Healthy Parenting: 5 Ways Parents Can Help Their Children Live Longer and Healthier Lives
To your offspring, you leave a legacy of health that extends well beyond the DNA you give them. This is true whether you believe it or not. You also pass on health ideas and serve as a role model for health-related decisions. Here are five suggestions to get your children started on the road to a healthy lifestyle.
1. Create a feeling of awe and awe-inspiring amazement about the body
Many adults are afraid of and distrustful of their own bodies. Because they think that the human body is frail, they assume that disease is always around the corner. The urban legend that if you walk outdoors without a coat, you will get a cold continues to circulate. When you look in the mirror and remark, "I'm so big," to no one in particular, your children are listening intently.
The fact is that your body is the most amazing mechanical system on the face of the earth. Cuts heal on their own, without the need for any effort or thinking on your part. When it comes to defending you against bacterial and viral terrorists, your immune system serves as your own personal homeland security system. Yes, sickness is a normal part of the human experience. In addition, we provide effective therapies that support your body's natural capacity to recover. But even with today's medication, it is your body's capacity to fight diseases such as the common cold that provides tangible proof of your body's resilience and strength.
Make a remark on your child's amazing physique. "Wow, the wound was completely healed in no time!" or "Look at what your hands have been able to sketch." or "You have such powerful, quick legs." Remind your child of how fortunate he or she is to have healthy eyes, kidneys, and hearts to look after them.
2. Involve your kid in becoming a study of the human anatomy
The majority of the time, your children will come to you with inquiries about their bodies. Being in a position where you don't have the answers may be unpleasant for both you and your kid. As a result of this discomfort, children may learn that they should avoid asking questions about how their bodies function. This may explain, in part, why parents are hesitant to ask physicians uncomfortable questions.
Keep in mind that no one has all of the answers. It is for this reason that your doctor engages in continuing medical education programs. Your kid may serve as a reminder of the excitement of discovery. You and your partner may search for solutions. My kid was intrigued when I explained to him that bones produce blood, and he inquired, "What about animals with exoskeletons?" As I previously said, "What a thought-provoking topic. Let's go on the Internet and see what we can find out about the situation." Provide children with a book on the body that is age-appropriate, and teach them how to use anatomically accurate vocabulary. Perhaps you could organize a family contest to choose which medical word is the most amusing.
3. Instruct your children to pay attention to their body
Adults are often rewarded for disregarding or suppressing the messages from their body, which seems to be the case. The "hero" who shows up to work with the illness or the parent who refuses to acknowledge her hunger or sleep deprivation. When you are aware of the signs that show that your body is out of balance and react in a timely way when your body suggests that it requires something, you may preserve your health.
Assist your children in recognizing whether they are cold, hungry, or weary. Even a baby may be addressed in this manner: "You seem hot, therefore I'm taking off the blanket." Provide your kid with some practice controlling his exterior environment, such as by putting on and taking off sweaters. Instill in your children the understanding that suffering exists to keep them secure. As an example, "Owies are unpleasant, but they are necessary in order to prevent you from accidentally burning yourself on the stove or cutting yourself with a knife when cooking. That's how your body sends you a message to be cautious."
4. Be a role model for good eating habits
Obesity among children is becoming more prevalent. Discuss with your children what constitutes good and poor eating choices. Make it a point to encourage children to ask themselves questions such as "What type of food is my body hungry for right now?" and "Am I full?" even if there is food on the plate. Pay close attention to determine whether your child is a grazer or a youngster who eats three squares a day, and create an eating plan that matches their eating preferences. Make a decision on whether it is OK to indulge in unhealthy eating choices on a regular basis. Asked about the nutritional worth of doughnuts he had for breakfast, my kid replied that they were 'health food for the soul!'
5. Reward good health rather than bad health
When I was ill as a kid, some of my fondest childhood memories were created. When my mother tried to make me feel better by showering me with attention and providing me with countless bowls of ice cream, she inadvertently encouraged sickness by rewarding it with attention, ice cream, and games. Who wouldn't want to be ill, would they?
Instead, while your children are well, shower them with affection. While you don't want to penalize your children for being ill, you should think about whether health-related privileges should be removed on sick days.
When you develop in your children a feeling of pride, amazement, and respect for their bodies, you are laying the groundwork for their future health and well-being.
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Healthy Parenting: 5 Ways Parents Can Help Their Children Live Longer and Healthier Lives