Experts in child development and disease prevention all cite a good diet and physical and mental health as characteristics of a healthy family. Doctors at the American Heart Association add to that equation the involvement of all family members, especially parents.
Parents have the ability to insist on good dietary habits and daily exercise. The job is easier if kids see the beneficial effects on parents and then willingly join in. Parents, too, set the tone for civil interpersonal relationships, which play an important role in health. Reasonable guidelines for behavior, shared by all, may be the best indicator of the overall health of a family as a group.
Relating
Good family relations build self-esteem and teach kids to cope in the world. Parents who set boundaries for acceptable behavior among family members create a positive atmosphere for mental health. Families that are strong in this area display politeness, respect and honest communication.
Dinnertime discussions in which everyone has their say, whether or not they ultimately agree, are traits of a healthy family. Communicating this way entails a mutual effort to understand the needs of different age groups among children, parents and grandparents. Supporting one another with encouragement, empathy and help are signs of sincere family relationships. As these grow, parents and kids do more things together, such as relaxing and getting daily exercise.
Eating
Out of a positive environment come the characteristics of a healthy family that relate to physical fitness. To fuel work and play activities, a good diet must provide the right nutrition for different ages and genders of family members. One indicator of group health is everybody’s participation in meal planning and sharing.
Eating together provides “food” for discussion of nutrition and which foods add the most to a good diet. Families that are focused on health have members who are able to make the connection between diet, daily exercise and weight, and support one another in these areas.
Playing
“Playing” includes working out, and working out the stress. Families with unfit members may not get enough exercise to relieve mental stress, which can compound physical problems. Healthy family characteristics include group rules for individual daily exercise as well as team sports or family outings, such as hiking and biking.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests 30 minutes of daily exercise for adults, and double that for kids. While parents invested in health enforce the rules on most days, children and teens who play and work out on their own are the real indicators of family health.
