With the new year well under way, it’s important – now more than ever – to make sure your child is living in the healthiest way possible. Luckily, there are many ways for families to establish and stick to healthier habits in 2022. Let’s take a look at some easy ways to keep your child healthy throughout the year.
Schedule Regular Checkups
No matter how healthy your child is, regular visits to a pediatrician are crucial to their growth and development. Each year, make sure your child has their annual physical scheduled. As you schedule your family’s appointments for the rest of the year, start as early as possible and create reminders in your phone or calendar to ensure you don’t miss any.
The health of your child is at serious risk without access to frequent and regular medical care and checkups. Your child’s pediatrician will provide you important insights into your child’s health throughout the year.
Maintain a Healthy and Balanced Diet
Make sure your youngster has easy access to a supply of parent-approved nutritious snacks by storing them in an easily reached cabinet or refrigerator. Your child will learn self-control skills and build a healthier relationship with food when healthful snacks are placed in an easily accessible location. Healthy options include a variety of fruits, yogurt, chilled vegetables, or granola bars. For those with a sweet tooth, you can incorporate low- or no-sugar snacks or dark chocolate into your child’s diet.
Ensure a Clean Home Environment
Establish a seasonal cleaning and disinfection routine to keep surfaces free of bacteria and germs. Make a habit of using disinfecting wipes and sprays every week to clean and disinfect surfaces in your home that are frequently touched.
Build an Effective Sleeping Schedule, and Stick to It
After a long day at school, work, or whatever else life throws at us, we all need a good night’s sleep to recharge our batteries and prepare ourselves for the day ahead of us. To keep your child healthy in the new year, now is the time to establish a sleeping schedule that gives your child the energy he or she needs to be successful.
Make sure your child is getting at least nine to 12 hours of sleep each night. An effective way to get your child to stick to his or her sleeping schedule is to establish a consistent bedtime routine.
Visit our blog for more helpful resources for keeping your child healthy in 2022!