Namaste Shares!
Tips and Tools: At Home
Tips for bringing Namaste ideas into your home:
- Be a role model. Namaste believes that adults must model the healthy lifestyle and positive
attitude that we wish the students to embrace. Your child will do as you do and not necessarily as you say. As you make changes to improve your child’s health habits at home, make sure you’re making the same changes in your own daily routine.
- Family meals. Turn off the TV and sit down for a family dinner. Eating together not only helps your family develop healthy eating habits, it’s also a great forum for sharing and keeping your family connected.
- Start the day out right. Namaste Charter School serves kids a healthy breakfast because well-nourished kids are better prepared to start a day of learning. Make sure your kids are ready for school and fuel your kids up with a healthy breakfast.
- Let your child be the teacher. When your child learns about food, health and nutrition at school, have him teach you!
- Get the family moving. Create opportunities for your family to be active together. Try something new. Bring the family to a yoga class, pack up the car and visit a new park or map out a safe route in your neighborhood for a family bike race. Make physical activity a part of your everyday family activities.
- Learn about foods…together. Take your kids with you to the grocery store. Understanding foods is the first step towards making healthy choices. Visit the produce section and let your child pick a new vegetable – he’ll be more likely to try it if he picked it himself!
- Create your own library. Collect a stash of books on health and nutrition. In additional to educational books, choose fun-to-read books that subtly teach your kids about healthy choices.
- Reward your child. Use non-food rewards for your child. Instead of treats for good behavior, try activities. A trip to the park or additional computer privileges are great rewards for a job well done.
- Morning movement. At Namaste, students start the day with a “morning movement” to release pent up energy and get ready to start the school day. Do your own morning movements at home! After breakfast, lead the kids in a short stretch. It doesn’t need to be complicated – just get the kids moving!
- Set family goals. Make changes gradually and set specific goals. While your family habits may not change overnight, setting achievable goals, like simply adding one vegetable to your nightly dinner, can help your family track and appreciate healthy progress. If your original goals don’t work, make news ones! Just be sure to stay motivated.