How to Have Happy, Healthy Kids

In my opinion happy kids have healthy, active, nourished bodies, boundaries, play, music, love, affection and consistency. 

I believe this can be achieved in the following ways;

• A predominantly whole foods diet with explanation to children of why you choose whole foods rather than processed, ready-made or packeted foods. Teaching them about how their bodies run on the fuel provided from real foods and the nutrients they provide.
• In my Occupational Therapy degree we were taught that children require a minimum of 3 hours of physical activity and physical play each day, most kids are so inactive it's no wonder they have difficulty sitting still or calming down to sleep at night.
• Kids who have the ability to predict and somewhat control their environment are calm, contented kids. This is achieved through consistency from parents, doing as you say you will do, consequences for undesired behaviours, praise and affection for desired behaviours, complimenting effort not skill "I can see you're working really hard on that, great stuff" not "you're so smart" .
• Choose your own adventure choice giving, the child has control over the outcome they select but the control remains with the parent/caregiver.

• An understanding from parents and caregivers that behavioural issues are not personal (although they just about always feel personal). Behavioural issues are the child's way of expressing an unmet need, the need for consistency and therefore predictability, by being able to trust parents and caregivers as reliable sources of information.
• Love, play and affection in abundance.
• Singing and music, perhaps learning an instrument, homemade kitchen pots and pans band, nursery rhymes, musicals, going to music classes or just sharing an enjoyment of music. My parents brought me up listening to The Beatles, Paul Simon's Graceland and also Peter Coombe,  Playschool songs and nursery rhymes.
• Reading together and sharing books, you don't have to read all the words or pages, you can just look at and discuss the pictures together or play make believe/pretend from what happens in a book or a movie.
• Encouraging learning in as many ways as possible, this includes a safe amount of risk such as the ability to make their own choice based on what you have predicted will happen if they choose a different adventure.

Where did I learn about this from?
Professional Development and team meetings as part of an Early Intervention centre for Autism run by a world renowned Clinical Psychologist
A Work in Progress: Behaviour Management Strategies and A Curriculum for Intensive Behavioural Treatment of Autism, Ron Leaf and John McEachin, available here
Child and Adolescent Development A Behavioural Systems Approach, Gary D. Novak and Martha Pelaez, available here

To learn more about this, read:
Teaching Your Child Appropriate Behaviours
How to Give Consequences Fairly and Lovingly to Your Child
Time-out: How to Do It Properly and Lovingly
How to Understand and Change Challenging Behaviours
Choose Your Own Adventure- Tracking Behaviour 

Need some more ideas for managing challenging behaviours lovingly? Or want help getting your kids to listen and be helpful? I'd love to help you and your family. Let's work together!

Need some more ideas? Just enter your email in the box below and I'll send my tip sheet straight to you.
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Here's to you being Happy, Well and Fed (delicious, healthy, inspiring whole foods)