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Global Day of Parents 2020: 6 ways to raise happy and healthy kids

Global Day of Parents 2020: 6 ways to raise happy and healthy kids
Establish clear rules around limiting screen time before the vacation and ensure your kids agree and follow the rules.

Global Day of Parents is being celebrated today all over the world to pay tribute to those who shaped our lives. As we do so, here are a few parenting tips that will make their lives a little easier as they try to raise healthy and well-rounded kids.

Written by Saswati Sarkar |Updated : June 1, 2020 2:22 PM IST

A look into our mothers' eyes tells us that this is the purest love that exists on earth. A simple pat on your back by your father in your trying times, is good enough to assure you that you can sail through it. The role and impact that our parents have in our lives don't need to be reiterated. The unconditional love that they shower on us is unmatchable. In order to acknowledge the role parents play in shaping our lives and celebrate the journey of parenthood, the UN General Assembly declared June 1 as the Global Day of Parents in 2012. The theme for this UN observance Day this year is 'Appreciate all parents throughout the world'. It endorses everything a parent goes through while bringing up a child: Struggles, sacrifices, challenges and the joy. As we observe Global Day of Parents today and pay tribute to the guiding spirits of our lives, here are a few parenting tips that will make their lives a little easier as they try to bring up healthy and well-rounded kids.

Inculcate healthy foods habits in you little ones

The best way to do this is to involve your children in planning and prepping meals. When they are part of the whole process, kids learn the sources of foods, the benefits they offer, and even the downsides of certain foods. All these motivate them to make healthy food choices. Here are some small but significant steps that will encourage your kids to eat healthy.

  • Make colourful meals together with fruits and vegetables
  • Start growing your own veggies and make sure you children are a part of the process
  • Teach your little ones to lend interesting shapes to foods with cookie cutters

Apart from these, there are some healthy food choices that you can make as a family. These include ditching high-sugar cereals and beverages for less sugary options, replacing white rice with brown rice switching to low-fat milk, so on and so forth. Also, help your kids reach out for healthy snack options when they are hungry. Replace that cookie jar with a bowl of nuts.

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Make outdoor play a habit

Staying active is the cornerstone of healthy living. Not only does it cut down the risk of childhood obesity, physical activity also has an impact on your child's mood and behaviour. Engaging in outdoor activities like running around on the grass, playing on a swing or climbing a tree will impact his mind in more ways than one, find several studies. Staying close to nature and getting the hands dirty will also boost immunity. Encourage your kids to play with your pets in the park and read a book outside in your backyard or balcony. Playing outdoors is also known to boost their social skills. A research published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport observed that children engaged in outdoor activities scored high in empathy and self-control. These are important interpersonal skills which will help your child build long-lasting relationships and grow up into well-rounded adults.

Cut back on screen time

This is very important. You need to set clear guidelines about the time your child should be allowed on smartphone, tabs or other screens. Make sure you as parents, stick to these rules. Also, involve your child in deciding the consequence that will follow if she doesn't go by the rules. Limiting screen time is crucial to ensure the psychological well-being of your child. According to a study published in the journal Emotion, spending less time on digital devices and more on real life activities that involve interaction with people keep adolescents happier. According to the observations of this research, sports and household chores are a great way to boost mental health.

Inculcate an attitude of gratitude

Helping your kids count their blessings in their daily lives will go a long way in keeping them happy, finds a growing body of research. However, there's a difference between a dry 'Thank you' and the sincere feeling of gratitude. The best way to help you child incorporate gratitude is by setting examples. At the dinner table, discuss three things that you are grateful for, and ask him to share the same. This can be a good bedtime practice too. If you make this a family ritual, you little one will develop a knack for spotting things to be grateful for. Also, writing thank you notes could be a good way of spending quality time together.

Don't overindulge your kids

Showering your kids with gifts and everything they want may not be a good idea. Research in the field of child psychology suggests that kids who are overindulged aren't necessarily happy. They experience a lot of discontent as they are unable to differentiate between desires and necessities. So, stop yourself from gifting the latest gadget or game and taking. Instead of habituating them to excesses, teach them how to earn what they want. Also, it's important to help your child imbibe self-control. Teach them how to gain control over their own temptations. All these will make them grow up into self-contented adults.

Show them how to help others

Several studies have associated kindness and altruism with happiness. While acts of kindness makes kids happy, happiness also make them more altruistic, observes a growing body of research. Involve your little ones with NGOs for voluntary work. Do this together as a family. Also, sharing one act of kindness every day at the dinner table can work as a great motivator for your child to help others.