It’s the intention of every parent to raise healthy and happy kids. Living and eating habits are the foundation of a healthy life, and as a parent, you want to teach your kids healthy eating and living habits as early as possible. Simple variations of your everyday routine and diet can help you raise healthier kids. Read on for useful tips on how to raise healthy kids.
- Encourage physical exercise
In today’s fast-paced world of increasing virtual schools, social media, and Netflix binges, there are so many distractions that make it difficult to keep your kids active. The importance of physical activity can not be stressed enough as lack of physical activity is no small problem. It is a major cause of childhood obesity and can affect your child emotionally, physically, and mentally. Other negative effects of physical inactivity in children include:
- Irritability
- Food dependencies
- Decrease in energy
- Emotional outbursts
- Misbehaving for attention
- Poor sleeping habits
- Loss of creativity
You can help your kids become active by encouraging and rewarding physical activity and reducing screen time.
- Teach them hand-washing
Kids require lots of reminders on the importance of washing hands before meals, after using the bathroom, after playing with pets, and after sneezing, coughing, or blowing their noses. Washing hands frequently is the best way to prevent the spread of germs.
- Do not restrict food
Restricting food can have adverse effects on the growth and development of your kids. It also puts your kids at the risk of developing eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia later in life. Instead, create a healthy eating plan with a wide variety of healthy foods like whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.
- Keep healthy food at hand
Children tend to eat whatever food is available, and they can only consume what you keep in the house. Instead of unhealthy snacks, be sure to keep a bowl of fruits in the house at all times
- Vaccinate on time
Kids receive up to 24 shots by the time they are two years old. With such a high number, it’s not surprising that some parents might be tempted to delay certain vaccines, which is a huge mistake. The vaccine schedule for children is carefully designed to provide immunizations when they are most effective, and it’s crucial that you don’t delay or deviate from the schedule.
- Ensure they get enough sleep
Quality and enough sleep is crucial for your kids’ physical and mental health because it helps the mind and body to rest and recover. It allows your kid’s brain to restore resources that were used up in the course of the day. A well-rested brain can learn new information and easily solve problems. Children who get enough night’s sleep:
- Are energetic during the day
- Have better problem-solving abilities
- Can easily learn and remember new things
- Can concentrate on tasks for a longer period
- Are more creative
To help your kids get quality and enough sleep, create a bedtime routine, encourage them to relax before bedtime, and make sure they feel safe and comfortable and night.
Endnote
As a parent, you are responsible for the well-being of your kids. These tips will help you keep them happy and healthy.