Welcome back to the 8-Count! This blog is the second part of the series covering the core things that every child needs to thrive, both physically and mentally. In the previous blog, we talked about the first four: Music & movement, nutrition, goals, and eye contact.
Now, we will cover the last four things you need to consider implementing into your child’s daily routine.
5. Brain breaks
Brain breaks are mostly understood as tools for the classroom. Educators often use brain breaks throughout the day to help kids step away from intense critical thinking and learning tasks to breathe, process, and get ready for the next section of their day. Classrooms that don’t implement brain breaks are missing out on a critical resource to help kids learn and develop better and improve mental and physical health.
Great brain breaks for the classroom include fun print-out activities, games that engage the whole class, casual snack time, and videos. At the Kitty + Custard Club, we believe that the best brain breaks are fun and stress-free while also dynamic and nurturing to several aspects of a child’s health.
Parents can also learn from this by implementing breaks at home when it seems like a child is becoming distressed or burned out from a certain task or environment. Being aware of your child’s stress and exhaustion nonverbal cues will help you remove them quickly from the source of the negative feelings and redirect them towards something else that will help them recharge.
TIP: In the classroom, you can choose brain breaks that reinforce parts of your curriculum in a fun, relaxed way while also encouraging students to get up and move around. We provide videos that encourage kids to sing and dance, releasing stress and getting the blood flowing after long hours of sitting still.
6. Sleep
The recommended amount of sleep per night for toddlers is 11 and a half hours. As adults, that feels like a lot of time, but we’ve grown out of our need for long nights of sleep, now only requiring 6 to 8 hours. Young children are rapidly growing and developing, which puts a huge strain on the mind and body and requires a lot of recuperation time.
At the same time, it’s important to remember that it’s not just about the number of hours – we need good sleep. You may remember taking naps throughout the day during college or sleeping in late into the morning when you were younger, but those extra hours weren’t always beneficial to your health.
Apply that thought process to your children as well. Laying around all day, sleeping whenever the mood hits them, and having restless nights will all have negative effects on their health. Children need to move, learn, and eat right during the day for a truly effective night of sleep.
TIP: If you’re struggling to get your kids to bed at night, try setting a winding-down routine to calm down their bodies and minds. You can have them get ready for bed and read a story or sing lullabies, then enforce the same lights-out time every night.
7. TLC
It’s not just an old home-improvement TV channel: TLC (tender loving care) is an essential aspect of helping a child grow healthily. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with daily tasks and obsess about tomorrow’s chores as adults, but kids need to live in the moment and get their daily quota of attention and love from their parents.
Taking time to talk to your children about their days, making eye contact, and showing them affection will help you bond with them and stay in touch with how they're doing. Children who grow up without affection and attention from their parents often deal with serious issues, such as struggling to build connections with other people and the inability to process their emotions.
TIP: If you’re struggling to make time for giving your children extra attention, consider taking them with you during errands or involving them in chores. Let them help you load the dryer, fold clothes, make beds, and any other unavoidable daily tasks so that you can bond as you go. It will also help them with the development and learning of essential skills.
8. Encouragement
Last but not least, children need encouragement. As adults, we often shine when our bosses take the time to acknowledge our good work or our spouses spontaneously let us know we’re doing a great job. Children, more than anyone else, need that kind of encouragement.
Hearing “no,” “don’t do that,” and “you’re doing it wrong” all day can seriously impair a child’s self-esteem and encourage rebellion. As parents, our job is to correct and support in a healthy, optimistic way. If a child struggles to get something right, try saying, “let’s try it this way instead.” Try to avoid negative language outside of emergencies.
TIP: A great way to encourage a child is to give them small goals instead of one big goal. Praise them for every small step in the right direction they make, and allow them to learn from mistakes rather than stopping them or responding negatively to errors.
Raise Healthy Kids with the Kitty + Custard Club
With all eight tools in your toolbox, your children will thrive and grow like you’ve never seen before. Remember to add movement, music, healthy habits, and positive reinforcement every day to ensure your kid’s cups are filled to the brim with love and good health.
Looking for more insights into healthy parenting? Read more tips by Sarah for parents!
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