Teaching children daily personal care and hygiene habits should start early. In the beginning, you do everything for your baby, and as your child grows, you begin to encourage them to help and then do things independently.

Part of a healthy self includes eating a variety of foods that have healthy nutrition and obtaining regular medical and dental care to ensure your children are growing strong minds and bodies. It is simple to help your children learn positive habits from the beginning.

Routines are the first place to start. Begin early with family meals, bathing, brushing teeth, and bedtime. Whatever your routine - be consistent. Your children actually thrive on routines and want and need structure and rules. As they get older, it may not sound like they want rules, but they really benefit from them and secretly feel safer and more secure when they know and understand your expectations.

Looking for ideas? Try some of these:

• Use visual pictures to show children what to do first, second, and third.
• Create a simple chart for your child to check the box, move the magnet, place a sticker showing the completion of a task.
• Allow daddy to give a bath every night, while mommy reads the book when bath time is all done.
• Create your own family placemats that show the different food groups and talk about what to eat while you are enjoying a meal. Remember to turn off the TV and turn on the conversation.
• Let your child know that you also go to the dentist and doctor for regular check-ups to stay healthy.
• Be a positive role model, remember your hat, scarf and gloves in the winter and apply sunscreen in the summer. If you are doing it your child will want to do it too.
• Play games and sing songs as you are moving through the day, this will help your child have fun and learn routines more rapidly.