Teaching healthy habits about one's health is crucial to ensure your child's future wellness and safety. Such habits can encourage kids to make meaningful decisions about exercise, hydration, diet, and avoiding junk food. A strong foundation can be developed from early years through conscious and subconscious learning.
Parents can play a significant role in shaping the healthy habits a child adopts. Moreover, teachers at school can also explain the importance of eating healthy food and other habits related to good health. Continue reading the article to discover essential habits that you can teach your child to promote their physical and mental well-being.
Healthy habits do not have to be over-complicated and hard to execute. These can be simple and mindful practices that one can follow regularly. The key is to be consistent to be able to see some visible changes in one's life. Here are some simple mindful habits that you can inculcate in your child's routine.
Getting proper rest and rejuvenation is important for muscle recovery and feeling fresh the next day. According to NIH, getting proper rest is necessary for a child to stay motivated and active. Lack of rest can cause fatigue, exhaustion, and even lead to depression and emotional imbalance in some cases. Moreover, sleep also plays an integral role in the absorption of nutrients and digestion. This is why parents should strive to establish a healthy bedtime routine. Furthermore, kids can be motivated to sleep at a particular time and wake up on time the next day.
Having a balanced diet means consuming a combination of all essential nutrients in optimal proportions. The lack of nutrients can lead to deficiencies that may develop into chronic health problems. As per the CDC, a balanced diet is vital for providing essential nutrients to a child. These nutrients can help keep them healthy and provide them with the energy to sustain themselves throughout the day. Moreover, a balanced diet may also strengthen the child's immunity, brain function, and support their body development.
Regular exercise helps a child manage their weight, stay flexible, and may also contribute to height growth. For growing kids, a regular workout of 60 to 90 minutes is necessary to promote digestion, stay fit, and improve motor functions. According to NLM, regular exercise may also promote brain health and enhance serotonin production in the body. It may act as a mood enhancer while also reducing the chances of many chronic problems like cardiovascular diseases and obesity.
Different types of junk food, such as deep-fried snacks, sugary drinks, and desserts, and foods high in sodium, can be a big threat to a child's health. According to Elsevier, junk food may cause indigestion, constipation, and problems related to weight management among kids. Moreover, it may also increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, and diabetes at an early age. This is why parents can try explaining to their kids the importance of controlling their junk food intake.
According to Cureus, excessive screen time may trigger insomnia, headaches, and even make a child feel nauseous. It may also lead to time wastage because of endless scrolling. Moreover, your child may also be exposed to unsolicited and unfiltered information that may not be age-appropriate for them. All of this may have a negative psychological impact on your child's mental health. To avoid all this, parents can implement healthy screen habits.
Drinking water is essential for maintaining electrolyte balance in the body. Lack of hydration can lead to blackouts, exhaustion, fatigue, and nausea. According to the Author's Manuscript, proper hydration is vital for cognitive function, nutrition synthesis, and the transfer of blood from one part of the body to the others. Dehydration may also lead to mood-related disorders and a lack of proper sleep. Parents can encourage the kids to drink at least 7 to 8 glasses of water every day. Moreover, they can also try including other sources of hydration. This may include coconut water, detox, water, and more.
Washing hands before mealtime or after coming in from outside helps a child eliminate unnecessary germs. Since one needs to eat the food with their hands, it's necessary to ensure that they are clean. Eating with dirty hands can lead to the spread of germs and infections in the stomach. Moreover, children often touch various objects with their hands, which also leads to the transfer of bacteria. These dirty hands, if they touch the eyes or mouth, can lead to infections. This is why parents can encourage their children to wash their hands as often as possible.
These are some of the few healthy habits that parents can inculcate in their child's routine. All these habits can bring about positive changes and strengthen your child’s body and mind.