Parents can help their children achieve the best possible health. The foundation for a healthy mind and body is found in early childhood. The first years of life are crucial for physical, mental, and social/emotional health and development. If babies’ physical needs are met regularly and constantly, they quickly learn that the person who cares for them is a source of satisfaction, which creates strong bonds of trust and attachment. Healthy babies grow into healthy children and teens.
Health
Preventive health care visits (also called well-child visits) are important for the promotion and maintenance of good health in infants (see Preventive Health Checkups in Infants ), children (see Preventive Health Checkups in Children ), and adolescents (see Preventive Health Screenings in Adolescents ). These visits help prevent disease through routine vaccination and education, give physicians the opportunity to physically examine the child for disorders and treat them early, and guide parents in helping their child grow physically, emotionally, and mentally. During preventive health care visits, doctors can observe how parents interact with their children and can provide advice and answers to their questions.
Start
Babies need affection and stimulation in order to develop emotionally and intellectually. Some parents provide their babies with a highly organized and structured environment using an assortment of toys and gadgets. However, the particular content of the environment is less important than the existence of a pleasant and positive interaction that both the parents and the baby enjoy. Parents who show their smiling face, talk to it friendly, give it physical contact and love, even if they do not buy a wide variety of toys and gadgets, they are not negatively affecting their baby’s development.
Encouraging optimal development works best for a child if you approach flexibly, thinking about the child’s age, temperament, stage of development, and the learning style used. A coordinated approach that involves parents, teachers, and the child usually work best. During these years, children need an environment that encourages curiosity and lifelong learning. The child should be provided with books and music. A daily interactive reading routine, with parents asking and answering, helps children pay attention, read with understanding, and become interested in activities that involve learning. Limiting television and electronic games to less than 2 hours a day encourages more interactive games.
Playgroups and preschools are beneficial for many young children. Children learn important social skills, like sharing. In addition, they begin to recognize letters, numbers, and colors. Learning these skills makes the transition to school smoother. Most importantly, in a structured preschool, potential developmental problems are identified and this facilitates their early approach.
Parents who need help caring for their child may wonder what the best environment is for it and whether caring by others is inconvenient or harmful to the child. Available information suggests that young children can thrive both at home and in kindergarten, provided the environment is nurturing and nurturing. By carefully observing the child’s response to certain situations in a given nursery, parents are better able to choose the most appropriate environment. Some children do best in an environment with many more children, while others may feel better in their own homes or in small groups.
When the child begins to receive homework, parents can help
- Showing interest in the child’s work
- Being available to help answer the questions, but not solving the tasks themselves
- Providing a quiet work environment at home for the child
- Communicating with the teacher about any concerns
As the school years go by, parents should consider the needs of the child when selecting extracurricular activities. Many children make great progress when they have the opportunity to participate in team sports or learn to play a musical instrument; These activities also provide them with a place to improve their social skills. However, some children become stressed if they have too tight a schedule and are expected to participate in too many activities. Children need to be stimulated and supported in their extracurricular activities without generating unrealistic expectations regarding them.