Building a healthy foundation for your family

"Hurry up!" It seems like some days I say those words 100 times to my kids, and each time I do I want to snatch them back. I'm usually hurrying them along because they've stopped to examine something interesting on the sidewalk or are mulling over exactly which pair of shoes they want to wear. I don't want to be the kind of mom who hurries her kids all the time. Is where we're going really more important than letting my kids stop to examine an anthill or learn to choose and put on their own shoes? Not usually.

Learning to lose the hurry is the first tip in this three-part series called 12 Habits of a Healthy Family. Hurrying not only causes stress, but it also leads to a fast-paced life where you may not feel you have time to prepare healthy snacks and meals. Soon you're spending dinner time at the drive-thru or grabbing candy bars for a quick energy boost, instead of eating family meals together or reaching into the fruit bowl.

Habits are easier to build than they are to break, and this series has some great tips for families who want to build a healthy foundation for their kids. Check it out, and keep your eye out for parts 2 and 3 coming soon.