthy habit information:

Staying safe and healthy

Health and safety links

Get the facts:

Take action:

More healthy habit information:

Health

Safety

Healthy thinking

Healthy thinking links

Get the facts:

Take action:

More healthy habit information:

Encourage balanced thinking:

Manage stress:

Prevent bullying:

Credits

Current as of: October 10, 2022

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
John Pope MD - Pediatrics
Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine

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