2018 is a challenging time for raising healthy children. The ongoing epidemic of obesity in America makes physical activity even more important. However, an increasing dependence on television, computer and tablets make consistent exercise even more difficult. Those challenges combined with decreasing self esteem have seemingly endless hurdles to children’s health. So what’s a parent to do? Here are some of the biggest challenges to raising healthy children in the modern world and how to combat them.

PROCESSED JUNK FOOD
It seems simple, but healthy eating is a challenge to teach. It’s a routine you need to hone in on early by stressing the importance of fruits and vegetables and making them a major component of meal time. However, colorful and loud advertising for processed junk food will jockey for your child’s attention and your hard-earned dollars. When your child is having a meltdown in the grocery store over prepackaged snacks it can be hard to stay strong. But building in healthier snacks (like these) can help keep your kids satisfied and healthy. Creating healthy habits early such as building a family meal plan together and modeling healthy choices in your own food selections will aid in raising kids with a passion for healthy foods.

SEDENTARY LIFESTYLES
As a society, we are obsessed with screens. Cell phones, television, video games and social media all demand our attention. A large number of professionals spend 8 hours a day sitting at their desks. All this time spent sitting has been shown to be a huge hazard to health and it’s reaching outside the office into our homes as well. Youth sport can be a great way to combat this sedentary surge and build healthy lifestyles for our children. Whether that means a basketball league or a dance class, building athletic habits will benefit your child’s future. Ninja sports can be a great alternative for children less interested in traditional sports. They still get your kids moving and develop the athleticism and mindset that are so important for future health and success.

EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Numerous studies have shown that Facebook can be harmful to your self esteem – that effect can be magnified in youngsters due to cyberbullying, the confusion of growing up, and fundamental misunderstandings of what social media is. If your kids are on any social media site, it is essential you help teach them that people do not share a true representation of what their life is like. Social media is ultimately performative, and many young people take those performances at face value. You can help your children by talking with them about these issues and helping them maintain a realistic expectation of reality. You can also help show them how arts, physical activity or completing challenging tasks can help build self esteem. The unique challenges of Ninja sports make them a great option for building confidence within your children.