Children's Health And Well Being

Fresh air and exercise
The ultraviolet light in sunlight enables your body to make and store vitamin D, which is important for the development of bones. Unfortunately, this light is filtered out by glass, so a child has to be outside in the fresh air in order to benefit from it. Enough sunlight comes through the clouds to make it valuable so it's worth taking a baby out every day and encouraging a young child to play outdoors for some of the time, whatever the weather. In that way, sufficient vitamin D can be made and stored to last a child through the greyer months.

Our bodies are made to move and a child's muscles, joints and bones need regular activity to be healthy. Plenty of exercise not only makes a child feel well, helps his muscles grow strong, keeps him slim and helps him sleep, but also helps his body to burn up excess energy and keeps him warm. The beneficial effects of exercise last for a few days, but it's still sensible for a child to get some exercise every day.

Getting regular exercise isn't always easy if your family relies on a car for transportation. But even young children benefit from walking, so try to set aside part of every day for walking, swimming, playing outside or some other form of activity that you and your children enjoy. Even if it's raining you'll both feel better for the exercise, though it might be more tempting to stay inside. If your child is at school, check how much exercise he has there and supplement school gym and games with out-of-school activities if necessary.

Learning about life
The stimulation that comes from being involved in what's going on around him is essential for a child to develop normally. Children love to be with people and can become very bored if left alone. They need to be played with, talked to, smiled at, laughed with, shown things, and included in family meals, outings and other activities. They need to feel part of the family and - as they grow - of the wider community, rather than just left to be passive observers. Perhaps what's most important is having enough time with one person concentrating on them alone and taking a real interest in them.

Choose a time to give your full and undivided attention to your child when he is ready for it. It's no good expecting a tired or hungry child to enjoy even your best efforts to play with and talk to him just because it's a good time for you. The more you talk with your child and listen to him, the more capable he'll be of understanding and talking himself.

You may find that there are some situations when it isn't appropriate or convenient to have a baby or young child with you. Then it's better to leave him with someone else he knows rather than to be frustrated and annoyed because his presence isn't welcome. He'll probably enjoy himself more too.

Spiritual care
If the spiritual side of life is important to you, tell your children about it. It's easy for a child to grow up never knowing what his parents think and feel because they are embarrassed, can't find the words or don't want to brainwash him. Yet many people, old and young, draw comfort and a sense of meaning in life from their faith in a source of goodness, or 'God", beyond themselves and potentially present in each of us.

If you're not sure what you believe or have no spiritual beliefs, it's still worth encouraging your child to consider other people's ideas.

You could also try and find a way of developing a broader perspective on life, something that goes beyond you. You might, for instance, be aware of a sense of wonder at the beauty, majesty and power of nature, or you could entrust yourself to a creative and loving power even though you don't understand what you're doing.

By: Jim S Dean

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Jim S. Dean is a stay at home father, freelance writer, and webmaster with an interest in a wide range of subjects. Visit his latest website Free Pacman.