Parents Role in Shaping their Children’s Behaviors

Why is it psychologically important for parents to have a significant role in
shaping their children’s behavior?

We all know that parents play a pivotal role in shaping their children’s behaviors,
attitudes, and emotional development. When considering healthy habits—especially
nutrition, exercise, and emotional regulation—children often mirror what they observe in
their caregivers.

Modeling healthy eating for children is one of the most powerful ways to shape their
lifelong habits and attitudes toward food. Encouraging children to be active is important;
and if they observe parents exercising regularly it imprints a valuable message. When
children observe how parents respond to a range of emotions from how they express
happy/sad to anger/coping, they learn ways to respond to their own emotions.

Why is healthy modeling so important?

1. Children learn by watching.
   Children are natural imitators. If they watch their parents make healthy choices, they are more likely to follow. There are times when treats are fun for all of us, but what is best to stock your home with? If parents supply nutritious snacks rather than junk food, they are contributing to their children’s well-being. When parents include their children in a family walk or bike ride, they are modeling that exercise can be fun. Putting on music and dancing together is another idea. When parents voice their feelings without undue intensity, their children learn to think first and “use their words.”
2. Modeling generates a positive relationship.
   Having healthy food together, exercising together, and expressing emotions together sets the stage for a meaningful foundation. Togetherness demonstrates that children are valuable and creates a sense of belonging. When children feel like they belong, they are more likely to turn to their parents for guidance rather than peer pressure and are less inclined to make undesirable friend choices or join gangs.
3. When parents model positive interactions, they welcome their children’s ideas.
   This encourages children to be curious, think critically, and research their suppositions. They can explore options, try new things and try on different hats. They can taste different flavors, engage in a variety of activities, and learn social skills. Children can develop confidence in their convictions based on facts, which supports their self-concept.
4. Parents can establish the psychological groundwork for lifelong health.
   We have heard many arguments for living a healthy life. Research demonstrates that nutritious food, exercise and socialization are integral to better odds for a long, healthy life. Centenarians who live in the Blue Zones are a testament to this theory. In The Blue Zone Solutions, Dan Buettner wrote about eating and living like the world’s healthiest people. A healthy lifestyle lowers the risk of depression, anxiety, cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
5. Parents play a pivotal role is creating a psychologically supportive environment.
   It is important for parents to avoid negative comments about their children’s weight, appearance, and “bad” choices. Rather, when parents model taking pride in their own health, appearance, and surroundings, they demonstrate how children can learn healthy lifestyles. A cluttered home can promote a feeling of chaos, depression, and anxiety. Children benefit from seeing their parents’ image and home clean, organized and basically well-put together. It gives children a sense of security and fosters betters moods and dispostions.

►Parents, you can increase the odds of raising a generation of healthy citizens!

Reference: D. Buettner. (2015). The blue zone solutions. National Geographic Society.