If you are like most homeschool moms, you want your children to be healthy and fit.
Fortunately, you don’t have to go to elaborate lengths to make this happen. There are some simple steps you can take to help your children be healthy not only in body, but mind and soul as well.
Below are a few suggestions that you can implement in your homeschool today. Most of them take little or no resources to carry out, but all of them will help your children be healthy in some way, shape, or form.
Note that I am not a medical professional. These tips are just my common sense approach to being healthy.
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Healthy Food
When it comes to eating right, I’m not one for formulas. I think that a diet rich in REAL food, not artificial junk, is the best diet. Look for food that is natural, organic, non-GMO, and free from artificial preservatives and food colorings. I like to think of it as food that was grown and made the way God intended. Eat whole foods and minimize sweets. Your kids will feel better and think better overall.
Plenty of Water
The Earth’s surface is made up of 70% water. 60% of the human body is water. It makes sense that we should put plenty of water into our bodies and have our children do likewise. I usually like to serve water to my kids with lunch and dinner. Then I try to encourage them to have a glass or two at some other time of the day.
Good Posture
In the old days, mothers used to teach their children to sit and stand up straight. There were good reasons for that. Good posture is healthier for the back. It makes it easier to breathe properly. When you improve your breathing, you increase the amount of oxygen that gets to the brain thereby making it easier to think. Good posture is also necessary for good handwriting. When your torso is stable, it frees up your hands to move more freely. Try to encourage your children to sit and stand up straight every day until it become a habit. Tell them to picture a string on the top of their head pulling them up like a marionette. That will naturally draw them up into good alignment.
Physical Activities
Unless your children stand for part of the day while doing school work (which isn’t a bad idea), they probably spend a good deal of time sitting while studying. For that reason, it’s important for your children to do something physical every day. It can be anything from chores like raking to playing at the playground to a formal workout routine. I have a list of physical education activities here that you can reference. When bad weather hits, you can try these 50 Physical Activities Your High-Energy Child Can Do Indoors.
Limit TV
I love to use educational videos. Schoolhouse Rock and The Magic School Bus have been some of our favorites over the years. They can make learning fun. However, we have to be careful not to let our children spend too much time in front of the TV. Studies have shown that watching television for long periods of time can hinder the development of the pre-frontal cortex. This is the area of the brain that is used for organizing, planning and decision making. TV watching can also hamper the development of imagination and other thinking skills. It’s better to encourage your child do activities such as reading, writing, crafts, imaginative play, or playing games than to spend too much time in front of the television.
Prayer
I think it is important for children to keep their souls “healthy and fit” too. Prayer is one tool for doing that. As I said in 5 Rhyming Prayers for Children, people in the 1800’s taught their children to say morning and evening prayers. Doing this connects children with God at the beginning and end of the day. This is a good habit to establish. It’s also beneficial to teach them to pray at other times including:
- meal times,
- the beginning of your homeschool day,
- when they are struggling with learning something,
- when they need guidance,
- when they are grateful for something,
- when someone else is in need,
- when they read the Bible,
and I’m sure you can think of many more. Teaching your kids to keep their souls healthy will ultimately help them to keep their minds and bodies healthy as well.
Healthy Thinking
I have discovered over the years that healthy thinking leads to a healthier body and soul. It also increases one’s chances of being able to learn a new concept or skill.
What constitutes healthy thinking?
Well, here are some examples of thinking in a healthful way:
- Having a positive attitude.
- Believing in oneself and one’s abilities.
- Having faith.
- Trusting God.
- Being grateful for what you have.
- Having loving thoughts towards others.
- Being joyful.
- Looking for the good in situations.
Encourage your children to incorporate this way of thinking into their daily lives. It will get them through difficult times and help them to have a more positive outlook on life.
Laughter
Laughter is the best medicine; mentally, emotionally, and physically. It relieves stress, reduces tension, alleviates stressful situations, and can make learning fun. Throw some humor into your homeschool day whenever you can. Jokes, comics, funny videos, and humorous stories are some possibilities for bringing laughter into your home. Also, teach your kids to laugh at themselves when they make mistakes. Remember, mistakes are for learning. Children shouldn’t get too agitated over errors in their work.
Help your kids develop healthy habits while they are young. It will lead to a more healthful and happy life for them when they become adults.
Share these tips with your friends and family. Let’s do what we can to help kids all over the world be healthy and fit. 🙂
Many blessings,
