Healthy Fresno

Sometimes it may seem your kids don’t want to listen to you, but when it comes to information about health they are looking to you for help.

In a Kids Health survey of 1,000+ kids ages 9-13, when kids were asked who they’d turn to if they had an important health question their No. 1 response was their parents.

Kids also want knowledge about how they can be healthier – and stay healthy throughout their lives.

• In the same survey, almost 80 percent of kids said they are very interested or sort of interested in learning about health.
• And 80 percent of kids also knew that what they do as kids can affect how healthy they will be as adults. 

So, take a moment to sit down with your kids and ask them about their health questions and concerns. Share with them what you know about how they can be healthy. Some important things you might want to discuss are:

• Eating healthy
• Being active and getting enough exercise
• Getting enough sleep
• Practicing good hygiene and taking care of your teeth
• Avoiding drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol
• Your family’s values and expectations for behavior

Don’t Forget to Discuss Emotions

Good health is not only about the body – it is also about the mind.

Adults aren’t the only people who get sad, angry or who worry. Kids do too.

• The top concerns for kids include grades, their looks or appearance and being out of shape or overweight, problems at home, and fitting in at school, according a Kids Health survey of 1,000+ kids ages 9-13. 

Sometimes kids are unhappy or stressed out about something but don’t feel comfortable – or don’t know how to – express their feelings in words. Instead, sometimes they might “act out” their anger, hurt, or fear.

Let them know that you are there to help, no matter what.