A HEALTHY CHILD IS A HAPPY CHILD
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As a parent you should always a healthy child. You should take care of what your child eats because t will make him/her healthy and fit. Teach your children about healthy eating habits and help them in maintaining a healthy weight and normal growth. Good and healthy habits at younger stages help your child to maintain a healthy lifestyle when they are adults.
Cut down extra fat and sugar that your child eat or drinks, reduce the amount of sugar sweetened drinks and salt in your child's diet. You can always consult a registered dietician for nutrition counselling.
If your child is overweight, do not put him to the restrictive diet to lose weight.
Some approaches that parents can take to develop healthy eating-
- Make a wide variety of healthy foods available in the house. This will help your children to learn how to make healthy food choices. Leave unhealthy food like chips, soda and juice. serve water with meals.
- Always encourage your child to eat slowly. It will help them to detect hunger and fullness better. Allow your children to think whether he/she is actually hungry or not. Ask them before serving second time, if they are really hungry they will ask you to give more to eat.
- As often as possible, eat meals together as a family. Try to make mealtimes good and pleasant with conversations and sharing. If you will scold your child and meals are unpleasant then your child may eat faster to leave the table as soon as possible.
- You should always involve your children in food shopping and ask them to make meals. It will you to learn about your child's food preferences and it is a better way to teach your child about nutrition. Also, your child will more willing to eat food that they themselves help to prepare it.
- No television while eating meals or snacks. watching television while eating is a bad habit and can lead to overeating.
- Encourage your child to drink more water. Over consumption of sweetened drinks or sodas can lead to obesity in children.
- Always plan a snack for your child otherwise it will lead to overeating. You can make snack as nutritious as possible.
- Food should never be used as a reward or punishment for your children.
- Make it a point to pay attention on the portion of size and ingredients in your child's meal. make sure to serve them appropriate portion.