Six Ways to Create a Healthy Family Environment
It’s impossible to separate the goal of a healthy family from your home environment. Your home is where the majority of your family’s lives are spent, both together and individually. It should feel like a safe, welcoming retreat at the end of a work or school day and the place where your family will make a lifetime’s worth of happy memories. To create a healthy family environment in a home, focus on keeping it clean, safe and accommodating of all family members’ needs and desires. Making your home more conducive to a healthy lifestyle might involve just minor adjustments to your space and routines, or perhaps a few major ones. Here are six tips to get you started.
Safety First
The most important first step in creating a healthy family environment is to make sure your home is safe for everyone. Depending on the ages of children in the family, childproofing might be essential. With infants and toddlers in the home, you need to install stair gates, plug covers, cupboard and draw latches, and wall anchors for furniture and appliances. Keep anything sharp, breakable or toxic – cleaning supplies, medicines, knives, tools, paints – out of reach or locked away. If you have a pool, a gate is essential along with constant vigilance about pool safety.
Fully functioning carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are also essential for safety. Some experts recommend a radon detector as well. Perform any necessary home repairs as soon as possible, both major and minor. Something as small as a wobbly bookshelf or loose nail could cause an injury. Bigger issues like mold, pest problems and structural issues need immediate attention. Living in an older house comes with its own issues to tackle, such as lead paint. Families in regions affected by natural disasters (earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, etc.) need to implement emergency preparedness measures in the home.
Include Creative Spaces
Many modern families feel that it’s important to reduce screen time for kids and adults alike. Creative activities and hobbies are a healthy alternative to screens, and you can set up your home to encourage those pursuits. See if you can rearrange rooms to create dedicated spaces, whether it’s the corner of a room, a space under the stairs or even a closet. This is easier with pieces like a modular sofa that can fit in different configurations.
Artistic family members will find it easier to do their favorite arts and crafts if all the supplies are organized and easy to get to. Pick out a spot in the home where artists can create without worrying about the mess, such as an old desk or a well-lit space that can accommodate a drop cloth. Musicians in the family are more likely to play and practice if there’s a special music corner where you keep instruments and other music-related materials. A quiet reading nook, even if it’s just a comfy seat next to a bookshelf, is a great option for the bookworms in the family.
Family Dinner Table
Experts agree that eating dinner together as a family has many benefits. The routine of family dinners encourages healthy eating habits and helps the family to connect and share stories, thoughts and feelings. To make family dinner part of your routine, make sure your dining table is free of clutter. If you use the table for work and other tasks, make it a rule to tidy up after yourselves.
Make the table more inviting with new chair cushions, a nice tablecloth and place settings. They don’t have to be fancy – a cheerful wipe-clean cloth and laminated placemats are good for families with small children. You can switch to more sophisticated table linens when the kids are older, or keep them on hand for more formal meals. Get children involved with setting the table before dinner and cleaning up afterward by assigning them age-appropriate tasks.
Claim a Serene Space
While it’s important for a family home to accommodate everyone who lives there, individuals need their own personal spaces as well. Kids can put their personalities into their bedrooms, as can parents. Even better for a healthy, harmonious family life is if the adults can claim a serene space where they can get some moments alone. You don’t need to ban the kids from the space entirely, but it helps to have somewhere to go for a child-free hour or two. This could be a large-scale project like a “she shed” or “man cave” in the garage or basement, or just a cozy corner of the master bedroom. Keep the space free of children’s things, highlight a few of your own prized possessions, and aim for calming décor.
Encourage Movement Indoors and Out
Movement is key to physical health at all ages. Encourage movement inside the home and out by setting up space inside for yoga, dance parties, exercise videos and other physical activities. Keep supplies for outdoor action close at hand. You could keep a basket in a closet by the front door filled with balls, sports equipment, sidewalk chalk and kites. Consider investing in equipment such as a basketball hoop or tetherball outside, a ping pong table in the garage or basement, or for a less permanent option, a badminton or volleyball net you can set up easily. Gardening is movement, too. Working on gardening projects is a healthy family activity, especially if you grow fruits and vegetables.
Going Green
WebMD emphasizes that a green home is a healthy home. Some tips for healthier air in the home include adding houseplants and an air purifier. Switch to non-toxic cleaning products and choose household items made from sustainable, natural materials such as bamboo instead of plastics. Teach the kids how to separate recycling, and about saving water and electricity. Turn off lights when not in use and switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. Some bigger projects for the family could be collecting rainwater for gardening and setting up a compost heap. Consider installing solar panels.
