Reading Time: 6 minutes How To Help Your Kids Grow Up Healthy
This is a contributed post from Margaret.
Obesity is the mother of all diseases, yet it isn’t addressed with the urgency it deserves. According to CDC, approximately eight million children are overweight and obese in the United States. It is double what it used to be fifty years ago.
For decades, overweight children had been associated with being “healthy” instead of “unhealthy” and obese. Instead, it resulted from dietary mismanagement on the parents’ part.
Today, at least 0.50% of American children and teenagers have diabetes. As a result, parents today are concerned about their children’s health. They have been willing to employ any means to stop their children from being a staggering statistic.
The first step to ensuring a healthy life for them is to get them started on the right path. You must provide them with guidance about the benefits of leading a healthy life. The only way to do that is to identify the source of this disease, although there isn’t just one reason behind it. Some tips to counter them in the future are as follows:
Table of Contents
Professional Guidance
No matter how good you are with your kids, they can still give you a hard time when it comes to a balanced diet. Even the most dutiful and obedient child can throw a tantrum when it comes to their meals.
The best way to go about this is to listen to them lay out their inhibitions and then counter them with incentives.
Moreover, many new parents have no idea about raising a child. They are often confused when it comes to their children’s needs. Their health is one of the main concerns for parents.
Consider consulting a family nurse practitioner to address them professionally. An FNP is one of the most effective consultations out there. Recently, there has been a boom in the FNP master’s program due to their greater demand in their market and their effectiveness in treating families.
Participation
Make grocery shopping an interactive experience for your children. Tell them about all the health benefits of eating fruits, vegetables, protein-rich lentils, etc. Let them choose what they want to think is good for their health and guide them regarding their choice.
Heading to a discount grocer like Aldi or Trader Joe’s makes it that much easier because there are more healthy options for less money that other grocery stores. (actually, have you ever thought about who owns Aldi’s? It’s kind of a cool story).
When you get back home, ask them to help you prepare food. The more they are involved in making the meal, the greater their chance to develop a better understanding of what is good for them and what isn’t.
Moreover, you can ask your children to make a small chart to record every healthy thing they do. Then you can reward them for it later on by taking them out to their favorite place to play.
Healthy Homemade Lunch
The best way to monitor your children’s meals is to pack a lunch for them every morning. This way, they choose healthier and more nutritious options and not eat greasy, unhealthy canteen food.
Instead, try getting them involved in making their meals, so they put the effort in, and don’t try to trade their food for someone else’s as they’ll be putting in the effort to make it.
So when children are greatly involved in something, they tend to develop an attachment, even a sort of possessiveness.
Water Intake
Our bodies contain approximately 60 percent water. It needs to be replaced to maintain good health and bodily function. As a parent, it is your responsibility to ensure that your child drinks enough water every day.
This water washes out toxins inside and adds minerals (only those present in water) needed by our body. Make sure that you don’t substitute water for sodas as they are sugary, high in calories, and generally harmful for the body.
Stack your fridge with different water bottles containing different water types, e.g., zinc activated and alkaline waters, etc.
Family Meals
We live in a very busy world and lead equally busy lives. This busy schedule at work leads to negligence when it comes to tending to family commitments and responsibilities. The more time you spend at work, the greater your family and meal times suffer.
Proper food products are prepared for that meal nine out of ten times when you have a regular timetable in place. Sitting down for meals with your family not only helps you eat a better meal but also allows you to attend to your family’s needs and desires.
They simply take on new meaning. Everyone is more concerned about the well-being of one another. You can increase your perception of any distinctive patterns or behaviors so that you can deal with them sooner rather than later.
If you’re looking for very simple meal ideas to make with your family, see our recipes page.
Physical Exertion
Make sure that your children engage in some form of physical exertion. The era of digital technology combined with the COVID situation has limited people to their homes. That has hindered children’s daily playtime in parks and other public points.
However, ensure that your child plays in your backyard, with minimal exposure but the maximum potential for physical exertion.
Ask them to play, ride bicycles, call a few of their friends and run around in the neighborhood.
Moreover, you can plan a family activity on the weekend to take them out and have a good bonding time. Examples include twister, hula hoop, bicycle, Frisbee, baseball, cricket, trampoline, and jump rope.
Teach Kids To Wash Their Hands The Right Way
In addition to the craziness, it seems like there are a lot of colds and other illnesses going around now too. I try to wash my hands frequently, but it is still good to have a refresher on correct handwashing.
Check out the CDCs Wash Your Hands: The right way page. Learn when you should be washing your hands, the order to apply the soap and water, and how long you should scrub.
For more information on handwashing, please visit CDC’s Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives Website.
Be A Role Model
Your children look up to you. They always have, and they always will. Be a role model and eat healthy yourself. Go for a jog in the morning and take your child along.
It will help them connect with you on a deeper scale, and they’ll try to copy you. This imitation at a young age will become a habit in the future.
Final Thought
The only way you can ensure that your child is healthy is to support them and help them make gradual changes to their routines. You are the catalyst in their lives, and you guide them about their effort’s fruits.
All in all, a healthy, nutritious diet together with physical exertion and family’s love is the key to a healthy and happy life.
Next: Keep your family healthy with these green cleaning posts.
Cleaning Dishwasher with Vinegar
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Erin is the mother of identical twin girls and their slightly older brother. She is a domestic engineer, and previously had a career leading customer service teams for a major HVAC company. Cleaning without harsh chemicals, and cooking easy and usually healthy meals are part of Erin's daily life. She volunteers with youth leaders, and genuinely wants to help others win. Erin has a degree in Communications, with a focus on Broadcast Journalism.