[caption id="attachment_1094" align="alignright" width="228" caption="Sleep Easy with Stress Free Parenting - 50 Tips for Healthy Kids"]
[/caption]Visualization: Take some deep breaths and imagine a place that made you happy or where you feel at peace. This could be at a beach with the warm sun and a gentle breeze, lying in a hammock or floating in a cloud. Simply give yourself a minute or two to remove yourself from the situation. A mental vacation can just be all you need to face the stress with a new perspective.
Parent Time-out: If possible, take a walk or go to another room for a few minutes. If you discipline your children with a time out, take the time to sit down and relax too. Maybe if Mommy said she had to have a time-out they would also give you that time to do so, but make sure they understand the reason for their time-out.
Be Consistent: Many times parents warn their children when they are about to be disciplined but don’t follow through. This gives the child mixed signals and they will not understand when you are serious and when you are not or what behavior constitutes the need for discipline. Sometimes children misbehave to get the parents attention and feel this is the only way to get it. Giving a child some one-on-one time each day may be all you need to do to stop the bad behavior.
Anticipate Problems: If a child is touching something they shouldn’t and it bothers you instead of warning them not to touch it…remove it. Depending on their age, if a toddler, simply replace the object with one of their toys. Create a special area just where they can play will prevent troubles that drive you crazy.
Stress Relieving List: Make a list of things you like to do. Take up a hobby, play a sport or reading a series of books, like the True Blood Sookie Stackhouse tales of vampires or Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels about a bail bonds woman is a wonderful way to relieve stress.
Stay Healthy: Keeping yourself strong by eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise by relying on other members of your family for childcare is very important to keep up with the challenge of parenting.
Keep your Kids Healthy: Did you know that kids can behave badly because they are tired, hungry, sad or sick? Here are 50 tips for healthy kids:
Avoid Illness:
1. Have kids wash hands with soap and water before eating.
2. Keep kids away from other sick kids
3. Teach them to cover their mouth when they sneeze or cough
4. Plan regular doctor visits
5. Listen to what the doctor tells you
6. Keep written records of your child’s health history
7. If your child gets a lot of colds, ask your pediatrician if your child has allergies
Immunizations:
8. Immunizations can protect your child from serious illnesses, like polio
9. Make sure your child gets all their immunizations from child birth through adolescence.
10. Get information about immunizations from your pediatrician, clinic or local health department
Sleep:
11. Most children under the age of six need ten hours of sleep to be energized and fight off infection
12. Keeping to a regular sleep schedule will help your child fall asleep easy and stay asleep throughout the night.
13. If your child gets drowsy, grumpy during the day encourage them to take a nap.
Smoking:
14. Keep your child away from secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke can increase your child’s chances for ear infections, asthma and other illnesses.
15. If you smoke try to quit
16. If you do, at least smoke outside or in an area of the house they don’t play in.
17. Ask others to not smoke around your child.
18. Don’t smoke in the car
Exercise:
19. Encourage your child to exercise; an active lifestyle starts in childhood.
20. Take walks and play games together.
21. Limit video games, TV and computer games
22. Find activities the whole family will enjoy
23. Set a good example by exercising yourself
Outdoor Precautions:
24. Make sure your child is protected from the sun by using SPF of 15 or more. Getting sunburn during childhood can lead to skin cancer later in life.
25. Long sleeve shirt, a hat and sunglasses can also protect them from over exposure to the sun
26. In cold weather, make sure they wear appropriate clothing like; hats, boots and other winter clothing
27. Avoid insect sprays that contain DEET, a chemical that can harm children
Nutrition:
28. Give your child a variety of healthy foods each day. Children need a healthy diet to help them grow
29. Serve fruits and vegetables as a snack instead of fried, processed or sugary foods.
30. Limit junk food
31. Offer milk, juice or water instead of soda
Dental Health:
32. Teach your child good dental hygiene as baby teeth can last up to 10 years
33. Have them brush their teeth twice a day to avoid cavities
34. Don’t let your child swallow the toothpaste
35. Avoid snacks and drinks with a lot of sugar
36. Visit the dentist at least twice a year
A Healthy Home:
[caption id="attachment_1092" align="alignright" width="296" caption="Sleep Easy with Stress Free Parenting - 50 Tips for Healthy Kids"]
[/caption]37. Keep all poisons, including prescription drug, over-the-counter medications, makeup and house plants, out of reach
38. Lock up all toxic chemicals, including cleaning supplies and garden products
39. Avoid lead poisoning by not letting your child get a hold of paint chips or windowsills. Lead poisoning is common in older homes
40. Make sure paint, crayons and other art supplies are nontoxic
41. Keep ipecac syrup on hand in case of an emergency
42. Post emergency numbers near your phone
Emotional Support:
43. Let child play with other children their age
44. Discipline without yelling or hitting
45. Take a time-out when stressed or angry
46. Set aside time with child
47. Hug, kiss or hold your child
48. Say “I love you”
49. Give positive reinforcement
50. Sing, play, laugh and get silly with your child
Remember above everything else to be flexible enough to admit that you are not perfect and life is not a bed of roses. All people fall behind schedule, get stressed and want to pull their hair out with demanding children. Life has its ups and downs that just life and you need to go with the flow....it could be worse, right? Because in a few minutes your children are going to tell you they love you or fall asleep in your protective arms and life just couldn't be more perfect.
The content provided in Sleep Easy with Stress Free Parenting – 50 Tips for Healthy Kids is for information purposes only, intended to raise the awareness of different solutions for your sleep problems and should not be considered medical advice. For medical diagnosis and treatment, please see your qualified health-care professional.
No comments:
Post a Comment