Only 20% of high school kids in the U.S. consume at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.  Teens should be encouraged not only to eat the full amount of fruits and vegetables every day, they should also be encouraged to consume 'real' food more often.  Fast food and processed foods should be avoided as much as possible.  Homemade foods and foods made from scratch should be encouraged. One of the fastest ways to eat healthier is to reduce the amount of calories consumed via liquids like pop, juice, energy drinks, milk shakes, etc. Kids need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day to stay healthy.  But they don't have to get that 60 minutes all at once, it can be broken up into smaller, more manageable chunks of 10 to 15 minutes.  No matter the weather or the season, send kids outside to play as often as possible. Parents should participate in physical activities with their kids not only as a means of encouragement and a way to bond, but because the exercise is good for the adults as well. Set family physical activity goals to achieve together.  Participate in charity events like marathons or walk-a-thons as a family. Kids need between 9 and 10 hours of sleep every night in order to function properly.  Less than 9 to 10 hours of sleep can affect you kid's ability to think, learn and make good decisions.  Lack of sleep can also impact your kid physically, by increasing their risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and depression.  Help your kids get enough sleep by creating a bedtime routine or ritual.  Establish a specific bedtime that is followed every night, including weekends.  Avoid computers and TV an hour before bedtime.  Spend the hour before bedtime doing calm activities like brushing teeth and reading a book. Kids and adults need to have a dark room in order to get a restful night's sleep.  Ideally, your kid's bedroom should be as dark as possible, and their bed should only be used for sleeping. Avoid big meals right before bedtime.  This not only prevents an upset stomach which may keep your kids awake, it may help avoid bad dreams.  It's also helpful to avoid drinking too much before bed, to help prevent your kids from needing to get up to go to the bathroom when they should be sleeping. Technology of any kind — TV, video games, computers, cell phones, etc. — should have daily limits.  Once those daily limits are reached, encourage kids to perform a physical activity instead, without their technology. Areas like the dinner table should be designated as “no tech zones” where electronic items are not allowed — for BOTH parents and kids.  Instead face-to-face (old-fashioned) communication should be encouraged. Many kids have never known a world without the internet.  They interact, play, and learn online.  But kids can also be taken advantage of online, and need to understand the right way to behave when in their online communities.  Parents should be effective role models of what good online communication should be.  Kids like to mimic what adults do, so if they see you swearing and acting rude online, they may attempt to do the same thing.  If they see you being kind and using good manners online, they may follow your lead. Teach your kids about cyber bullying.  Don't hide the stories about children who have been cyber bullied, instead share these stories with your kids and talk about them.  Discuss how your kids should react under similar circumstances (i.e. tell their parents or teacher, don't post personal info or photos, etc.). Learn about the software and apps your kids use when they're online, or on their phones, and understand how they work and what they're used for.  Don't rely on your kids to 'teach' you what they do online.
غير عادات أكلهم. شجعهم على ممارسة الأنشطة البدنية. تأكد من نومهم لكميات كافية. ضع حدودًا لاستخدام الالكترونيات. علم الأطفال آداب الانترنت.