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Habits are hard to break. That's why the sooner in life we build good, healthy habits, the easier it is to keep them and stay as healthy as possible. And when good habits are in place, it's easier to resist bad ones.
The most important thing to remember is that you are your child's role model. Your habits affect your children's habits.
If your habits are unhealthy—smoking, drinking too much alcohol, or always expecting the worst, for example—your child is more likely to get those habits.
If your habits are healthy—eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, looking forward to tomorrow, for example—your children are more likely to build those habits in their own lives.
What follows is help and advice for building good, lifelong habits in four areas:
Get the facts:
Take action:
More healthy habit information:
Health
Safety
Encourage balanced thinking:
Manage stress:
Prevent bullying:
Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
Other Works Consulted Ertem IO (2011). Child development. In CD Rudolph et al., eds., Rudolph's Pediatrics, 22nd ed., pp. 34–42. New York: McGraw-Hill. Kelly S, et al. (2011). Correlates among healthy lifestyle cognitive beliefs, healthy lifestyle choices, social support, and healthy behaviors in adolescents: Implications for behavioral change strategies and future research. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 25(4): 216–223.
Current as of: August 31, 2020
Author: Healthwise StaffMedical Review: John Pope, MD, MPH - PediatricsKathleen Romito, MD - Family MedicineAdam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
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Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: John Pope, MD, MPH - Pediatrics & Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
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