I Want My Child Healthy

This is my first article featured in Pinoy Moms Network under Parenting section. For those of you who failed to read it, I am republishing it here in my own website.

I want my child healthy. This is what a mother often says when
she brings her child to the clinic. What really is a “healthy child?
What are the parameters that tell whether a child is healthy or not?

Let’s take the case of Gloria, a mother of two, Arnold, 7 and Bobby, 5.
Arnold is chubby, he is overweight, and has a very good appetite. He
snacks often, he eats mostly fried chicken, hotdogs, and sausages—the
kinds of food one finds in fast food restaurants.

Bobby, on the other hand eats bread during breakfast and instant noodles
in most meals. Gloria considers him unhealthy, the reason why she brings
him to the doctor for advice and prescription of multivitamins.

Do you think Bobby is the only one who needs proper attention with
regarding to his health? The answer is “No”. Truth is—Arnold and Bobby
both need proper attention.

Arnold may appear healthy but he is overweight as a result of over
nutrition. If nothing is done with his diet and lifestyle, he will
suffer from health problems sooner or later.

Bobby needs adequate attention, too. Gloria must provide him with a
balanced diet—nutritious meals, for him to grow healthy and strong, even
without multivitamins. She should see to it that Bobby avoids frequent
snacking so that he is hungry enough by mealtime.

Tips for Raising Healthy Children

Multivitamins are getting more and more expensive these days. Do not
depend too much on multivitamins for the proper nutrition of your child.
Rather, divert the money to preparing nutritious meals.

Help picky eaters like Bobby improve their appetite by eating together
as a family. Children usually value this practice, it promotes close
bonding between family members, leads to better emotional health and
subsequently to better performance in school.

Make meal time fun time together, so that children will look forward to
it with enthusiasm. Avoid detractors, such as watching TV during meals.
At home, encourage kids to help in household chores. Try involving them
in the preparation of foods. Learning how meals are prepared may
encourage them to eat the food that they once hated.

Make regular exercise a part of the family regimen. Encourage your kids
to join sports activities, either in school or in the community. This
helps a lot in improving their appetites and health in general. Organize
family outings that involve physical activity like swimming, biking,
walking—they can greatly improve one’s health.

Do not allow your kids to always sit in front of the TV or computer
whenever they are at home after class. Let them take breaks, and do
other worthwhile activities.

Teach your child proper hygiene. This will help prevent common frequent
illnesses.

And finally, lace each activity with more love, care, and attention.
With all the right formula, you will soon have a healthy child.