It’s never too early to teach your children healthy habits. Whether it’s brushing their teeth twice a day, eating all their vegetables or not experimenting with substances that can harm them, preschool is a good time to establish boundaries and expectations.
Preschoolers are like sponges – they readily absorb information. At no other time in their young lives will they rely on you more for direction and guidance. Setting up rules and having consequences helps your child learn discipline and right from wrong. These, along with problem solving skills and a positive self-esteem, will help you child resist the temptation to experiment, even when they become young adults.
The following tips will help you guide your preschooler to a tobacco-free future:
- Let your child know that healthy living is a gift that everyone can have. Discuss how you take good care of yourself and how you love to eat right, exercise and follow good health and hygiene habits.
- If you smoke, now is the perfect time to quit. Be an example to your child. It’s next to impossible to tell your son or daughter they shouldn’t smoke when you do.
- Reinforce your child’s decision-making skills. Let them make little decisions, such as what to eat or wear. Making the decision is the important part, not what they decide at this point.
- Make your child responsible for certain tasks in the home, such as taking care of the family pet, putting away toys or cleaning up after themselves. Reward these behaviors with praise and positive reinforcement.
- Teach your child that there are dangerous things in their world. This includes household cleansers, bleach and medicines in your bathroom. Just remember to explain to the child that medicines are given out by a doctor to help a specific person feel better. You don’t want them to associate medicine with poison.
- Preschoolers don’t have the tools to tell the difference between the fantasy world and real life. This is a good time to open a dialogue with your child regarding what they are watching on television. Ask about their likes and dislikes and their perceptions of what they are seeing.
- Work on your child’s problem solving skills. If they get angry at a playmate or something they are playing with, teach your child that it’s O.K. to have these feelings. Then explain that there are more appropriate and constructive ways to deal with problems than getting angry or feeling frustrated.