Our children are the most important people in our lives. As their caretakers, we only want what’s best for them. When it comes to their health, there are many simple ways to keep them in top shape.
That’s why we take things seriously as parents, including hygiene, vaccines, cough medicine for kids, and more. As always, take the time to teach them these effective wellness tips to stay their healthiest.
Here are some tips to get started.
1. Teach the Importance of Hand Washing
Schools are filled with germs, that’s for sure. They spread from children touching their eyes, mouths, faces, and any number of surfaces.
Although we can’t be with our children 24/7, we can teach them the best health practices and hope they follow through. Hand washing is the cornerstone of good hygiene, reducing the spread of germs and bacteria.
2. Promote an Active Lifestyle
Children 6 to 17 are recommended to get 60 minutes of exercise per day. Physical activity has many benefits for their growing bodies.
It strengthens muscles and bones, and improves respiratory and heart health. Exercise can also increase self-esteem and confidence as kids become young adults.
Establishing these habits young can increase positive health incomes, reducing the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease.
3. Encourage Healthy Sleep Habits
Sleep is a necessary part of any healthy lifestyle, and as science shows, kids need even more of it than adults.
One of the major culprits of proper sleep is screen time, so it’s critical to put limits on things like video games and social media. When it comes to school, proper sleep improves children’s attention, learning, and memory. Adequate sleep is also known to reduce the risk of childhood obesity.
4. Provide a Nutritious Diet
An essential part of overall wellness is maintaining a well-balanced diet, especially for the growth and development of children.
Although children love sweets, moderating processed foods like candy and sugary drinks is a must. A balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy, and grains will help them get the nutrients they need.
5. Use Cough Medicine for Kids
When fall and winter come around, kids get an average of six to ten colds per year! This means all the fun that comes along with it: missing classroom time, lost sleep, aches, pains, and general discomfort.
All-natural cough medicine for kids can help to reduce and shorten some of the effects of the common cold, including reducing congestion and relieving pain from a persistent cough.
Every cough medicine for kids has unique ingredients, formulations, and flavors. Find the best brand available to give your child the relief they need.
6. Model Good Behavior
Children are perceptive and look to us to model behaviors, both good and bad. If we want them to follow through on our lessons, it is important that we practice them ourselves.
Demonstrating proper hygiene, healthy eating, reducing screen time, and getting enough sleep encourages them to adopt these habits. It all starts with you!
7. Don’t Share Food or Personal Items
At school, kids are in near-constant close contact with each other. Toys, writing utensils, clothing, food, and beverages are passed between each other frequently. Sharing isn’t always caring, however, especially during flu season.
Teaching kids to keep their food and personal items to themselves can help reduce the spread of germs and infection–especially during the cold winter months.
8. Explore Nature
Cultivating a love of the outdoors in your children can do wonders for their physical and mental health. Going for a family hike, swimming in a lake, or playing soccer are just a few options.
Increased exposure to Vitamin D through the sun promotes bone health and reduces the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Exploring nature also reduces anxiety and helps your child to learn about the world.
9. Talk About Mental Health
Wellness is more than just being physically fit. Starting conversations about mental health when your child is growing up can improve their emotional development.
Having a safe person or space to discuss the struggles of life can increase positive mental health outcomes later on.
10. Reduce Close Contact with Sick People
The common cold is spread through tiny airborne droplets, most commonly through coughing, sneezing, and contaminated surfaces.
If your child or their friends are sick, limit their time in close proximity until symptoms have abided. The typical cold is contagious for up to two weeks from the first sign of symptoms.
Remember that sufficient downtime is essential to get well soon and protect others in the community. With some cough medicine for kids and a proper recovery plan (chicken soup included), they’ll be back in action soon enough.
11. Hydration
A properly hydrated body is a healthy body. Depending on their age, kids should drink between four and nine cups of water a day. If they play sports, they will need even more than that.
Proper hydration regulates body temperature, improves digestion, prevents infections, and promotes healthy organ function. For kids that don’t like drinking water, you can add citrus slices to their water. A spoonful of honey also never hurts!
12. Cover Their Cough/Sneeze
Respiratory illnesses like the common cold, flu and covid are all spread through coughs and sneezes. Educating your children early on can help reduce the transmission of these airborne infections.
If a tissue isn’t available to cover their cough or sneeze, a sleeve is a good second option. Coughing and sneezing should always be followed with thorough hand washing. Face coverings can also help when navigating densely populated spaces.
Provided by Big Blue Swim School, offering children swim lessons
Healthy Kids, Happy Kids
Promoting wellness and health and our children is a must. While cough medicine for kids can provide immediate relief, a complete health strategy is key for prevention and sustained well-being.
The great news is there are many simple ways for us to teach them healthy habits for life. Start here and always learn more while applying what you discover.