Parents’ role in children’s health is of great significance. The right development of children depends on many factors, including respecting their confidentiality, trustworthiness, love, and care. Parents are the first individuals who communicate with their kids about serious problems that they are having. This relationship helps children to open up more freely about various topics of interest, which is often not possible with adults.
Furthermore, parents have a great influence on their children’s health and development of life skills, food preferences, and habits of physical activity or lack thereof. As such, mothers and fathers should always be aware of important details about their child’s well-being in order to make sure they live a fulfilled life.
According to the latest statistics, there is a growing number of overweight children in developed countries. In the UK, more than 40% of boys and girls from 10 to 11 years old are already overweight or even obese. There are many negative consequences for this issue such as low self-esteem, stigmatization, and bullying at school, mental health problems, or worse physical health, which can result in diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.
Healthy living is the cornerstone of the good life and should always be promoted conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer in adulthood. The earlier, the better therefore it is important to act in order to make children’s world healthier.
Nutrition
Parents should be aware of what their kids are eating and how active they are otherwise obesity will become normal for this generation. It is especially necessary that both parents talk about a healthy lifestyle with their children during family meals. Also, meal times need to be calm and relaxed without electromagnetic radiation from gadgets, televisions, or laptops.
It is also important to take children grocery shopping with parents, so they can see what healthy foods look like and learn how to choose them. It is crucial to involve kids in the process of preparing food. Letting them select their own ingredients will make them more likely to eat the finished dish. Also, parents need to know how much fat is in their children’s food because research shows that they underestimate this amount approximately three times.
Parents should also encourage kids to try new meals and taste new things, but they should do it gradually by introducing only one or two new foods per week. Letting children choose what they want to eat from a variety of healthy options will make them more likely to have a balanced diet.
Dental Health
Parents who brush their children’s teeth twice per day prevent the development of dental decay by 90%. It is important that parents teach their kids to care for their own teeth because it is not easy to change this habit later on. According to pediatricians, most kids do not clean properly until they are 12 years old so parents can ensure better oral hygiene by doing the brushing.
Parents should make sure their kids stay away from sugary drinks as much as possible because they contain high amounts of sugar and fluoride, which results in tooth decay. In addition, parents should make an effort to keep their own teeth clean to serve as a positive example for children because nobody likes a parent with bad breath or yellow teeth. They can work with their trusted pediatric dentist to make sure their children’s teeth are well taken care of.
Physical activity
It is important for parents to provide their children with opportunities for physical activity because inactive lifestyles are linked with health problems such as obesity and heart disease. According to the World Health Organization, young people should do 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
Parents can help their children meet this requirement by providing them with opportunities for physical activity both indoors and outdoors. For example, parents can take their children to the park, swimming pool, or playground. In addition, parents can encourage their children to walk or ride their bikes to school instead of taking the bus or driving. There are many other fitness activities that parents can do with their kids at home to get them moving.
For instance, playing catch, throwing balls or flying kites are all good ways for physical activity. Their kids can also help them to weed the garden or water plants in the yard. Parents should find creative ways to keep their children moving every day by considering each child’s interests and abilities.
It is important for parents to take an active role in their children’s health by providing them with opportunities for a healthy lifestyle. By doing so, parents can help prevent their children from developing health problems such as obesity and heart disease. It is never too late for parents to start making a difference in their children’s lives by encouraging them to eat well, brush their teeth and be physically active. Their kids will thank them later in life.
