It’s 2024, and now’s the time to start making those New Year’s resolutions. As a parent, you want the best for yourself and your children. That’s why we’ve come up with a few resolutions you can implement in your own life. Let’s dive into the top ten parenting tips you can start this year.
Top 10 Parenting Tips You Can Start in 2024
1. Stay on Top of Recommended Immunizations
Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and your family from viruses. Give your pediatrician or general practitioner a call to make sure your child is up-to-date on immunizations—and don’t forget to pay your local pharmacy a visit for flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
2. Cook a Healthy Meal Every Day
It’s easy to pop a frozen meal into the microwave or pack a Lunchable, but they’re not nutritious. Be proactive about your child’s health by implementing a healthy diet. Set a good example for your child by making meals rich in protein, dairy, whole grains, lean meats, and fruits and vegetables.
3. Exercise as a Family
Remember when you couldn’t wait to play outside as a child? As technology advances, children are exercising less. Ensure your child gets at least 60 minutes of exercise a day by taking them to a park or a playground or by teaching them a new skill, such as baseball or bicycling. An hour of exercise helps your child sleep better, think better, and will improve their overall well-being.
4. Build Healthy Sleeping Habits
Teaching your children healthy sleeping habits should start early. Be sure to set an early bedtime without giving in to the occasional late-night exception. Otherwise, your child will think the time on the clock doesn’t matter and begin to negotiate bedtime with you. You should set a good example by practicing healthy sleep habits, too.
5. Practice Good Hygiene With Your Kids
Good hygiene habits help keep us healthy and confident. Talk to your child about the importance of good hygiene, especially as they enter puberty. Teach them the importance of regular bathing, brushing and flossing their teeth, and covering their mouths when they cough.
6. Keep Your Kids Hydrated
Dehydration can happen to anyone. Keeping yourself and your little ones cool and hydrated is crucial, especially in the sweltering Arizona heat. Whether you’re hitting the pool or playing in the sprinklers, be sure to keep a few bottles of water on hand.
7. Mind Your Mental Health
Postpartum depression is a real thing that affects about one out of seven women. Depression and anxiety can happen to both parents. Make sure you’re taking care of your mental health by getting enough rest and continuing appointments with your therapist if you have one. The stronger your mental health is, the stronger of a parent you will be.
8. Spend More Time Outdoors
Spending more time outdoors is healthy for both you and your child. Give yourself a break from the screen, and enjoy the fresh air with your little one. Fresh air and time outside not only boost your mood but also help you get a dose of Vitamin D. Need ideas? Check out some activities you and your child can do together.
9. Establish and Maintain Routines
Establishing and maintaining routines around the house helps keep everything just a little more orderly. It also teaches your child to be more patient and compliant. Make a chart of tasks or chores, letting your child help out by putting stickers on each one they complete. It could be something as simple as finishing their bath or going to bed at bedtime.
10. Manage Healthy Digital Screen Habits
We’ve already mentioned the importance of taking screen breaks. You should also make sure you monitor what your kids are watching. Consider a family media plan, and do what you can to avoid any video gaming. Video games are fine as long as they don’t become an unhealthy habit.
Schedule Your Wellness Exam at Women’s Health Arizona
Staying healthy is the best gift you can give your child. So if you haven’t scheduled a well-woman visit in a while, now is the time. Schedule a wellness exam with one of the top ObGyn’s at Women’s Health Arizona. From the moment you walk through our doors, you’ll feel right at home.
This is your opportunity to speak with your provider about your health and any issues you might be experiencing. Talk to a provider, and request an appointment at a Women’s Health center near you.
