Role Of Parents In Providing Health Care To Their Children

Role Of Parents In Providing Health Care To Their Children

By Marc Davis

Parents play a very important role in the health of their kids, as they learn many things from them including how to take care of themselves, their diet and general health issues. As a parent you should be able to provide adequate health care to your children and when they are sick it is your responsibility to give them the necessary care needed and the right environment for them to get better. So what other roles do parents play in providing health care to their children?

To often parents think of only the physical health of their children when it actually involves both their physical and mental health. The home environment should be conducive for the mental health of our kids as a child should not be subjected to physical abuse or a hostile environment because this contributes directly to their mental health. The child's diet should also be sufficient and balanced by making sure they avoid junk food which is not good for their health and is the number one cause for obesity and other diet related illnesses like diabetes. A healthy diet contributes to the mental health of your kids and enables them to grow strong and healthy.

Studies have shown that obese children are more likely to be bullied by their peers. This can interfere with their self esteem and also contribute to their lack of interest in education. As a parent you should encourage your kids to take up any form of exercising and discourage the number of hours spent in passive leisure activities like watching television and playing video games. Activities like these contribute to obesity in most kids as they have a tendency of snacking while watching television or playing video games.

Active, Fun Leisure Activities

Encourage your kids to part take in some form of sports in school and make sure your kids are outside for a number of hours per day as they interact with other kids and play games, run around and even socialize. Playing games with our kids also helps improve on their general well being. Dancing is also a very good form of exercising for kids and most will find it interesting and fun. The simple fact is exercise helps in strengthening muscles and helps in keeping many diseases at bay. A healthy body contributes to a healthy mind.

Importance of Cleanliness

Cleanliness is next to Godliness and a clean environment means less chances of diseases and accidents. Children need to be taught about general cleanliness and also personal hygiene as this reduces the risk of contracting viruses, teeth cavities and common colds. The most important part of cleanliness, which is also the basic rule of hygiene, is washing hands every time they come from playing outside, before and after eating food, after using the bathroom and after touching animals. This good habit also reduces the chances of contracting many diseases.

Relaxation

Relaxation and sleep are also part of good health habits because in order to function properly kids need to relax and have enough sleep in a comfortable bed. Having a set time for kids to go to sleep is important as this enables them get enough sleep and be alert the next day, especially for school going children. Reading and school work cannot and should not be a full time activity as kids need to have time to relax away from school books. A child who is well fed, clean and happy will be able to sleep well and this impacts directly on their overall well being.

Taking care of your children is the ultimate responsibility so make sure you follow some simply guidelines and you will be on your way to having a healthy and well adjusted family.

By:Muhammad Ariff,Ahmad Abdillah,Zulhairie Zahir 10S16