Help Children Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
The problem of childhood obesity is now bigger than ever and with a rising trend. All the junk food and screen time are taking their toll on the children’s health, with things only getting worse in time. The only way to prevent this is to involve everybody, from parents and caregivers to kindergarten and school teachers, and even the whole community. Before hiding their snacks and computers, it’s essential to learn why they’ve formed their bad habits. And the issue, among other things, has social and psychological implications.
Physical activity
Although most children enjoy playing video games and watching their favorite TV shows, they will also love spending time outside, being physically active. Running and playing with their friends is a good way to get them moving and make their leisure time healthier. Instead of sitting around all day and turning all their energy into excess weight, through various physical activities, such as swimming, cycling, or playing different sports, they will improve their overall health, lose the extra weight and make new friends. This will improve their self-esteem and boost their mood, so talk to them, explain the benefits of regular movement and spending time outdoors, and join them whenever you can. If they detect your excitement and good attitude towards something, they will be likely to feel the same way, too.
Dietary habits
If your kitchen cabinets and your pantry contain more crisps, chocolate and sugar-loaded cookies than fresh fruit and vegetables, you need to reconsider your own shopping and eating habits. First of all, you need to set a good example for them by switching to a healthy diet yourself. Start making their meals healthier by replacing fried food with grilled or boiled, or by serving fresh salad as a side dish, instead of pasta or potatoes. Supermarkets are fine, but make it your habit to visit farmers’ markets as well so that you can get the best quality fruit and vegetables for your child. Invest in a premium refrigerator from Bertazzoni range, with two crisper drawers for keeping your fruit and vegetables fresh for a longer time, as well as the power freeze option, so that you can freeze them in a flash, before they start losing their nutrients. Your goal should be to make healthy food choices a habit for your children so that they don’t consider it a chore or a difficult task. And as they advance towards a healthier lifestyle, be sure to tell them how proud you are of them for their good decisions and progress.
Depression
Although blaming things on a bad diet is the easiest thing to do, every parent should try to find out why their children indulge in food that’s bad for them. More often than not, the reason is some sort of a psychological disorder. When a child suffers from depression, they turn to binge eating in order to stimulate the serotonin levels in their blood through junk food. This is how they eliminate negative emotions for a while since it’s usually the only way they know how. Talking openly to your children, finding out what’s causing their depression and even seeking professional counselors to help them is imperative in this situation. Learn if they are being bullied or discriminated at school, which can cause social detachment and anxiety. Find a way to boost their self-confidence and to help them cope with the situation. If necessary, switch them to a school where the teaching staff is more understanding and better at dealing with any problems your child may have.
Boredom
Another cause of child obesity is boredom that follows excessive stimulation of their senses through the latest technology. This leaves them drained and indifferent to their surroundings, unwilling to do any of their everyday activities, and in this indolence, they tend to sit passively and eat the days away. The solution is to offer them a healthier and more appealing way to spend their time, playing sports, taking music or language lessons, or simply engaging in unstructured play with other children their age. It would provide them with the stimulation of their mind, body and their self-esteem need to forget about food and have fun in the process. You can organize get-togethers for your child and their friends. Get them a trampoline, a bouncy castle, or just give them a ball to run after, feeding them healthy snacks, such as fruit, fresh vegetables or home-made treats without processed sugar.
If you want to help your child and keep them healthy and happy, start with investing your time and effort into it. If you instill good habits in yourself, you’ll have no problem with instilling them in your children as well.
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About the Author:
Tracey Clayton is a full time mom of three girls. She feels she knows a thing or two about raising happy, healthy and confident kids, and offers helpful advice in hers parenting articles. Her motto is: “Live the life you love, love the life you live.”
Read More from Tracey: https://highstylife.com/women-
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