How to Increase Child Health

How to Increase Child Health

1.Accept your children’s feelings

Many clients tell me that they weren’t allowed express anger, complain, feel sad, or even get excited. They learned to repress their feelings. This becomes problematic in their adult relationships and can lead to depression. With good intentions, often parents say, “Don’t feel sad, (or jealous, etc.)” or “Don’t raise your voice.” Allowing children to express their feelings provides a healthy outlet.

Feelings needn’t be rational, nor do you have to “fix” them. Instead, comfort your children and let them know you love them, rather than try to talk them out of how they feel. Expressing feelings doesn’t mean that they should be free to act on them. Tommy can be angry at his sister, but it’s not okay to hit her.

2.Breastfeed for immunity

The benefits of breastfeeding are well-documented, so one of the best things you can do for your child's health is to breastfeed for as long as you feasibly can. Breast milk contains antibodies and white blood cells that can guard your child's immune system for years to come.

3.Soak it all in

Bath time is a wonderful opportunity to bond with your child, but it's also a time to boost her health. Add a dash of Epsom salt to your child's bath water to soothe itchy skin and encourage a restful night of sleep. The practice will also address magnesium deficiency, which is linked to anxiety and insomnia.

4.Respect your children’s boundaries

Respecting children’s thoughts and feelings is a way of respecting boundaries. Verbal abuse and attacks violate their boundaries, as does unwanted touch and sexual exposure or intimacy. This also includes tickling beyond a child’s comfort level. Additionally, children’s property, space, and privacy should be respected. Reading their mail or diary or talking to their friends behind their back are off-limits

5.Set a good example for your child in the following ways

Modelling – show your child you regularly participate in physical activity yourself.

Allow your child to choose the type of activity they are interested in.

Promote acceptance of different body shapes and ability levels.

Reinforce the social benefits of physical activity as well as the physical.

Help your child develop skills and strategies for coping with different physical activity environments.

Restrict television watching and ‘screen time’ (such as surfing the internet and playing computer games) to less than two hours per day. Limit viewing to programs that family members specifically want to watch. When the program is finished, turn the television off. Remember you are always modelling, if you use your screens less – so will your children.