Feeding children

Do’s and don’ts
It is every parent’s dream to have a healthy child who is good at school and active and jovial most of the time. There are things that one needs to do or avoid to ensure proper growth and development of his or her child.

DO’S
Discourage couch potatoes
Such kids spend almost all their free time watching movies, playing video games and on the Internet. In most cases, they will have a bowl of popcorns, ice-cream or just something to chew—mostly junk foods — piling on unnecessary calories.

Several studies show that inactive kids are more likely to develop heart diseases earlier in life compared to those who play outdoors more than an hour every day. A study found out that people who spend excessive amount of time in front of a screen, primarily a TV, are more likely to die of any cause and suffer heart related problems. According to the study, ‘the analysis suggests that two or more hours of screen time may place someone at a greater risk of a cardiac complication.’

Monitoring what your kids love most as an activity will be the first step to the remedy. Train them early enough to be active in other outdoor sports and make them fun and entertaining. Encourage your children to exercise to avoid the risk of cardiovascular diseases. As the saying goes, ‘Too much work without play makes Jack a dull boy,’ In this case, ‘Too much eating without play makes Jack a sick boy.’

Keep healthy foods available
Often, your child eats what is available in the house. Keep healthy fruits or dairy products other than junk foods in the house to encourage health eating.

Praise healthy choices
When your child picks healthy food, remember to praise him or her for the choices. Give him or her a smile and explain how healthy what he or she has picked is. Provide his or her favourite healthy food with most meals.

Eat together
A family meal with your child is important and beneficial. You train him or her table manners and social skills such as portion-sizing. Serving his or her food at the table or kitchen allows him or her to learn the correct healthy portion sizes for his or her age and what food accompanies another. Eating together also encourages your child to like what is prepared at home since in most cases, it is delicious and healthy unlike eating out. This also teaches the child self-reliance, as he or she will learn how to serve family meals, peel some fruits, tear lettuce and other relevant skills.

DON’T
Never restrict your children from eating
Parents who restrict their children from eating are more likely to create victims of disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder where a person binge eats and then induces vomit or purges. He or she may do so using laxatives or by poking fingers in the mouth. Anorexia nervos, on the other hand, is where an individual starves themselves fearing to become overweight. Both disorders have severe complication such as making one overweight, have stunted growth and even die.

Do not name food as bad or good
Find the right way to educate your kids on healthy eating and never label foods as bad or good to avoid dislike or overindulgence in some. Relate food with what your kids like doing most. You can, for example, tell them that lean meat and milk have calcium that makes their bones strong and improves their sport and school performance. Let the children know which foods should be eaten in moderation and the outcome of over-eating. Let them understand that we do not just eat to fill our stomachs but to get the nutrients in various foods for energy and immunity.

Do not always give food as a reward
Giving food as a reward mostly makes children have weight problem and poor oral health later in life. Rewards given in form of foods, especially sweets, pops and ice-creams may make the children happy but the outcome might be disastrous. The child may always associate reward foods as better than others, making them think that they are the best when not hungry. This may also create dependency on certain foods. Therefore, to encourage positive and healthy attitude with food, it is wise not to associate food rewards with success. Instead, reward them with things like a trip to the park or buy them a ball. Remember, life-long eating habits start at childhood. Teach your children good eating habits for a healthier future generation.

END: BL 44 / 28-29