The Family That Eats Together

Eating breakfast together is a great way to chat about daily schedules, plans, coming activities and assignments, and to keep a pulse on your child’s life. But regularly eating together has been shown to have many long-term benefits for children. It can be hard to find time in our busy schedules to sit and share a meal, but according to research by the University of Florida, these invaluable experiences can lead to:

●     stronger family bonds

●     happier, well-adjusted children

●     more nutritious meals (for both parents and kids)

●     kids who are less likely to be overweight or obese

●     children who are statistically less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol

Get Physical

It is so important to get kids off the couch and outdoors. Children who watch more than an hour or two a day are at greater risk for poor school performance, emotional and social problems, attention disorders, weight problems, including obesity, and irregular sleep patterns. Children should have limited TV, video game and electronics times and should be encouraged to engage in 60 minutes of physical activity per day, even if broken up into 15-minute sessions.

Not every child will take to sports, and some dread the thought of even participating in gym class, but helping your children find physical activities that they enjoy can lead to healthier behaviors later in life. As a parent, it’s important to expose them to a range of physical activities, whether it’s swimming or playing at a playground so that they can stay fit and get their daily dose of Vitamin D. And by planning family activities, it’s a great way to boost our own physical fitness, which will keep us around for our children longer.