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One of the keys to a happy home is ensuring your kids are as healthy as they can be. But, you know that kids will always find unique ways to injure themselves or get sick. This is just part of being a kid and growing up. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t still help them learn about a healthy lifestyle and look after them as much as possible. Whether your kids are six months, six, or sixteen, here are six tips to keep your kids healthy and happy.
Encourage Their Imaginations
Many parents don’t immediately expect their kids’ imaginations to contribute to a healthy lifestyle, but it can be more effective than you may expect.
A healthy imagination will encourage your child to get out of the house and move around. Instead of sitting in front of the TV watching cartoons or playing video games, they will go on adventures in your backyard, they will invent stories with their friends down at the park, and they will be more active.
Experiencing this activity early on will ensure they are more comfortable with it, and this means they can create healthy exercise habits sooner than they realize it.
Keep Them At Home When They’re Sick
Kids get sick, there is nothing you can do about that, but many parents, especially working parents, will still force their kids into school or nursery because they don’t have any other options.
This is an issue for you, your child, and other children as well. By exposing your sick child to others, there’s a risk of the illness spreading. It also prevents your kid from getting the rest you need.
Of course, every family situation is different, and it can be difficult to arrange childcare last minute for younger kids. If your child is old enough, though, leave them at home to prevent the sickness from spreading.
Be a Model for Healthy Eating
As their parent, you are the one most responsible for cultivating good habits and teaching your kids why it’s so important to eat healthily. If you indulge in junk food, your kids will consider this the norm, and it can be difficult to break the habit if you don’t catch it early.
If you model healthy eating and make sure healthy food is readily available in the house, your kids will naturally gravitate towards it. As the food is more accessible, they will consider it normal, and they may even choose fruit and veg for snacking over chocolate and candy.
Let Them Feel Feelings
Mental health for children is becoming more of a focus across society, and while physical health is important, you need to think about your child’s thoughts and feelings, too.
Allowing your child to feel their feelings and be comfortable discussing them with you will save them from bottling up emotions, which could cause issues. If you make your house a place where you can talk about anything, they will grow up being able to discuss their feelings without feeling ashamed.
Make Sure They Get Enough Sleep
You already know that it can be difficult to get some kids to sleep, especially during the age where they have so much energy that it’s impossible to keep up with them. But, getting the recommended sleep for every age keeps them from getting burned out and struggling with lethargy, among other potential issues.
You can’t force kids to go to sleep once they reach a certain age, and they may need to learn about getting enough sleep the hard way. But for younger kids, set bedtimes and routines will do the trick.
Don’t Wait Around
Your child being sick is the worst thing for many parents, and they will rush to the pediatricians for any issue, no matter how minor it may seem. This could come across as an overreaction, but it’s arguably the best approach you can take, especially when your child is still an infant and hasn’t learned to talk yet.
If you notice something wrong, it’s always best to act as quickly as possible as this will prevent further issues and ensures your child grows up to be as healthy and happy as they can be.
Healthy and Happy
The healthier your kids are the happier they will be. This doesn’t just minimize the risk of injuries and illness during their life, it also means they can get the very most from the world around them. Whether they love playing sports, going on adventures, or staying closer to home, you can have a direct positive impact on their health at a time when it matters the most.
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