Every parent considers their child’s health to be of utmost importance. It can still be confusing exactly what it means to be healthy and how you can go about it. There are many aspects to health, and it can be difficult to juggle them all. In an age when so much conflicting information about health can be found online, it is helpful for many parents to have a basic guide about what it takes to keep their child healthy.
Nutrition and Food
Proper nutrition is one of the cornerstones of health for all ages. It is also one of the most critical parts of your child’s health because it develops eating habits and tastes that will carry through the rest of your child’s life. By requiring that your children eat healthy and have a good understanding of what makes healthy and wholesome food, you aren’t just benefitting their health now, you are benefitting it forever.
The ultimate goal isn’t to force kids to eat their fruits and vegetables or never let them have candy or sodas. A truly healthy kid is one who knows about healthy foods, understands why they are healthy and important and normally chooses those foods over less healthy foods when given the option. In a world where kids are bombarded with tasty yet unhealthy choices, this can be an uphill battle. Cooking and enjoying foods together is a good approach. Kids will associate healthy food with good taste and happy times. Limit unhealthy choices by simply not bringing them into the house. Kids who regularly eat healthy foods will develop a taste for them and may even become turned off by unhealthy options.
Dental Health
Good dental health and habits are very important for kids. This means teaching and enforcing daily habits like brushing and flossing. It also means having regular checkups and cleanings by a dentist, such as one from Schererville Family Dentistry. Most kids will benefit from having braces or retainers at some point in their lives. While these treatments aren’t usually fun or flattering, they will give kids the beautiful smiles that will be very important to their self-image and confidence as they get older.
Dental health also has strong links to general health. The mouth is a breeding ground for many bacteria that do far more than just yellow the teeth or make cavities. Oral bacteria have been linked to heart disease and other more serious problems later in life. A healthy mouth isn’t just for vanity.
Activity and Play Time
Kids today tend to get much less active time and play time compared to past generations. On the one hand, the rise of electronic entertainment has made most kids more likely to spend time in front of the TV or on their mobile devices. While parents don’t need to eliminate this option to make kids healthy, they should limit the number of sedentary hours per week. Encourage kids to get outside and play and be active. One of the best things parents can do is join their kids in outdoor activities at the park or exploring in nature. This not only gets parents and kids outside, but it also helps bring them closer together and leads by example. Parents that never go outside or aren’t active themselves can’t expect their kids to be.
It is also important for kids physical and mental health to give them some unstructured time. There seems to be a great drive in the modern day to heavily regulate, plan or structure kids’ activities. While kids do benefit from structure and organization, there is a limit to everything. Unstructured play time for kids of all ages teaches them important skills. These include self-management, decision making and leadership skills. It also allows them to experience novel or unexpected situations. Keep your kids safe during unstructured time, check on them and monitor them, but otherwise leave them alone and see what they can create.
Mental and Social Health
It is important not to overlook your child’s mental and social health. Problems in these areas are not always as easy to spot, and kids may not be as apt to talk about them. Mental health means ensuring that your child has healthy thoughts and behaviors. It also means that they feel safe and comfortable expressing themselves and being themselves. Ensure that your child knows you are always available to support them, and try your best not to judge them or control their thinking. They will benefit far more from knowing they have your support and can come to you for advice, and they will be very likely to follow your example. If you maintain a good and optimistic attitude about life and the future, then your kids are far more likely to have that attitude as well.
Social health means ensuring that your child has and is able to create positive and supportive relationships with adults and peers. While a parent usually cannot and should not try to control their child’s friends, it is a very good idea to talk to them about what makes a good or bad friend. Let your child know that you are open to talking about their friends and meeting their friends. This is important even if you don’t necessarily approve of who the friends are. The ability to help your child navigate relationships and accept the people your child is friends with becomes even more important as they get older.
There are endless ways a parent can keep their child healthy and happy. While parenting certainly isn’t easy, and parents will no doubt make mistakes, ensuring your child’s health and happiness is a perfectly attainable goal. Remember that your relationship with your child is one of the most important things you can maintain and foster. With a strong relationship, you can guide your child to making healthy choices and keeping healthy habits that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
