If you have a child then you will know how important it is to keep them healthy. With that being said, sometimes this is easier said than done. When you start a family, there are so many things to keep track of and this can mean that some things end up falling by the wayside. If you want to help yourself and your child here then simply look below.
Be a Good Role Model
It’s true that no child is a blank slate, but at the same time, they will learn a lot from you. Your lifestyle habits and the things you do will help to shape their view of the world. If you spend a lot of your weekends out walking and in the countryside then they will probably grow up thinking that this is a very normal thing to do. Even if they happen to complain about it and if they get aching feet, it can be a good way for you to help shape the way they see the world, which can help a lot. At the same time, if you eat a constant diet of cheeseburgers then this will make them grow up thinking that it is okay for them to follow in these footsteps, which over the long term, may harm their health.
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Eat a Good Diet
Another thing you need to do is eat a good diet. A healthy diet will support your child’s physical development and it will also give them the nutrients they need to stay healthy. Every parent has probably got a fussy child who won’t eat their vegetables, and you may have a child who has very different tastes to that of their sibling too. Although your child eating junk food is perfectly okay, it’s a good idea for you to encourage them to eat whole foods where possible. If you want to give your child sweet potato, which is a very healthy complex carb, then you can cut them into fries and sprinkle some cajun seasoning on them. When you do, you will soon find that it is easier for you to encourage them to eat well, which will help them in the long–run.
Cook Healthy Meals
Another thing you need to do is cook healthy meals. Cooking meals at home lets you decide what exactly goes into your child’s food. While family life probably means that this is not always possible, you do need to make sure that you do it as much as you can. Put something in the slow cooker if you don’t have time to cook when you walk through your door, and if your kids are old enough, they can dish up their meals with ease. You might also want to share a few meals during the week so you can begin to normalize healthy food more. It’s a good idea for you to include your children in the preparation of food too. This will give them the foundation they need to prepare food when they get older too. If your kids have made dinner then they are more likely to eat it too, so keep that in mind.
Give them Healthy Snacks
Snacks such as crisps and nuts are so easy to grab but at the same time, it’s very easy for you to overdo salt. Fat and sugar can also be overdone so you need to avoid all of this too. Even toddlers can learn how to wash fruit, and most of them will love a banana so make sure that you offer them this so you can give them a varied diet.
Include a Variety of Food
There is no easy way for you to encourage your child to eat well. Even if you do what you can to prioritize healthy eating, you may find that your kids still end up having access to unhealthy food and there is nothing you can do about this. If you only serve your kid healthy food then they may go on and eat junk food later on, so there’s not much you can do. All you can do is take the pressure off yourself and try to give your kids as much variety as possible. Put the choice in their hands and provide regular treats so they feel like less of a novelty. If you can do this then you will soon find that it is much easier for you to take care of your child and set them up with healthy habits at a later date.
Focus on their Skin
It’s not just what your child eats that keeps them healthy. You also need to make sure that you are moisturizing their skin and giving them access to skincare products. It’s normal for kids to get dry skin during winter, so make sure that you are being mindful of issues like this if you can. Take note of their skin too as this could provide you with an insight into potential allergies. It’s important to differentiate things like infant acne vs rash too as in babies, it can be very easy for you to get the two mixed up. Babies can also break out in a rash when they are allergic to certain types of washing machine powder too, so keep all of that in mind.
Screen Time
At the same time as taking care of their skin and making them eat well, you also need to reduce screen time. Some amount of screen time is okay, and it’s so important that you give them the downtime they need or this can be bad for their mental health. With that said, if your child is getting hours a day, this can lead to them eating more junk food, as they are rushing back to their level. To prevent this, make sure that you limit what they watch, and take the time to shape healthier behaviors so you can move forward knowing that you are doing everything you can to help them and to give them the support they need.
