Tips on Making Healthy Parenting Choices
Whether one is a first-time parent or has had several kids, ensuring that the kids are healthy should be a priority. Children’s mental, physical and psychological health matters as they grow into adulthood. That’s why parents should provide them with healthy foods and provide a clean-living environment for them.
Making decisions on how to bring up children is crucial no matter how busy one is. Below are tips to ensure that kids are always healthy.
Breastfeeding is Nutritious
Breastfeeding is the first step to feed every child before they start eating hard foods. Despite being busy moms, it would be best if one dedicated several hours to breastfeed their kid. Apart from providing natural nutrition, breastfeeding also allows mothers to create a strong bond with their kids. However, mothers who find it challenging to breastfeed their kids should ask for advice from an experienced pediatrician.
Provide Natural Foods
Most busy parents provide processed foods for their kids. However, these foods are unhealthy and have high calories. No matter how busy one is, it would be best to devote some time cooking for the kids.
Parents should provide a balanced diet for their children to avoid diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Again, a balanced diet ensures that a kid doesn’t suffer malnutrition. When shopping, these are some of the best foods that should always be on the list;
- Fiber-rich foods such as beans
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Fish
- Whole grains
- Poultry
Vitamins are Necessary
Most of the foods parents cook for their kids already have essential nutrients – A, B, C, D. However, when parents are concerned, they can talk to a reputable pediatrician regarding multivitamins.
Avoid Overfeeding Children
Sometimes, parents are strict with their children at the dining table. They need their kids to eat until the plate is clean. This makes a child overeat and gain extra weight that could lead to obesity. Thus, when children say that their stomachs are full and they can’t eat anymore, parents should know that their bodies have had enough.
Again, overeating can make a child uncomfortable and dull. So, it’s best to let children eat small amounts of food in intervals. This makes them happier, have the needed energy to play, and peace of mind.
Encourage Physical Activities
Children who are always indoors could suffer from obesity. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that in the past three decades, obesity has doubled in children. This is due to poor nutrition and lack of physical activity.
Thus, parents should encourage their kids to join a sport that they are interested in. this helps to burn calories and keep their kids in excellent health. Even at home, parents should create time to play with their kids instead of sitting on the couch playing video games the entire day.
Take Care of the Baby’s Skin
Scorching sun during summer can be harmful to a kid’s skin. Ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer which can worsen as they grow up. Thus, babies who are six months and below should be protected from direct sunlight.
If the children are above six months, parents should apply sunscreen on their skins to protect them from harmful sun rays. If children are exposed to the sun for a longer time, parents should apply sunscreen on their skins after every two hours.
Good Dental Health
Dental health is vital for a kid’s general health. Children with tooth decay and cavities are likely to suffer from diabetes and heart diseases. Again, according to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the most chronic disease in children is tooth decay.
Children suffering from tooth decay and cavities have low self-esteem. They smile when hiding their mouth and find it hard to socialize with other kids. This affects not only their physical health but also their mental health. Hence, parents should ensure to take their children to a pediatrician once in a while.
Again, parents should help their kids brush their teeth and floss regularly. This helps to remove plaque and tartar that leads to bacterial build-up. Taking care of kid’s dental health when they are young ensures that they have a healthy smile throughout their lives.
Nowadays, there are many diseases caused by poor nutrition and dirty environments. Some of these diseases are deadly and increases annual child mortality. Parents who need to improve their kids’ health should visit Frederick pediatrics to ensure that their kids are healthy every day.
