When child grows, lots of hurdles come in his/her way in building good health such as failing to make the right choices, lack of supervision, physical inactivity and spending time carelessly by staying inside watching TV or using the computer. You know, family is the main source of inspiration for a child to develop healthy habit. So, it’s up to the family to help child overcome these hurdles to promote good health.
These hurdles can be averted by following some simple tips. Like, always support your child and focus on the positive points instead of the negative. Your child will like if you praise him for a job well done. And celebrating successes and supporting children and teens definitely help in developing a good self-image. Make sure your child is really enjoying and to make this happen, encourage the child to participate in physical activities. In addition, let children experiment with different activities until each finds something that he or she really loves doing. If children find something interesting then they will definitely love it longer.
The other thing is do not allow your child to spend time endlessly watching TV, game etc. The best way is just limit TV, video game and computer time. These habits lead to an inactive lifestyle and excessive snacking, which increase risks for obesity and cardiovascular disease. Experts recommend that kids should not get no more than 1–2 hours of TV/computer/video games a day — most kids get 4–6 hours.
It also helps if you set specific goals and limits such as one hour of physical activity a day or two desserts per week other than fruit for your child. But remember; do not set goals and limits that are too abstractive or restrictive because they can lead to negative impact on child. Don’t stimulate bad habit such as rewarding with food, candy and snacks. Find other ways to celebrate good behavior. Get the whole family active. Take walks, ride bikes, go swimming, garden or just play hide-and-seek outside. Everyone will benefit from the exercise and the time together.
Last but not the least; you should always stay involved with your child so that he/she does not feel lonely. And constantly guide your child about good food and benefits of good food. Besides that, make sure your children’s healthcare providers are monitoring cardiovascular indicators like BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol. Contact public officials on matters of the heart. Make your voice heard. Be a positive role model. If you’re practicing healthy habits, it’s a lot easier to convince children to do the same.
Children who are healthy and fit learn or understand better and quickly, have more positive communications, and experience greater chance for success in life. So, develop healthy habits in your child and the best place to start is your own home.
