The New Year brings hope and the potential for fresh starts for children and their families. There’s no better time to set goals together to get and keep your child’s health on track.
The Valencia Pediatrics team in Victorville, California, led by Rainilda Valencia, MD, and Deepika Saini, MD, FAAP, recommends setting fun and productive goals together this year. These tips and suggestions will help you set healthy New Year’s resolutions as a family.
Ideally, the New Year’s health resolutions your family makes should fall under the SMART framework:
Keeping resolutions SMART helps your child create positive and empowering goals they can realistically meet in a manageable timeframe. Your family can set healthy goals together and track your progress, celebrating each milestone as you go.
Your specific goals for your child and family depend on your child’s age, personal interests, and health needs. These ideas will help you get started on enjoyable, health-focused resolutions.
Our lives are so busy that it can be hard to sit down and share a meal. Commit to a realistic number of healthy, home-cooked family meals you can cook and eat together weekly.
Balanced meals should include vegetables and fruits, lean protein, and whole grains. Include the whole family in planning and making healthy meals in a way that’s suitable for their age.
Family meals are also a great opportunity to connect without screens and talk about your day.
January is a cold month, but there are still plenty of activities your child can do that support their heart health and build strong muscles and bones. Help your child commit to sports or other active pursuits they love and want to participate in regularly.
If your child is already active, they can renew their commitment to their sport or activity.
Too much screen time makes it easy for your child to grab unhealthy snacks and takes away from participation in active play or local community activities. If your child uses smart devices, agree on a realistic time limit together based on their age.
Support your child by helping them choose other activities they enjoy instead of watching screens, such as visiting friends, participating in sports, playing games as a family, and volunteering.
Helping others around you not only benefits your community, but it also gives your child perspective and enhances their mental health and overall well-being. Some children enjoy volunteering or giving a portion of their allowance to a cause they care about.
Giving back doesn’t always have to be formal. Your child can also make a resolution to do things like help their peers or speak out if they witness bullying.
Your child needs various preventive care appointments throughout childhood. You can help them stay healthy and catch and treat any problems early by committing to keeping and attending these appointments on time.
Depending on your child’s age and interests, they’ll need:
Our Valencia Pediatrics team can help if you’re unsure whether your child is due for an appointment at our office.
Making New Year’s resolutions together is an inspiring and fun way to get and keep your child healthy this year. Contact us today to make your child’s next pediatric care appointment.
