How can we encourage adolescents to follow healthy behaviors?
In this technological world that we live in it is sometimes hard to encourage kids to practice healthy behaviors such as exercising and eating healthy. Most kids are into playing video and computer games and spend a lot of time watching television or using the computer. These kids tend to eat a lot more junk food. With fast food restaurants everywhere, it is difficult for them to eat healthy. First of all, education starts at home. Parents can be great role models for kids, and if the parents are healthy themselves more than likely the kids will be too. Parents can exercise with their kids at home by going for a walk or taking a bike ride together. Also, meals made at home are usually healthier than ones bought at a restaurant. At home you can pick and choose exactly what is going into the food that you are eating. If you have to go out to eat, most restaurants now have a healthy section on their menu. Parents can encourage adolescents to order food from that part of the menu or simply eat a smaller portion. Kids also spend a lot of time at school. Hopefully most schools are making gym classes mandatory to help promote physical activity. Parents and educators need to also promote sports leagues through the school. Kids involved in sports will get the exercise they need, and it will keep them busy so they will not spend much time watching television, playing computer games, or getting into trouble with friends or alcohol and drugs. Schools also need to make sure they offer well balanced healthy meals and limit the amount of junk food that they offer. Health care providers should educate kids on the importance of getting plenty of sleep and keeping immunizations current. Vaccines such as flu shots can keep a kid from catching a bad illness and missing a week of school. Finally the media and society need to keep informing adolescents about what drugs and alcohol can do to the body. This also needs to be taught at home as well as sex education. It is tough to get adolescents to practice healthy behaviors. Parents and educators are the main people that kids spend time with so they have to educate and be good role models.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hi Jennifer. I agree with you that education of all aspects of life begin at home. I work in the school district with special needs kids and its amazing to see and hear parents expectations of the educational system and special ed. There are a many parents that practice what they preach to us about the needs of their children, but often times parents do a lot of complaining about what the school system is not doing for their children while they are not doing it as well. Much of the time these parents use the television and computer or hand held games as babysitters instead of spending time with their children. We have begun to send “homework” home for the kids to do that they would be doing in therapy and it’s rare that I get it back from the parents that complain the most. The parents that are involved will ask for homework for their children. Thanks for your informative post. Julie Diaz
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer, I also agree with you that education, of all types, starts at home. As a parent I hear many complaints from other parents about what the school system does, or doesn't do for their children. I do not expect the school to raise my child. I know that most of my daughters habits and ideas about what is acceptable behavior will come from watching me. I also know that I need to adopt healthier habits myself. I think that if other parents would concentrate more on home life and their own habits it would be easier for the school to reinforce healthy lifestyles, which in my opinion is where the school's responsibility lies. I think that society has a responsibility also to offer healthy choices and better alternatives but ultimately the choice lies with each person.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI think that it all starts with parents! Yes this kids are not getting enough exercise, but it all goes back to the parents, we need to educate the parents and the kids will follow the parents behavior. I think kids learn their eating habits from parents, if the parents are too busy during the day, they tend to eat at fast food places, get home and lay on the couch without encouraging the kids to be active. I truly believe the behavior can be changed, if we start educating the parents.
Hi, Jennifer.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post, and agree with your statement that education begins at home. We, as parents and caregivers are the first teachers, and it is our responsibility to teach our children well, and how to be well. Unfortunately, this isn't always as easy as it seems because of busy schedules, kids spending so much time on their phones, playing video games, watching TV, etc., but it can be done! Providing good choices and limiting bad ones (junk food, too much fast food, too much TV, etc.) can help. I still think the best way to encourage our children to lead a healthy lifestyle is by providing a good example, ourselves, and taking the time to make this a priority within the family.
Thanks for sharing your opinions.
Carol Martin
Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI also agree that education for everything starts at home especially health responsibilities. I know myself by having a teenage sister that it is very difficult to try and get children to eat healthy. Most kids have no choice because if what there parents are cooking is unhealthy, their going to eat it anyway so they will not go hungry. I also agree that health care providers should play a role in getting children to eat healthier. There is health classes that begin in High School, but I think we should start as early as elementary as teahcing kids about health and how to take care of their bodies. The reason I say that is because practice makes perfect. It is also true what you said about video games. I believe now if you are going to buy a child a video game now it should be a Wii or a`Wii fit, because at least they are not just sitting down playing with the controller they actually have to get up and move their bodies. For the most part it is still up to parents to teach their chidren how to eat healthy starting at home.