The early years of life are often referred to as the developmental years, and for good reason. Our brains and social patterns develop within the first few years of life, rippling to other habits that can predetermine life long health. Learn some habits that can be detrimental to your kids’ health.
TV- Dimming Development
As a society we’re watching more and more TV every day, to the point where it’s not uncommon to see a child staring at a portable tablet or smart phone at a restaurant. Likely the parents see the program as educational and it keeps the child content, leaving everyone happy. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns against allowing children under the age of 2 to watch any TV, and older than 2 years old to limit screen time to 2 hours of educational programming.
The first two years of a child’s life are when the brain develops the most, while watching TV doesn’t necessarily prevent the development it does take away valuable time the child can be spending exploring, interacting with others, and learning through physical contact. Studies show with continued screen time, children are more likely to be overweight and less social, in fact a bit apprehensive of the outside world.
This also can lead to less interest in brain and body development activities like sports, reading, and curiosity. Of course not all TV is bad, there are lots of science, history, and learning programs that are interactive or spark children to delve into their curiosities, just don’t make the screen a go-to activity.
Sugar as the Standard
Obesity is currently an epidemic. It’s our responsibility to help our children stop the epidemic, this begins with a healthy diet. Many studies are pointing towards sugar as a top culprit, specifically our increased consumption of soda- diet and otherwise. One way to help is to ween yourself and your family off the sugar standard that has bled into many households. Teach your kids to reserve sugary treats as just that- treats. Drink water instead of soda (including diet, it’s filled with fake sugar that tricks your brain and simply makes your hungrier), and don’t think that packaged ice tea or lemonade is healthier, a lot of brands contain as much to more sugar than soda.
When a sweet craving strikes promote fresh fruits, a piece of decadent dark chocolate, or make your own iced tea and lemonade with controlled sugar. With the deduction of sugar from your diet, you’ll slowly miss it less and less and find more satisfaction from the occasional sugary treat.
Mentally Strong
Your kids are expert mimickers, whether your like it or not. Most noticeably are occasions where they let a curse word slip out because they heard mommy or daddy say it. We gasp then scold, but what about the more destructive mentalities we teach them?
Push your girls to be strong, ambitious, and intelligent. Emphasizing constant girly-girl behaviors will keep them on the sidelines when they’re destined to score winning goals, on the arms of top surgeons when they should be the ones doing the cutting, and never living up to full potentials.
Avoid placing material things on pedestals, teach your children that things are good, but people are better. Teach them kinds both in manners and withholding from gossiping for bad mouthing people, save your frustration rants for adults behind closed doors.
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