Guest Author - Sonja Meyer

If you're like most parents, you want to do everything possible to make your family healthy. You also privately admit that, in the daily grind of life, some things don't get done while you struggle to meet the ever-changing needs and demands of growing kids and busy schedules.

If you really want to make a change, you'll have to take the time to stop and listen to that little voice that's been worrying about some of the habits your family may have fallen into. Contemplate the shortcomings that have been nagging you.

Get your children in on the action. Challenge them to pinpoint what changes you can make to become a healthier, and thereby, happier, family. After all, the best way to get them involved is to encourage their input.

To get started, consider these 10 changes for a healthier family:

1. Eat together.This is frequently suggested by experts who encourage parents to make family wellness a priority, and for good reason: Eating together makes families both physically and emotionally healthier. Enjoy meals with your children and you'll not only make sure they eat nutritiously, but you'll reconnect as a family unit. This seems pretty simple, but it's difficult for many families chained to outside commitments. They grab food on the go, rely too often on fast food spots or fill up in front of the TV. Make a point to eat together, and, while you're at it, let the kids plan a menu and help prepare it once a week.

2. Turn off the TV.This is another popular notion. Some say you should limit it to weekends only … or give it away altogether. Another idea is substituting TV with a family movie night when everyone helps pick a video to share. Again, cutting back on TV promotes both physical and emotional wellness. It's not so much what TV does as what it doesn't do. Although many shows do promote violence, parents can censor their children's viewing. So the biggest problem is what families are NOT doing while they sit on the couch: They are not exercising, playing, reading, talking or doing other health-promoting activities.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting kids to one, no more than two, hours of supervised television daily, and allowing it only after homework, chores and play.

3. Have fun together. Good health is not just the product of dos and don'ts. It's also about the best part of parenting: enjoying your kids and taking time for whatever it is you all like to do together. That's because families who play together can communicate better and more often and can foster self-esteem and bonding. This brings better mental health for adults and kids alike.

Schedule time to explore pastimes you enjoy with your children, such as art, music, pottery, sports, crafts, books, games, cooking and more. Ask your kids what they'd like to do and they're sure to jump into the fun.

4. Be physically active. This is harder for some than others, but it's a resolution with countless benefits to both body and mind. Children and adults who don't move around much can become obese, which is unhealthy and can lead to heart disease, diabetes and other problems.

Being physically active can mean going to the gym or signing up for youth sports, but it can also be as simple as turning off the TV and going for a hike at a local park, biking in the neighborhood, roller-blading near home or finding some other physical activity. The secret is to find something you enjoy so you will feel like doing it. And don't just send the kids out to play while you sprawl on the couch: they need you to be a role model and you need to stay fit yourself.

5. Keep regular medical checkups. This starts when your baby is born. Make sure you bring him to the doctor regularly for immunizations and growth checks. At age 1 and/or 2, many doctors also check for lead poisoning, which can happen when children chew on lead-laden paint. As children grow older and enter school, they should still be checked regularly by a doctor. You should visit your physician as well to monitor blood pressure and your overall health.

6. Don't smoke. You've heard all the reasons. Smokers are more likely to die of cancer or become sick with various diseases. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to have respiratory infections, pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma. Also, you want to model appropriate, healthy behavior for your children; if you smoke, how can you tell them not too? If you have a problem quitting, see your local office of the American Cancer Society for help.

7. Buckle up. Wear your seat belt and place your children in appropriate car safety seats. Don’t stop when your child outgrows her safety seat: older children must be placed in appropriate booster seats. Seat belts alone are not enough for children who have just outgrown their child safety seats; such children are not tall enough and the shoulder strap crosses too close to their neck and the seat belt crosses too high on their abdomen. Booster seats give them a lift so the seat belt functions properly.

8. Reduce stress. Some of the resolutions above will do this, but you should also focus on whatever stress-reduction tactics work for you. You may also consider mediation, slow-breathing, humor and rescheduling your life so your family members are not burdened with too many demands and too little time. Focus on the important things and cut back on the extras.

9.Give your teen-ager a cell phone. You make think this is crazy; don't kids talk too much on the phone already? Well, if you include rules about phone use, a cell phone can actually be a good way to keep communication open between you and your teen. It also ensures she can reach you wherever and whenever she may need you, rather than stumbling her way through a bad situation. It also gives you a way to touch base with her whenever you are worried.

10. Choose your battles. Focus on larger ideas you want children to remember when you're out of sight. As your children get older, they are likely to challenge your rules as they go through the normal developmental phase of asserting their independence. The preteen and teen years are still important ones to keep communications open. Set realistic rules about healthy and safety issues (such as guidelines on smoking, drinking, driving, school, friendships, etc.) but make sure they feel free to talk to you. Listen to them. If you are free to talk to each other, you can find areas where they can earn a little freedom because they've shown they understand what's healthy and they care about themselves.