Celebrating Family Health and Fitness Day
Family Health and Fitness Day is September 29th, and it’s a timely opportunity to discuss the importance of being healthy. From the food you eat to how active you are, pass on healthy habits to your child with help from Polk County private schools. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle should start now so your child can prevent health issues, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Starting when they are young is the best way to avoid unhealthy habits that last.Eating BetterEating better starts with you, the parent. One of the most important things to remember is to reward your child with praise, not food. Do not reward a finished meal. If your child is still hungry and wants more food, let them ask for more. Here are some ways to make healthy meals:
Read nutrition labels.
Avoid cooking with oil and butter.
Bake, grill, or broil foods, rather than frying.
Start your day with a healthy breakfast to fuel the body with energy.
Eat together as a family.
Allow your child to cook at least one meal a week with you.
Serve food in small portions.
Select snacks that give your child nutrients and energy.
Purchase vitamin supplements.
Being ActiveInclude some sort of physical activity into you and your child’s day. Moving more, even just between 30 and 60 minutes a day, is beneficial to your child’s physical health. Short sessions add up throughout the day. Take a walk after dinner, or play ball in the backyard. Here are additional ways you and your child can stay active:
Make family time more fun with fun activities, such as tag, riding bicycles, or playing basketball.
Be active through home chores, such as vacuuming, walking the dog, and gardening.
Park your car farther away from places you visit.
Exercise while watching TV.
Sleeping WellDon’t forget: A big part of staying healthy starts with sleep. Make sure your child is getting plenty of rest. Ask your doctor how much sleep your child should be getting each night at her age. Here are tips on how to sleep well:
Coordinate a routine. Going to bed at the same time each night encourages better sleep patterns. Baths and stories before bed help make younger children feel sleepy.
Relax before bed. Have your child wind down with a book or listen to gentle music. Don’t allow her to participate in high-energy activities at this time.
Set up set bedtimes. Be sure your child is going to sleep and waking up every day between one to two hours of each other. Her body clock will accustom to this regular pattern.
Keep nap times short. Don’t allow your child to sleep more than 20 minutes and no later than the early afternoon. Long naps make it harder for her to sleep at night.
At Polk County private schools, we foster an atmosphere of care and an environment of high expectations and effective discipline. To learn more about what makes us different, contact the Office of Catholic Schools at the Diocese of Orlando by dialing 407-246-4800.