Guilty as Charged! 10 Bad Habits Every Parent Should Surrender

Every family has its own philosophy when it comes to comes to kids and technology, but we can pretty much all agree that being tethered to a device 24/7 is not a healthy approach. With that in mind, take a look at your own tech habits. If you're checking your iPhone every couple of minutes, it's going to be tough to tell your kids that they're not allowed to do the same.

Whether you're a mom to girls or boys, the key to your kids having healthy self-esteem is leading by example. Don't bash your body, weight, wrinkles, or anything else about yourself in front of them.

If you are trying to lose weight through diet and/or exercise, put emphasis on the healthy foods that you're consuming and how strong and energetic you feel, as opposed to the numbers on the scale.

The catch-22 here is that the busier you are, the more likely you are to eat and run (or worse, skip a meal and run). And moms are masters at multitasking. But scarfing down a doughnut . . . er, granola bar in the car does not a balanced meal make. Go for a little extra effort to set an example and nurture healthy habits surrounding mealtime.

As we all know, cliques don't disappear after high school. While you can't control the gossip session that's going on about another mom in the stands of your child's softball game, you can opt out of it.

Allowing your kids to see you speak in a negative way about another parent, child, teacher, or anyone, really, will inevitably lead to them thinking it's OK to follow suit.

Slipping in a swear word or two while you're chatting with a friend may not seem like a big deal before your babe is talking, but there's no one out there as impressionable as a toddler. They're soaking up everything you say, and even if they don't repeat it immediately, you never know what the next word out of those little mouths is going to be!

There's nothing more family friendly than a trip to the beach, but if catching rays is one of your guilty pleasures, it's time to cover up. Outdoor play (with plenty of sunscreen and UV protection) is great — seeing mom lather up in oil and burn to a crisp? Not so much.

Be honest: Have you ever asked your kids to keep quiet about the quick stop you made at the mall on the way home from the doctor's office? Or to say they have plans the day of a not-so-great friend's birthday party? It's not easy for kids to distinguish the difference between a "little white lie" and flat-out dishonesty, so simplify things by just being truthful — always.