Want to teach your kids about health?
Look in the mirror.
Kids learn habits from watching adults. Day in and day out they are watching everything we do and learning by example. That includes our health habits.
If we aren’t taking care of ourselves and making our health a priority, they will notice. They will learn to believe that preventative health testing doesn’t matter and that going to the doctor should only be done when something is wrong.
Let’s flip that.
What if kids grew up seeing the adults in their lives scheduling regular health screenings and taking charge of their wellness?
They will learn that taking care of your body is just a normal part of life.
What you’ll learn:
- Why Adults Need To Lead By Example
- The Preventative Health Testing Problem
- How Regular Screenings Set The Standard
- Simple Ways To Build Healthier Habits For The Whole Family
Why Adults Need To Lead By Example
Let’s get something straight…
Kids DON’T do what you say. They do what you do.
Study after study has proven this when it comes to kids emulating parental habits related to nutrition, exercise, and even attitudes about medical care.
Your habits become their habits.
This means if preventive health testing is not common in your household kids will grow up thinking it’s not necessary. Going to get blood work, preventative screenings and annual physicals won’t become engrained in them like it should.
Thankfully there are services like onedaytests.com that make it easy, affordable and quick to get the testing you need done without the normal hassles of doctor’s visits. No long waits. No referrals needed. Straightforward health testing you can fit into your schedule.
Taking care of your health isn’t selfish…
It’s one of the best things you can do to teach your kids about health.
The Preventative Health Testing Problem
Here’s a scary stat for you…
A recent 2025 Aflac survey showed that 90% of Americans have postponed or went without recommended checkups or screenings.
Yep. 9 out of 10 people.
These are screenings that could detect serious diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease long before any symptoms arise. Screenings that can literally save your life.
Why didn’t they get tested?
Fear of the unknown, inconvenience, embarrassment and life just getting in the way were just a few of the reasons cited.
But here’s the issue with that attitude…
Children learn from examples. If preventive health testing is always put off by the adults in your life, they will too.
Your kids will grow up thinking that preventative care is something you only do when you’re already feeling sick. That it’s not necessary or just something you can do ‘down the road.’
There is a serious disconnect between knowing preventive care is important and actually following through with it.
It’s no wonder that according to the CDC, 90% of the nation’s $4.9 trillion in annual healthcare costs is spent on people with chronic and mental health conditions. Conditions that can be prevented or diagnosed early with regular screening and lifestyle changes.
Again… This isn’t just a health problem. This is a problem for families everywhere.
How Regular Screenings Set The Standard
How does making regular health screenings a priority help your kids?
By normalizing it.
When preventative health care like screenings and doctor appointments become normal parts of life that adults in your kids’ life regularly go to and talk about… Kids learn that it’s just something you do to take care of yourself.
Here’s why this is so important:
- Children mimic what they see. Lecture them until you’re blue in the face about how important healthy living is and they won’t listen. But show them by consistently going to the doctor for preventative care and they will learn healthier habits.
- Healthy habits lead to better communication. Talking to your kids about why blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and other markers are important becomes easier when you take those tests yourself.
- Building lifelong habits starts now. We learn habits as children that we often carry into adulthood. Expose your kids to positive habits like regular preventative health care and they will be more likely to make that a priority later in life.
The reality is that most people don’t go to the doctor unless they are already sick. By changing that mindset and being proactive about your health with regular checkups and screenings you can teach your kids to do the same.
Simple Ways To Build Healthier Habits For The Whole Family
Before we go…
Here are some easy things you can do to build a healthier home culture:
Schedule annual checkups. Do this as a family. Get everyone in your household on the same schedule so you can all get checked annually.
Be open about your visits. Don’t hide the fact that you went and got blood work done or went in for a screening. Let your kids know that this is just something you do to take care of yourself.
Lead by action, not words. We all know kids don’t care about hearing us lecture them about veggies and exercise. They do notice when we make healthy choices and take those choices seriously ourselves by scheduling regular checkups.
Make it convenient. Let’s be honest here. One of the reasons you or people you know probably avoid preventative health testing is because it can be inconvenient. Long waits at the doctor’s office. Having to find a time that you can get someone to watch your kids while you go. Doing prep for blood work or screenings. That’s why convenient walk-in testing services with no referral needed and quick, affordable lab results are such a game changer for busy families.
Consistency is key.
You don’t have to do everything perfectly. Just show up. Build consistency with preventative care and let your kids see you taking care of your health.
Wrapping Up
Teaching kids about health isn’t done through lectures.
They don’t care about some article or blog post you send them when they are younger. Kids learn about health by watching what you do.
Scheduling regular checkups and getting preventative health tests done are some of the best ways you can show your kids that your health is important.
By leading with action today. You can create a better tomorrow for your kids.
They are watching.
Show them what taking care of yourself looks like.