Ensure Early Childhood Health and Nutrition with These 10 Good Habits

Maintaining health and nutrition of early childhood can be done through introducing various good habits in daily life. These good habits certainly need to be instilled in children from an early age, so that they are always remembered and applied until they grow up.

Good habits taught to children can help maintain the health and nutrition of early childhood. Some examples of these good habits are:

-Eat balanced nutritious food

A balanced nutritional intake every day is certainly an important part of early childhood health and nutrition. One of them can be done by getting children to like various foods that are rich in nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, including fruits and vegetables. If this good habit is applied early on, it will help prevent children from consuming the same food or being picky eaters.

-Always remember to have breakfast

Breakfast is important not only to help meet the daily nutritional needs of children, but also to support brain work, as a source of energy, and maintain children's health. Harvard Medical School also mentions that a healthy breakfast can help maintain a child's nutritional status and reduce the risk of obesity. Therefore, it is important for children to get used to eating breakfast with a complete and balanced nutritious menu.

- Diligently wash your hands

Come on, Mom and Dad, make it a habit for children to wash their hands often and teach children how to wash their hands properly. Give examples of how to wash hands for children and convey the importance of washing hands to maintain cleanliness and health. Another way that can be done is to use picture books and songs to make hand washing activities fun for children.

-Actively moving

One way that mothers can do to get their children active is to invite them to play various games and physical activities, including exercising together. If the child is accustomed to moving actively, he will do sports happily and can become a good habit to support his growth and development. There are many sports activities that children can try, mothers can support children to explore various types of sports. In addition, exercising with the family can also be an option to make children more enthusiastic and active and make the atmosphere more fun.

-Enough rest

In addition to being active, children also need adequate rest to maintain their health. Sleep according to the needs of children, namely 9-10 hours a day is part of a routine and a healthy lifestyle. Establishing a child's sleep routine before going to bed can be done by dimming the room lights and stopping activities that use a lot of movement or watching television or gadgets approximately one hour before bedtime and replace it with reading activities. body, brush teeth, and change nightgowns so that children sleep more soundly and comfortably.

-Limit screen time

Mothers certainly know that their child's time in front of a television screen or gadget (screen time) needs to be limited. Excessive screen time can interfere with children's learning activities, make children less mobile so that it can increase the risk of obesity, it can also interfere with children's sleep and rest time.

-Maintain body hygiene

Teach children how to keep their bodies clean from an early age by explaining what needs to be done to keep their bodies clean, namely bathing, washing hair, including cleaning their teeth and mouth by brushing their teeth. At an early age, children still need mother's help to brush their teeth properly, but this routine is important to implement so that children get used to brushing their teeth regularly. Don't forget to visit the dentist regularly to check the health and hygiene of your teeth and mouth.

-Drink water as needed

Drinking enough water is done to meet the needs of body fluids or hydration, this is important for maintaining the health of children and also supports normal digestive tract function and nutrient absorption. Water is one source of body fluid intake which is the best choice for children. Get used to the child to drink enough water according to the child's needs throughout the day.

-Limiting added sugar intake

Mothers can do this by reducing sugary drinks/containing high added sugar and replace them with serving more fruit which, although sweet, is richer in nutrients. In addition, cooking your own healthy menu at home can also be done so that you can control the sugar content in food and reduce the consumption of snacks that are high in added sugar. Also pay close attention to reading food labels when buying packaged foods or drinks, so that you can choose those with higher added sugar content. lower for healthier options.

-Dining with family

Yes, Mom and Dad, eating with family can help maintain the health and nutrition of early childhood. By applying these good habits, children can learn healthy eating patterns from other family members and mothers can also directly maintain children's nutritional intake. Besides that, eating together makes family relationships more harmonious, right?

As a parent, you want your children to grow up healthy, right? Let's instill healthy and clean habits early on. Eat nutritious and diverse foods, because most children are very picky about food, especially nowadays there are many instant foods whose nutrition is not guaranteed and even dangerous if consumed excessively. I hope my article is useful and thank you for reading.