With Children’s Day around the corner, parents plan many things for their little ones to enjoy and feel special on this day. But what will stay with our children for the rest of their lives is their health. It is, therefore, essential to create healthy habits from the early stages of life so that they can stick to them throughout their lifetime and stay away from unhealthy habits.
Here are eight healthy habits that children must learn and implement as they are young.
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Practice healthy eating habits. What our children eat in childhood will lay the foundation of their health as they grow up. Therefore, children must have nutritious meals and stay adequately hydrated throughout the day. Here are some critical points regarding children’s eating habits:
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Healthy breakfast must include dairy, protein, and whole grains. Breakfast correlates to positive behavior throughout the day and improves the child’s ability to focus and concentrate.
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A nutritious lunch must include whole grains, lean meats, fruits, and vegetables.
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Mealtimes with family promotes better health and well-being. It can help prevent fatigue, aid digestion, improve mood, weight maintenance, and improve brain function.
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Limit or eliminate sugar-sweetened and caffeinated beverages. Caffeine can interrupt sleep, cause nervousness and irritability, and increase a child’s heart rate and blood pressure.
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Frequent Hand washing and hygiene. Keeping hands clean through proper handwashing is one of the most effective ways that can help prevent infections in children. We must teach our child when and how to wash their hands. One must make children aware of the importance of basic hygiene and ensure they use hand sanitizer when hand washing is impossible. Children must keep their hands away from their face and to cough or sneeze into their arm or shoulders.
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Stay up-to-date on immunizations. Parents must ensure that all mandatory vaccines are administered timely for their child’s health. Getting the flu shot is essential. Further, the Hepatitis B and HPV vaccines are important and can safeguard a child from deadly diseases.
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Exposure to sunlight: Sufficient vitamin D levels in children are essential for bone growth and strength. As children grow, their bones grow, too. As the primary source of vitamin D is sunlight, one must ensure that children are getting ample of it so that they do not develop any vitamin D deficiency as they grow
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Exercise daily. Exercising daily can have multiple health benefits for children. It increases their stamina, helps them sleep better, fight off infection, and improves their behavior and concentration. Children must do physical activity for at least 30-60 minutes daily.
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Reduce screen time. Any screen time that is not associated with homework should be limited to an hour a day or less, including televisions, phones, tablets, computers and video games. The blue light emitted from these screens may reduce the melatonin levels in children, making it difficult to fall asleep, and can disrupt their body’s circadian rhythm.
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Get adequate sleep. A consistent bedtime routine is important for a child’s health. Children from kindergarten through grade six should get between nine to eleven hours of sleep. As sleep quality is directly associated with their behavior, eating habits, and immunity. Lack of sleep may cause cravings for junk food, mood swings, temper tantrums, and an increased risk of infection.
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Mental health check: Good mental health in children is as crucial as for adults. Children with good mental health behave well at home and school. Promoting mental health at a young age is essential. This is because many mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety can begin in early childhood. Additionally, one must be aware of the potential signs of mental health issues in a child. Some examples to look out for are:
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changes in appetite and low energy levels
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a noticeable dip in school or extracurricular activities
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decreased desire to play with other children
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restlessness, increasing irritability, or frequent tantrums
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lack of interest in things that made them happy previously
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poor sleep or frequent nightmares
Taking proper care of health from the early stages of life can help a child have a better adulthood. It therefore, becomes essential for parents to encourage their child to adopt healthy habits. Further, regular checkups with child specialist can be helpful to monitor a child’s growth and health.
