Photo by Alex Guillaume
Ensuring that teenagers are healthy and active can be a challenge for any parent. As teenagers transition into adulthood, they become more independent, and their focus shifts from socializing. While this is an important part of development, it is essential to encourage physical activity to help keep your teenagers fit, healthy, and safe. From dedicated activities such as taking classes or joining teams to simple daily habits like standing instead of sitting during homework time, there are steps you can take as a parent that will make staying active easier for your teen. Here we look at 5 strategies that may help keep your teenager engaged in fitness-focused activities.
Encourage Regular Physical Activity
The first thing you can do, and something that is very important to keep your teenager active and healthy, is to encourage regular physical activity. Physical activity is an important part of maintaining overall health and wellness, and if you get your teenager into physical activity at a young age, there is a more likely chance that they will take those habits into adulthood and maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout their life. One way to encourage regular physical activity in teenagers is to give innovative gifts that involve physical activity. Think of gifts like a hula hoop, a jump rope, resistance bands, or even a bike. Anything that gets them off the couch and into action mode is a great way to help teenage boys and girls stay physically fit and learn to appreciate their bodies.
Discuss Nutrition With Your Teen and Make Sure They Eat Healthy Foods
What you consume plays a huge role in how you feel, and what you put into your body will dictate your physical, mental, and emotional health. Teenagers are synonymous with eating whatever they want, and it is not uncommon to see a teenager prefer junk food over healthy food. However, as a parent, you need to promote nutrition and a healthy eating lifestyle with your teenager. Discuss the importance of eating healthy and consciously, and also discuss the side effects of an unhealthy diet. When you cook and prepare food for your family, incorporate healthy foods into their diet, and when you go grocery shopping, stock up on healthy foods.
Talk To Your Teen About the Dangers of Smoking and Drinking
It is completely normal for teenagers to become curious about different things in life and experiment with smoking and drinking with their friends sometimes. This should not alarm you; however, you should promote open communication with your teen and discuss the dangers of smoking and drinking to one’s health. There are tons of resources online to support these types of discussions with your teen.
Set Limits on Screen Time
Another thing that is completely normal among teens is for them to be completely consumed by technology. In fact, teens spend some of the longest time in front of their screens compared to any other age group. This is something that needs to be monitored because screens emit blue light, which strains your eyes and has a negative impact on your sleep cycle. These all promote ill health and should be discussed with your teenager. Set limits on screen time and create a schedule that works for both you and your teenager.
Get Involved in Your Teenager’s Academic Life.
School is a big part of the life of a teenager, and they will need as much support and guidance as possible. School can sometimes become overwhelming, and this can be helped when your teenager feels supported and like you are involved. Ask your teenager about their academics and help them out where they need it. Also, become an emotional support system for your teenager if they need it.
Make Time For Family Activities
Finally, you want to make time for family activities. This is important because a healthy family dynamic promotes a healthier life in general. If you make time for family activities, you can increase communication with your teenager and you can strengthen the bond between them and the family.
If you have a teenager, you know that a healthy lifestyle might not always be at the top of their priority list. With this guide, you can promote better health with your teenager.
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