(Newswire.net — July 15, 2019) — Lots of families are taking steps to eat more nutritious food and be more active to improve their health. However, diet and exercise are only part of the equation. We also need to nurture the mental, emotional, and social components of our health. Children need to develop skills that will help them manage stressful situations throughout their lives, and they learn best when parents and other relatives set a good example.
Here are three healthy habits all families should adopt.
1. Quality time together.
In order for family members to get along, they need to spend time getting to know one another. Between work, school, meetings, and activities, getting everyone in the same room at the same time isn’t easy, but it’s essential. Make an effort to have family meal time at least a few days a week.
In addition to ensuring everyone eats a healthy, home-cooked meal, gathering around the dinner table is an opportunity to practice important social skills. Ask kids to share details of their day and describe something they learned. Discuss current events and issues that impact your family. Allow arguments, but keep them civil and respectful.
Quality time requires limiting screen time. It’s impossible to have a decent conversation if everyone is texting or scrolling. Don’t allow phones, tablets, or laptops at the table. Parents and kids should get into the habit of silencing their devices and placing them in a basket by the door.
Designate one day a week to be screen free, preferably a day when no one needs to access technology for work or school. Spend the day outdoors, play board games, bake cookies, do arts and crafts, or just leave the day open and let your kids improvise. Take some time to unplug from your devices and interact with others face-to-face.
2. Practice techniques to manage emotions.
We all get anxious or lose our tempers occasionally. What’s important is how we handle these feelings. When people stop controlling themselves and start controlling others, abuse can occur. Justin Bariso explains his technique for managing emotions like the controls of our media devices.
Slow motion is a tool for recognizing what we are feeling and what we can do about it. By taking things frame by frame, we can often prevent a total meltdown. Is your toddler moody because he skipped his nap? Would talking to a friend on the phone help you feel better after a rough day at work?
If the situation does get too overwhelming, hit pause. It’s okay to walk away, take five, and come back when you’re calmer. Instead of putting a child in timeout as a punishment, create a “calming corner” where they can go to decompress. Teach kids simple breathing exercises for relaxation and incorporate calming activities like blowing bubbles or blowing through a straw to create paint trails on paper.
During a heated argument, use the volume control. If you speak softly, your partner or child will be less likely to shout. If family members insist on cranking the volume up to 11, hit the mute button and don’t engage. Practice active listening by recording what a person is saying without interrupting or passing judgement.
3. Productive complaining.
You may think complaining is a negative behavior, but it doesn’t have to be. Airing your grievances is a way to release tension and reach out to others for help. Being open and honest prevents resentment from building and old wounds from festering.
If your husband has done something hurtful, tell him how you feel and give him the chance to apologize. If your child is doing something that drives you crazy, tell her right away and give her the opportunity to change her behavior.
Seinfeld writer Dan O’Keefe famously used the holiday season as an opportunity to get a year’s worth of grievances out in the open. Celebrated by the fictional Castanza family, Festivus is a no-frills version of Christmas involving an aluminum pole, feats of strength, and a strict ban on tinsel, but most importantly, it serves as a comedic source of catharsis.
If you want to create your own Festivus airing of grievances tradition, begin with some ground rules. If your relatives are easily offended, you might want to limit the complaining to people or circumstances outside the family, but if your tribe has a higher tolerance for sarcasm, feel free to roast everyone present.
You could also make the process more playful by writing your grievances on slips of paper without mentioning any names; then everyone can guess who the guilty party is. Praise kids when they take responsibility for their actions and apologize.
Festivus doesn’t have to be all complaints. You can also ask everyone to say something nice about a family member or mention something for which you’re thankful. Maybe you’re angry at Aunt Lucy for gossiping about you, but you still appreciated the time she brought you chicken soup when you were sick. By acknowledging the good and the bad, your kids won’t focus only on the doom and gloom but also won’t feel pressured to hide problems and insecurities.
What habits keep your family healthy? Share your ideas in the comments.