Creating healthy habits for young children

By engaging in a predictable, consistent routine children will develop healthy habits that will stick with them into the future. This is what parenting is really all about, socializing children and preparing them for adult life, one step at a time.

These habits can be as simple as washing teeth before bed or washing hands after using the potty/ toilet. Routines can also ensure children stay physically healthy by having enough hours of sleep and having time to exercise or enjoy the outdoors.

Creating consistency around bedtime, good choices in what to snack on and daily personal hygiene takes patience and time, children can object to such boring rituals. As parents though you know by creating the routine early you will be less likely to become challenged by it later in life, the teen years!

When sharing parenting it is important to understand your parenting style and that of the other parent. Look for similarities in how you do things. Try to be open around what goes well for you and what doesn’t when talking about your child’s routines and behaviours. Young children can struggle with a lot of change. Moving between homes can work a lot better when parents talk, agree some shared parenting methods so children have less to figure out about family life.