It All Begins at Home

As social beings, there are several external factors that affect who we are and what we do. Our overall well-being is influenced by the different social interactions we encounter everyday; one of which is our interaction with our family. A family is the fundamental yet most important unit that makes up a society. They play a pivotal role in shaping us in how we choose to live our lives, our beliefs and practices.

Think about it. Our parents were the very first people who held us in their arms when we were born into this world. They are also the people we have our daily conversations with, be it a simple greeting when you get home from school or a “good night” before going to bed. Our first memories most probably involve an experience with our family members. We also continue to keep ourselves grounded on the values that our families have taught us, which we carry out in the larger community. Having said all these, families indeed have a strong impact in molding the well-being of a community. We must then ensure the welfare, good health, and safety of the families in the community.

However, it is important to note that not everyone is a medical practitioner. Not everyone is equipped with the knowledge that can help in making appropriate health decisions. Thus, it is very important to promote hea
lthy behaviors in the household. Simple habits that parents instill upon their children and passing these habits to their children’s children can prevent family members from getting ill. Therefore, it is important for a family to continuously carry out practices that promote the overall health and well-being of a person.

For instance, food plays a major role in a person’s health, and family members play a great influence in one’s diet. With this in mind, it is important for families to practice a healthy lifestyle because having balanced and nutritious diet is the easiest way to promote health from the household. It affects one’s food options in the long run, which directly affecting one’s physical health. There are several other ways to promote a healthy lifestyle in one’s household such as engaging the members of your family in sports and physical activities; at the same time, families should discourage one another from falling into vices like the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. Likewise, maintaining good relationships with the family member and having a sense of belongingness are also two important factors that promote one’s well-being. Having these aspects secures and strengthens one’s mental health. Indeed, household routines are a key factor in the promotion of one’s well-being.

In conclusion, it all starts at home. A building can never be strong without a steady fundamental basis. If the family suffers, so does society. Likewise, in the micro-level, to have a strong and bright community, the family—the building block of society—should be healthy and happy in the first place. In other words, a change in society starts with a change in the family.



REFERENCES
Mckane, N. (2015). Family Health & Fitness: The Importance of Family Influence on Healthy Habits. MINES & Associates. Retrieved 25 August 2017, from https://minesblog.wordpress.com/2015/09/16/family-health-fitness-the-importance-of-family-influence-on-healthy-habits/