The holiday season is a time of exciting activities, family get-togethers, and time away from normal work and college routines. As a result, your loved ones, like many others, may feel like your normal routine gets lost within the hustle and bustle of the vacations. Potential barriers that may affect well-being and cause household stress include irregular meals, excessive snacking and screen time and later bedtimes.
The excellent news is that incorporating easy, healthy household habits throughout the holidays can assist your loved ones maintain healthy eating, sleeping, and activity habits during this busy holiday season.
As a registered dietitian and Family health researcherswe have conducted studies on family health and learned a lot of effective strategies that can assist your loved ones develop healthy habits. Here are our top three suggestions to assist your loved ones maintain healthy eating, physical activity and sleep habits while still having fun with every thing this special season has to supply.
1. Make meals a family affair
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Tight schedules throughout the holidays could make finding time to cook and sit down for a family meal almost unimaginable. However, throughout the holiday season, when there are such a lot of possibilities to snack on cookies and candy, making time to sit down down for not less than one family meal a day is essential. This easy habit helps keep your loved ones healthy Healthy eating patterns And Gives everyone a valuable opportunity to connect.
Remember, dinnertime just isn’t a family meal. Work around your holiday schedule; If breakfast works together, that is great.
Involve the entire family, including toddlers, in meal preparation. This could include holiday baking, family cooking or making a vacation dish. Involving children in meal preparation, akin to stirring food, measuring ingredients and even helping with grocery shopping, can improve their probabilities of Trying the food They create and will Cut down on picky eaters.
For ideas on easy, family-friendly recipes with tricks to get the children involved, try the series Free cookbooks developed by researchers in the Guelph Family Health Study.
2. Find moments to maneuver, play and unplug
CP Photo/Jonathan Hayward
Get out! Children who spend more time outdoors are more physically active. Also spend time in nature Supports brain development and helps children relax.
Plan a family hike, go skating and sledding. Check out nearby events and walks in your neighborhood to benefit from the holiday lights. Include these short opportunities for movement!
When it is time to are available to warm up, plan screen time. Children spend less time in front of screens than their parents Set a screen time limit. While it might appear to be a frightening task during school break, setting specific screen deadlines for the vacation season can assist kids know what to anticipate, reducing every day arguments about screens.
Keep food screen-free. Turn off the TV and keep phones and tablets in a chosen area away from where you eat.
Setting screen limits doesn’t suggest you possibly can’t enjoy your favorite holiday movies. Purposeful, time-limited screen use has its advantages. in actual fact, Shared movies or TV together have been associated with many cognitive benefits for children. Asking “what if” and “why” questions on content can assist develop vocabulary and demanding considering.
3. Balance festivals with family sleep routines
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An excellent night’s sleep can assist everyone, parents included, benefit from the vacation season. Children reporting insufficient sleep Less stress and hyperactivity, and better physical and mental health. Depending on their age, it is required between children and adolescents Between eight and 17 hours of sleep per daywhile Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep. Research shows One of four children Not getting enough sleep.
Between festivals, keep a A consistent bedtime routine It can assist your kids get enough sleep. Make time to unwind from a busy day Quiet, screen-free activities Like reading a book before bed.
Maintain a A consistent bedtime routine Sleeping away from home also can help children go to sleep. Children have a “A few minutes warning“It can assist navigate their emotions when it is time to stop a fun activity to prepare for bed. Children who’re more sensitive to alter may have extra closeness with their parents. Feel safe and go to sleep In a brand new environment.
We hope these easy routines can assist your loved ones connect, decelerate, and find joy even on the busiest days of the vacations.