As a parent, you want your kids to be healthy and happy — and the good news is, maximizing your child’s health doesn’t have to be difficult. Some of the most common ways to keep your kids healthy often go overlooked, but they’re simple and easy to implement in your child’s life.
Establish a Regular Bedtime
If your child is missing out on sleep, they’re missing out on an important aspect of their health. While kids who don’t get enough sleep will be cranky, they also may be suffering from poor cognitive development. Sufficient, regular sleep is essential to supporting a growing brain, and a child’s body needs enough sleep to also allow a child’s muscles to grow and repair after a busy day of running around on the playground.
A child’s brain also doesn’t go to sleep when the child goes to sleep. The brain processes what the child has learned during the day and prepares to receive new information starting when they wake up again in the morning. In fact, when children receive plenty of sleep, they have better problem-solving skills and increased creativity when compared to children who don’t get enough sleep.
To maximize your child’s health, schedule and stick to regular bedtimes. You’ll need to train your child’s body to go to sleep at the same time each night,and you can do that by avoiding TV and sugary snacks before bed. Help your child settle down before bed by reading a story and by following schedule of quiet activities for at least 20 minutes before it’s time to go to sleep.
Focus on Nutrition
You don’t need to invest in vitamins and supplements to keep your child healthy, since much of what children need is available in healthy, whole foods. Vegetables alone contain plenty of fiber, minerals, and nutrients that a child’s growing body needs. Focus on finding ways to include more vegetables in your child’s diet — this can be done even if your child is a picky eater. There are lots of ways to season veggies and make them taste better, or you could even “hide” them in recipes like soups and casseroles!
When making a significant change to your child’s diet, however, do it gradually. Some people have sensitivities or allergies to certain vegetables, so monitor your child for signs of stomach upset and other concerns to rule out any less than ideal reactions to new foods. Be sure to also consult with your doctor to make sure that you’re feeding your child an appropriate, well-rounded diet for their age, growth, and overall development. It’s also a good time to keep an eye on their overall vitamin intake, and determine early on if they have any deficiency disorders like anemia that make it more difficult for them to get the proper nutrition they need.
Create a Healthy Home
Naturally, kids spend a great deal of their lives at home, so it’s important to make those homes as safe and healthy as possible, especially when you can’t control their outside adventure in nature or at school. Simple changes, like filtering your kitchen water and investing in an air purifier, can make your home healthier for your kids.
Feng shui also sounds like a grownup concept, but it can help to create a more peaceful, energizing space for everyone in the family, whether they understand it or not! Start by de-cluttering your home and organizing the items that you decide to keep in every room. Use this process as a learning opportunity for your children, and encourage them to participate with their own belongings, guiding them along the way. Next, incorporate light by opening up windows, and add some plants to help purify the air. You can use these to teach your children about taking care of living objects, as well, and teach them about how plants can help clean the air in the home.
Get Your Kids Outside
One of the best ways to keep your kids healthy lies just beyond your front door: Getting your kids outside keeps them keep physically active especially on the weekends, provides them a valuable chance to interact and play with other children, and limits their screen time for a while.
Even the sunshine, itself, can help to keep your kids healthy. Our bodies produce vitamin D when skin is exposed to the sun, and vitamin D helps our bodies convert and use calcium. Kids who play outside receive this valuable access to sunshine, helping their bodies to function properly.
To encourage your kids to spend more time outside, schedule outdoor time every day. Require that your kids play outside for at least an hour, and discuss this rule with the whole family — and take part in it, yourself! You can also create activities for kids to do outdoors by buying sports equipment, nurturing a family garden, and helping your children to learn about and recognize wildlife. Spending time outside as a family can show kids how fun outdoor activities can be.
With some simple changes, you can keep your kids healthy as they grow up in your home. None of these changes are difficult to make, but they can make a big difference in your children’s health!
Sam Bowman writes about families, wellness, and how the two merge. He enjoys getting to utilize the internet for community without actually having to leave his house. In his spare time he likes running, reading, and combining the two in a run to his local bookstore.
Like what you read? JOIN the Mommybites community to get the latest on FREE online classes, parenting advice, events, childcare listings, casting calls & raffles, and our Parents With Nannies Facebook group. SIGN UP NOW!
