A Guide to Maintaining Healthy Habits in the Holidays
Healthy Habits in the Holidays
While it’s harder to maintain healthy habits in the school holidays, it’s not impossible.
Parents who make sure children eat properly and get enough rest over the break will reap the rewards. Not only will kids be refreshed and ready to tackle a new year when school goes back, they’ll enjoy the holidays more because they feel great. Make sure your child is learning properly, if there is a problem, do not hesitate to contact one of our home tutors
Follow these tips for a happy, healthy break.
Keep Regular Mealtimes
It’s tempting to buy more takeaway food in the holidays and let kids eat in front of the TV, but sticking to mealtimes has many advantages. Regular healthy meals maintain children’s blood sugar levels, preventing meltdowns and crankiness.
Eating together as a family will help you stay connected, which makes for a more harmonious home life. Kids have more energy to run around and have fun when they’re getting the right nutrition,
Enjoy Healthy Snacks
It’s not just mealtimes you need to be mindful about when it comes to food. Bored kids are hungry kids, and during the festive season there’s more junk food around for them to snack on. Instead of stocking the pantry with chips, lollies and soft drinks, make an effort to keep healthy snacks like fruit, vegetable sticks and yoghurt on hand.
Encourage children to drink juice in moderation and make water more enticing with ice-cubes. Take healthy options to parties and festive events and set a good example by enjoying treats in moderation. If you’re travelling during the holidays, plan ahead so you’re not reliant on takeaway meals and snacks high in sugar, salt and fat on the road.
Get Enough Exercise
Exercise is key to a healthy mind and body. Kids should get at least one hour a day of moderate to intense movement. This could be something as simple as a walk in the park or a trip to the beach. There are plenty of holiday sports and activities to get involved in and many things families can do together.
It’s important for kids to spend time away from devices socialising with others and enjoying themselves as they burn off energy and maintain cardiovascular health.
Read Every Day
Research has found that students’ reading and writing skills decline during long breaks which is why it’s very important for students to keep mentally as well as physically active. One of the easiest ways to do this is to by reading regularly.
You can foster good habits by reading together each day, making sure there are plenty of tempting books available and taking trips to the library. The goal is for kids to see reading as a fun, relaxing pastime, not a chore.
Stick to Bedtime
It’s only natural that children want to stay up later when they don’t have to get up for school the next day. It’s fine to relax the rules now and then but sticking to the usual bedtime will help you avoid problems down the track. Bedtime dramas arise when kids aren’t tired or if they are hyped up on sugar.
Following these guidelines for eating and exercise will avoid these issues and keep a healthy balance, ensuring everyone enjoys the holidays.