Guest Post by Children's Book Author Heidi Fralick (GUEST POST)

Guest Post by Author: Heidi Fralick

The best gift we can give our children is our love. Teaching our children to love themselves and others as they are is pivotal in their development into healthy adulthood. As parents, we want to provide this to our children but sometimes we are so busy with our hectic lives that when our children need us most, we are simply burned out. Even some young children have very full schedules. This not only leaves little time for family bonding; it also has detrimental effects on our children’s well-being, both emotionally and physically. Oftentimes, we favor what’s convenient—fast food over a home-cooked meal, a TV screen instead of one-on-one interaction—without considering the long-term effects.

Children’s minds are like sponges, taking in everything they see around them. As parents, we have quite a big say in what values they absorb, which also leaves us with a big responsibility. One of the best things we can do for our children is to be a living example of someone who shows compassion to ourselves and others. Treat others with respect and kindness and honor your own well-being by doing your best to eat healthy and stay fit. The effects of that example will carry far into your child’s future.

You may not have time to cook a meal from scratch every night, but that’s okay. Do what you can. Give your child an apple as a snack instead of candy or a water instead of a soda. Go for a walk or a bike ride in the evening rather than gathering around the TV. Carve out whatever time you can, even if it’s just a few minutes each day, to sit down and really connect with your child. Though neither one of you may realize it at the time, those little things can go a long way.

I’ve always done my best to set a good example for my children. Promoting a healthy lifestyle and teaching them, to the best of my ability, to be positive and kind individuals has always been extremely important to me. Recently, I’ve taken my passion for children, nutrition and valuable life skills out into the world with my new book series, the Fruitable Friends. These adorable characters are attractive to children and they lovingly teach self-confidence, self-acceptance and love for others, as well as the importance of nutrition and exercise in their lives. I am hopeful that the Fruitable Friends will spread my message to the world and be part of a shift in the way we raise our children so they become happy, healthy and loving adults.

Please check out my website at TheFruitableFriends.com. My first two books, Love Your Body  and Are You a Good Listener? are available at Amazon in hard copy or eBook formats.