Welcome to Family Fridays, where we’ll be discussing the importance of reconnecting with your family. In the hustle and bustle of the digital age, finding a moment of peace and quiet is so hard to come by. It can be easy to simply hand our kids technology, rather than engaging in real-world activities that challenge their minds and engage their spirits. Each month, we’ll look at new and exciting activities that you can do with your family to re-engage and reconnect!
Happy New Year, Nonahood! The new year is upon us, and with the changing of the calendar year comes the opportunity to change out unhealthy habits for new behaviors. As the holiday season starts to wind down and we transition into 2019, now more than ever is the perfect time to help to formulate and instill some healthy habits for you and your family. And lucky for you, we have gathered some of the best suggestions for you below. Let us know if you give any of these a try by sending a note to our editor at editor@nonahoodnews.com.
- Have one meal together each day as a family and spend time planning it and cooking together. Though this can seem like quite the goal, family dinners can provide a time where each member of the family is able to download and discuss their day with the rest of the family. This is a great time to catch up after not seeing each other for the majority of the day.
- Talk about your body the way you want your children to view their own. This one is much more critical than you might originally think. Even if you don’t notice it, it’s likely that the children and teenagers in your home are listening to what you have to say. This means that all the negative body and self-image talk that happens around the start of the new year is not only impacting your self-esteem but also that of your children. If you’re always making negative comments about your body when you’re having dinner, talking to your significant other, or while looking in the mirror, it’s likely that your children and teens will begin to think that this is normal and it will make it harder for them to develop a positive body image or think and speak positively about their own bodies. Be kind to yourself and your children will follow suit.
- Include at least one fruit or vegetable with every meal or snack. This kind of meal and snack planning helps provide your kids with the option to start actively choosing fruits and veggies over other less healthy options. Remember, though, everything is good in moderation, so don’t be too restrictive or this could form counter-intuitive or other unhealthy and restrictive habits later on.
- Slow down! So often, we are ready to race through meal time to clean up the table and the kitchen when often this takes away from valuable time to truly enjoy our company and the meal that we have prepared.
- Turn off those electronics. We’ve all gotten those work messages or emails while we’ve been trying to spend time with our families. The best thing to do to avoid the anxiety that comes from the constant vibrating or ringing of a smartphone throughout dinner is to put it in “Do Not Disturb” mode or shut it off altogether. Work can wait – I promise you that it is less important than what is happening right in front of you at the moment. The same goes for teens on Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, or any other social network.
- Get outside. Living in the Sunshine State, we are often blessed with some of the best weather in the United States. However, it can also be incredibly hot (even in the winter), often keeping families inside most of the time. Start making the commitment to dedicate at least one morning or evening (when the weather is cooler) to go for a walk as a family, even if it’s short. Scientists have linked increased outdoor activity with a lowered risk of all kinds of physical and psychological disorders, so there’s no better time to start.
If you take any of our suggestions, be sure to tag us on Instagram and Facebook @nonahoodnews!