Healthy Habits for Kids

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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:

Other Places To Get Help

Organizations

HealthyChildren.org (U.S.)
www.healthychildren.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy Living (U.S.)
www.cdc.gov/HealthyLiving

References

Other Works Consulted

  • Ertem IO (2011). Child development. In CD Rudolph et al., eds., Rudolph's Pediatrics, 22nd ed., pp. 34-42. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  • Kelly S, et al. (2011). Correlates among healthy lifestyle cognitive beliefs, healthy lifestyle choices, social support, and healthy behaviors in adolescents: Implications for behavioral change strategies and future research. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 25(4): 216-223.

Credits

ByHealthwise Staff

Primary Medical ReviewerJohn Pope, MD - Pediatrics

Specialist Medical ReviewerKathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine

Current as ofJuly 26, 2016

Current as of: July 26, 2016