As parents, the health of our children comes before anything else. It is essential that we look after the health of our children – physical and mental – to the best of our ability and allow our children to live happy lives.
It can sometimes be difficult to judge how healthy your child is: if they are seeming unhappy and you can’t pin down a reason for them to be sad, then it could be to do with, for example, bullying at school or the type of foods they eat (a lot of carb heavy food, and oily food can cause mood swings if eaten in excess). If you do have an inkling that your child is being bullied, approach the principal or your child’s class teacher and ask them if they have noticed anything different.
A child’s health can also benefit from taking part in physical activity, playing outside and eating the right foods. It can also benefit from educational activities that they willingly take part in, like reading or educational games. A good way to get your child into doing more physical activity is for you to do it with them. For example, if you are doing some yoga, show your child that it is fun and relaxing, or if you are going for a jog, show your child that it is a great and enjoyable way of keeping fit.
However, as much as we do like to look after the health of our children, sometimes things will go wrong that are out of our control. For example, if your child is out playing with their friends and they fall from a tall tree and are injured, there is not much you can do to help (apart from if you are medically qualified) so you will need to contact emergency ground transportation as a means of getting your child looked after. The same goes for mental health – stress, anxiety and depression are now common amongst children and sometimes there is no answer as to why a child is suffering from symptoms. The best thing you can do for your child is to research the symptoms of mental health and the best way to deal with it. There are lots of books, journals and websites which can help. Of course, though, you should always a doctor’s advice first.
As well as looking after our children, it is important we look after ourselves. To do this we must eat well, and eat nutritious food, stay physically active and maintain good relationships with our children, extended family and close friends. Being happy in your job is always a positive asset to help with your health, too.
Remaining a good parent through times where our children’s health may be suffering is something which we must all strive to do. Sometimes, it may be hard to keep on top of everything but if you remain with a positive attitude and have a willingness to help our children as much as we can, we will do well.
