Raising healthy children: 5 ways to do it

In our days, parents and caregivers in general are bombarded with tons of information on parenting; what’s wrong and right, how to talk to children, what to do or not do. While being informed is always beneficial, many times we as parents find ourselves confused and frustrated by the millions of things, methods and processes we are called to do and follow in order to raise strong and healthy children.

Photo by Piron Guillaume on Unsplash

When I feel overwhelmed, I like to go back to the basics. By basics, I mean simple things we do to help our children grow on the best possible conditions. Simple doesn’t mean easy, but it gives you a place to start and then you can adapt your parenting style to any method or theory that suits your children’s and family’s needs. So, I have gathered five ways on how to interact (or not!!!) with your children and help them be their best selves. 

5 ways to raise healthy children

1. Always ask before you touch a child. Touch them only when they ask you to.

Although physical touch is important to a child’s early development and more or less determines their communication skills, it’s critical to let them know that they can refuse to be touched when they don’t feel like it. Setting boundaries is a valuable lesson and it needs to be practiced as early as possible. Children should be aware that their body is theirs and they have to give consent every time someone (including parents, grandparents, etc.) wants to touch them in any way. That means that even an innocent kiss on the cheek coming from a grandmother is not so innocent if it is coerced and the child tries to push her away, clearly showing that they are not in the mood for it. So, always ask for permission before touching them.

2. Always talk positively in front of a child.

To take it a step further, I would stress that caregivers should always talk positively about a child regardless of whether the child is present or not. First of all, positive language makes a child feel safe and loved. That creates a solid base for them to be able to grow and develop their skills. It also helps them start making their own decisions and has a great impact on their self-confidence. As a result, the child will focus on their strengths and learn from them, shifting the scales from correcting their weak points to embracing their positive traits. In this way, the negative ones will have little to no room in their behavior.

3. Always respond to a child in need and listen carefully to its requests.

It’s important to create a healthy emotional relationship with your child and this can be achieved by showing that you have heard them. When children have a request, first pause and take a moment. Think what they are asking for. Reassure them that they are being understood. Try to read between the lines to pinpoint the emotion hidden behind the request. Being warm and engaged in what they are asking makes them feel secure and builds their self-value. Plus, when children have their needs met, they are calm and self-regulated, ready to thrive.

4. Be respectful to the child that makes a mistake and tries to fix it. Always prevent them from danger.

If you want to promote a child’s self-esteem, show them your trust. Try not to correct them when they make a mistake because this is their way of trying different things and seeing what works and what doesn’t. Let them guide you. If they want your help, wait until they ask you or they seem ready to quit. But still, offer them just the next step and not the solution to their “problem”. Be next to them the entire time but intervene only when necessary. Needless to say, when they are in danger, remove them physically from the situation immediately. No yelling, or telling off just take them to a safe place and explain your actions lowering at their eye level. In any case, show them the respect they deserve.

5. Be very patient and repeat whatever the child needs to listen to over and over again.

Repetition plays a fundamental role to learning and understanding. Communication skills are constantly evolving in children. Give them several stimuli and always help them to engage in any activity even though they may not know where to start and what to do. This requires both patience and consistency. Build them an environment where they will blossom at their own pace.

These are the 5 ways I find helpful when it comes to raising healthy and mentally strong children. Share your techniques with me and comment down below what things you do with your children.