How to Establish a Healthy Routine with Kids
I believe that our health should be our number 1 priority – and often the thing we can most take for granted. When I experienced my own health scare a few years ago, which led me to becoming even more committed to my health, that fact became even more apparent to me.
So it should come as no surprise that I’m always looking for ways to establish healthier routines with my kids. This is something that can easily be thrown for a loop – summer vacation, holidays, special activities, and… well, mom life. For me, establishing a healthy routine isn’t about perfection all of the time, it’s about adjusting or pressing a “reset” when you feel like your kids need it most.
The beginning of November is typically a time when I re-evaluate how I can support my kids health and help them thrive even more than they already are. We just celebrated Halloween where the focus is indulging in sugar.
Sugar has so many negative health effects and is found is many of the products we use daily – things like condiments, pasta sauces, yogurts, cereals, on top of the sugary-treats that quickly pop into your mind (chocolates, sweets, candy). When you take a look at the ingredient lists of the products you buy, you might be surprised by the amount of sugar that’s in them, and when you start to notice the smaller details, you realize why having a sugar addiction is so common.
As a family, we’re committing to a cleaner diet and not just because it’s healthier for our bodies, but because it affects our energy levels and how our brain functions too. One thing I’m committed to is also helping my children a healthy relationship with food and their bodies. I want them to understand what it feels like when they’re body is truly thriving from whole foods, clean water, and good quality supplements.
This is a great time of year to put new routines and habits in place, and also to open up conversations with your own kids about how their body functions best, and bring their awareness to how their body feels so they can begin to make healthy and empowering decisions for themselves, too.
One of the easiest things to implement is a supplement routine! This is such an essential part of our own routine because I want to make sure my kids are meeting all of their nutritional requirements (which actually makes them crave sugar less! A total win)
The duo of A2Z Chewables and IQ Mega work together to support and promote cardiovascular, nervous and immune system function, healthy joints, brains, eyes and skin. PB Assist Jr. comes in to support the second ‘brain’… the gut!
A2z chewables are non GMO and gluten free. They provide 100 percent of the daily value for 10 vitamins as well as 8 minerals, plus a superfood blend and Alpha CRS+® blend. Most multivitamin gummies only contain a few vitamins and very little minerals if any. Additionally, a2z Chewable provides less sugar than common multivitamin gummies.
Here’s a little more information on the supplements we use at home:
A2Z Chewables Multi-Vitamin
○ Superfood + vitamin blend to support healthy growth
○ Safe for children 4 years of age and older and adults who prefer a chewable to capsules
○ Great watermelon flavor and no high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, sweeteners, or flavors
○ Contains a superfood blend that helps support overall health and wellness
○ A balanced blend of essential vitamins including the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E, and a cellular energy complex of B vitamins. Also includes a blend of bioavailable minerals including calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese
IQ Mega Omega 3
○ No fishy smell or taste!
○ Promotes cardiovascular health and supports healthy function of the brain
○ Supports healthy joint function and comfort and provides important modulating nutrients for healthy immune function
○ Protects against lipid oxidation and supports healthy function of the brain
○ Delivers 1,300 mg of pure, concentrated, molecularly-filtered, and completely deodorized marine lipids with 900 mg of DHA and 400 mg of EPA per daily serving
PB Assist Jr. Probiotic
Supports the second brain – the gut! Provides 5 billion live cells of 6 strains of friendly flora selected for both their unique stability at room temperature as well as their remarkable ability to survive the harsh extremes of acidity, alkalinity, and digestive enzymes in the digestive system.
○ Includes prebiotic FOS to help sustain a healthy balance of beneficial friendly flora
○ Maintains healthy intestinal microflora balance
○ Supports healthy functioning of the digestive, immune systems, and the health of the GI tract, particularly the intestines and colon
○ Helps support optimal metabolism and absorption of nutrients
○ Contributes to an internal balance and support for the health of the kidneys, bladder, and urinary tract, as well as the female reproductive system
Maintaining a healthy GI tract is also important for immune system, healthy brain and nervous system function – which is essential during childhood as children are constantly growing and learning. Probiotic consumption during childhood has established health benefits and may support long-term well-being.
Our Daily Routine
Morning
Healthy breakfast; smoothie, eggs, fruit
a2z chewable multi-vitamins and IQ Mega omega 3 supplement
OnGuard rolled on the soles of the feet for immune support
The kids choose their oil of choice for the day and roll it on their wrists
My kids love doTERRA’s kids oil collection! Each of these kid-friendly blends is formulated with children in mind—their fragrance preferences, emotional needs, and most common health complaints. Color-coded labels and roll-on tops make application easy and fun. They usually gravitate towards Thinker, the focus blend, Steady, the grounding blend, and Brave, the courage blend.
After School
Healthy snack: apple and peanut butter and/or cheese and crackers
PB Assist Jr. probiotic for gut health
Diffuse Wild Orange and Peppermint or Balance while doing homework
Bedtime
Diffusers on 30 minutes before bed, either Lavender and EasyAir or Serenity blend
Essential oils rolled on feet based on how we’re feeling. We often reach for Lavender to calm
OnGuard down the spine to boost immunity
And that’s our routine in a nutshell! I would love to hear a little about your own routine too – leave a comment below and tell me: What’s your favourite healthy habit that you have with your kids?