One of the primary responsibilities of homeschooling parents is keeping their children safe and healthy, teaching them good values, and encouraging them to pursue their dreams. This also includes teaching healthy habits and helping kids set appropriate goals and visions for the future. HomeSchool SuperCenter presents some tips on how to model healthy behaviors for your children.
Modeling Behaviors
Children learn by watching what their parents say and do, and as such, the way you behave, treat other people, treat yourself, and pursue your personal and professional goals sets an example for your children. Keeping this in mind, it’s important that you think about the values you want to pass along to your kids and the behaviors you want them to emulate. If you want kind children, treat others with empathy and respect; if you want healthy kids, involve them in grocery shopping and healthy meal prep; if education and community involvement is something you want to pass along, volunteer as a family and help those less fortunate. Working together in this way promotes family bonding.
Create a Healthy Lifestyle
According to the USDA, when you regularly prepare healthy, well-rounded meals for your family, they’ll become accustomed to a healthy eating lifestyle, and be less likely to face eating disorders or obesity related problems that can crop up later in adult life. If you consume caffeine and alcohol in moderation, there’s a good chance your children will follow your lead. The same goes for having a regular exercise routine and talking about things like drugs and alcohol in an age-appropriate way. Teachers often let parents know when these topics are discussed in school, and you can use this time as a jumping-off point for in-home conversations about your family values.
Stress the Importance of Education
Regardless of whether your kids are homeschooled or attend public school, the educational landscape is continually shifting and changing, and as such, children today may actually hold jobs in the future that don’t even exist at the moment. Instilling in your kids a sense of curiosity and a desire and commitment to be a lifelong learner can help them attain the skills they need for the jobs of the future. Avoid saying things like, “everybody hates school” or “no one likes homework.” Instead, focus on the positive, particularly if your child shows an aptitude for a particular subject. This will help them recognize that learning can be both fun and rewarding.
Continue Your Own Education
A great way to demonstrate the importance of learning and education throughout life is to model the behavior you want your children to emulate. Consider going back to school and pursuing an online degree and letting your kids know what you’re doing, and why you’re doing it. For example, a bachelor of science in education can give you an opportunity to work with young kids as a homeschool teacher. An online education also allows you to pursue your goals while you’re still working and caring for your other life and family responsibilities. Let your kids see you doing homework, talk about the exciting concepts you’re learning, and let them know that there’s no single “right” path toward education.
Kids are always watching what their parents do, which serves as the basis for habit formation – both good and bad. Think about the type of role model you want to be and the things you want your children to learn, whether that’s eating vegetables every day or ensuring they have the education they need to pursue a future career.
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