As parents, you are the ones that your kids rely on to make sure they are safe and happy. You want them to have the best start in life and to do the best they can, and that includes their health and happiness. As you kids grow, they will encounter many things that will test them physically and mentally, but with some preparation and perseverance, you can help them to conquer all these tests and become strong adults.
Teach Them About Hand Washing
One of the first things that you should be teaching kids as they grow up is to wash their hands before they eat or deal with food. It can be a tough lesson to teach your kids because they will want to get themselves dirty and play in the garden, but they won’t always remember to wash their hands. The earlier they can learn to wash their hands, the better they will be at preventing viruses and other illnesses such as colds and flu. It will also help them to avoid nasty stomach bugs and other problems like worms. When they start School, these issues will become even more important, so you need to ensure they are aware and do it every time they eat or go to the bathroom.
A Healthy Diet
There is always a lot of people on the internet and in the news that are trying to teach Children to eat healthily. However, there is a lot that you can do first to encourage them to eat more of the things that are good for them. From when they are babies, it is vital that you introduce fruits and vegetables into their diet. You can do this from the moment they start eating food by pureeing their meals for them. Although many high street brands contain low salt and sugar, many parents consider making their own meals and chilling or freezing them for later. Not only do you then know what goes into their meals, but you are also saving money by making them in bulk. As your kids grow older, you can give them healthier alternatives such as fruit or carrot sticks instead of unhealthy snacks. That doesn’t mean you cannot give them any treats, but they should be measured and infrequent.
Learning About Colds and Flu
Although there is little chance that your child will never get a cold or flu, there are ways that they can limit their chances by learning healthy habits. As well as remembering to wash their hands as mentioned before, they should also be made aware of sharing cups and utensils. Children are not usually bothered about sharing things with other kids, but it can lead to a higher risk of getting viruses like colds and flu. While many children will be able to fight off these viruses easily, there are other children who are not so lucky, so stopping the spread is important.
Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
For some parents, getting their children to get a good night’s sleep is a nightly battle. It might be that they keep getting out of bed, or they wake up multiple times in the night. It is a good idea to do some research on helping your children to sleep at night so that you can get them into a good routine. Getting the right amount of sleep is important at any age, but for children, it is a key element for their physical and emotional health. It can also help with their school lives as they get older as tiredness can lead to lower grades and lack of concentration.
Teach Them About Drinking Water
Staying hydrated is great for the body as well as the mind, because your body works a lot better when you are dehydrated. Many adults are not always good at remembering to drink plenty of water, so teaching your children from an early age is a good habit to establish. Water is a better alternative to fruit juices which can contain sugar or artificial sweeteners, plus it is readily available in schools if they need it. Try to ensure that they always have a bottle that they can refill during the day wherever they are going, and you should make water available at home all the time. Not staying hydrated can lead to problems later in life such as kidney stones and other issues. These problems could also mean spells with Advanced Urology to help fix recurring health issues.
Check for Signs of Anxiety or Stress
There may be times, especially when they start school when your children experience anxiety or stress. It might be that they are worried about an upcoming exam, or maybe they are having problems with other children. It is vital that you try to spot these early signs of anxiety and stress and try to deal with them in the best way you can. Speaking to the teachers at your child’s school and talking to your child will hopefully mean that they can learn to cope with these stressful situations. There are also other ways that you can try to help your child deal with their anxiety. You don’t want to stop them getting stressed at all, but you want them to learn to cope with it.
Encourage Exercise
Even in the winter, there are many ways that you can get your children to do more exercise. Encourage them to take part in after-school sports clubs or to join a local sports team. You can also take them to the park to run around or play some games. It is also nice to go out as a family for a hike or a bike ride; this will help them to learn that exercise is part of life and not something to be avoided.
Giving your children a good start is the best thing you can do for their health and happiness. With good food and encouragement, they can go on to be anything they want.
