Ah, summers. A fun time for kids and a panicky time for parents. Everyone spends a lot of time away from their routine, which has positive and negative aspects. Less structure can soon lead to boredom and unhealthy snacking. All year long, your family looks forward to it. The summer months mean a break from schoolwork, PTA meetings, and catching the bus. Even bedtimes, meal plans, and TV schedules sometimes take a vacation. However, this carefree season may only occasionally be good for kids’ health.
While a break from the grind can be relaxing, kids need to keep up with some routines all year long, such as getting enough sleep and exercising every day. It is possible to make unhealthy changes when you take too much time off. Summer is when children tend to gain weight faster, according to a 2016 study.
Summer vacation is a great time to keep kids healthy and active. So, to help you in keeping your family healthy, here are a few tips:
Get regular medical checkups
To ensure your family’s health and well-being, you must regularly visit a certified practitioner for routine checkups. For these checkups, you can visit a doctor’s clinic or a nursing practitioner’s office who has completed a 12 month FNP program online course. Seeing your pain doctor is essential if you’ve been experiencing aches and pains this season.
After all, you’ll need to feel your best during summer to enjoy everything summer offers, such as fairs, parades, and more! Therefore, you should schedule an appointment to ensure you won’t be sidelined by pain or injury this summer.
Change your routine
Healthy habits can be encouraged with so much structure during the school year. Get them active with summer activities that put a little rhythm into their lazy days. Among the activities, your child can participate in our day camps, swim lessons, playgroups, story times, and so on.
Similarly, if you live in a city with a parks district and a library, you may be able to find free or low-cost programs. If you want to reduce boredom, you can make your own plan for regular activities. Keeping a daily schedule could mean less screen time, less snacking, and even less whining.
Emphasize on healthy eating
If your kids aren’t going to school, you can still pack a lunch for them. It works great for kids who are spending the day at camp. Instead of grabbing fast food or raiding the vending machine, they can also take it on a hike or to the pool or park. Choose vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and protein for your brown bag instead of sweetened drinks.
Switch out junk food in your refrigerator and pantry (cola, cookies, chips, frozen fatty foods) for healthier alternatives. Kids can choose better foods when they raid the kitchen in the daytime. Keep fresh fruit on the counters and in the refrigerator. Doing this will compel your kids to eat them as a snack.
Let your kids help prepare their meals during their extra downtime. You can plant a garden together or visit a farmers market to pick out in-season produce.
Make dinner together using tomatoes, melons, or peppers they choose. According to research, growing and cooking their own food helps kids eat more fruits and vegetables.
Set a sleep schedule
To stay healthy and happy, it is essential to get enough sleep. You can protect your mental and physical health, safety, and quality of life by sleeping enough at the right time during the day. Therefore, you must ensure that all your family members, especially children, enjoy ample sleep.
Cut down on screen time
A summer day spent watching TV or playing video games may seem like a great way to spend time with your kids. Playing outside or getting enough sleep are better options than spending so much time in front of a screen. Children who watch TV more often are more likely to gain unhealthy weight.
Set screen time limits at home as you would during the school year. The summertime is a good time to establish rules around screens. Outline times when devices are not allowed (like dinner) and create media-free zones in the house (bedrooms are a good choice). In general, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends young children spend no more than 1 hour a day watching TV or using apps, and older children have consistent limits on screen time.
Ensure hydration
It is important to stay hydrated for several reasons. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water daily is recommended to prevent illness, maintain good bone and muscle health, improve brain function, and, best of all, fuel your daily activities. Make drinking water essential to your daily summer routine, and never leave home without it.
Stay protected from sunlight
According to studies, the risk of developing skin cancer increases with just a few serious sunburns. During the daytime, UV (ultraviolet) rays are most intense between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Make sure you protect your skin from these harmful rays by wearing pants and long sleeves and applying sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher. If children are spending time at the pool or beach, the National Cancer Institute recommends wearing waterproof sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. The sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours.
Enjoy outdoors
Summer weather allows you to spend a lot of time outside being active. Exercising regularly improves heart health, reduces pain, and reduces stress. If you’re visiting a zoo or park, use the stairs, take a long way, or include some stretching or strengthening exercises there!
Final Words!
These tips can help you protect the health and safety of your loved ones, especially children, during the warmer months. Regardless of where you plan to spend your summers, do try to follow these tips.
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