Your child is ready to go to school and start a new life. It would be a joyful moment to see your child  going to school but somewhere down the line it would be difficult as well to stay away from your child for about half of the day and vice versa. Generally, parents have this apprehension that their children will be coming in contact with many new people and thus the exposure to numerous viruses and bacteria will increase. In such a case having a strong immune system is very essential.

What Is Immune System?

A complex network of tissues, organs and cells that works to fight against the invading microorganisms is called an immune system. Children with a weak immune system are prone to get affected easily by viruses and bacteria. Thus, it is very important to maintain your child’s immune system to prevent them from catching any sort of diseases easily.

How can I boost my child’s immune system?

As parents, you must be thinking if we could protect our children from all kinds of diseases by shielding them in a bubble but practically this is not a solution to the problem. There are various ways in which you can protect them, one of them being a boost to the child’s immune system.

Read: How Parents Should Cater To Their Child’s Mental Health?

Can I boost my child’s immune system naturally?

A realistic way of protecting your child from bacteria and viruses and keeping them healthy is to boost up their immune system. There are various strategies through which your child can boost  their immune system in a natural way. Here are some of these natural ways:

• Animal fats: You must be thinking that animal fats are saturated fats with a high level of cholesterol. Yes, they are saturated but these types of fats are a major source of energy for the body as well as the heart. They boost the immune system. Animal fats include eggs, meat and dairy products. These foods boost the immune system by providing it essential amounts of Vitamin A and Vitamin D.
• Include green food in your meals: We all have been reading and being taught that green vegetables are very good for health. This is just because methylation, a biochemical process which takes place with many other functions such as detoxification. meals that include vegetables like sprouts, broccoli, kale and spinach provide sulfur and Vitamin B to the body which helps in the process of methylation. This will help in strengthening your child’s immune system.
• Regulate the sleep schedule: The need of a regulated sleep schedule should always be a priority. Establishing a sleep schedule, keeping in mind the bed time as well as the wake up time makes a big difference to the immune system. Majorly children require about 10 to 14 hours of sleep so as to be healthy.
• Physical activities: Kids like playing and running around, they get actual happiness in such activities. Physical activities like exercises, yoga and sports increase the blood circulation in the body and also increase the oxygen circulation. They also help in reducing the stress level, improve mental as well as emotional health and also help the mind and body to relax. Thus, physical activities are essential for the overall health and happiness.
• Sunlight: Is sunlight exposure safe for children? Yes, exposure to sunlight is safe for children and also healthy as the UV radiations help in increasing the endorphins present in the blood. Exposure to sunlight is harmful only when it is excessive. Sunlight provides Vitamin D which is very essential for the body. Thus, Vitamin D decreases the risk of diseases and also makes the bones strong.

The immune system is the most important part of the human body. Proper care and a boost to the immune system is very essential so as to ensure that exposure to numerous bacteria and viruses does not prove harmful to health. Thus, try these natural ways to boost the immune system of your child.

At Walkertown Academy, various facilities for physical exercises and activities like martial arts, yoga, karate, gymnastics, taekwondo and other social and physical activities are provided to the children. We consider all these activities necessary for the overall development of children.

The post Natural Ways To Boost Children’s Immune System In India appeared first on Walkertown School.

“The parent-child relationship is the most powerful mental health intervention known to mankind!”

The key to a child’s success is the constant involvement of the parents. When it comes to the growing years of a child, mental health is something that needs constant attention. This is where the right parenting leads to wonders.

Childhood is a vulnerable period. Children tend to get easily influenced by people and situations around them and mirror all kinds of behaviours. This, in turn, has a long-term effect on their mental health and personality development. Showing the right path to your children should always be your priority.

So, here’s a list of 6 steps we suggest to foster your child’s mental health!

6 Tips to Support Your Child’s Mental Health

⦁ Be Your Child’s Ally:

Children often tend to feel unsafe and insecure because of confusion and less emotional maturity!

Before anyone else, you should be their best friend, safe haven and go-to person to ensure they feel loved and cared for. Always support and accept them as an individual to build trust and faith.

Your relationship with your child should be positive, reaffirming and trustful. Always try to be attentive to their signals and needs, as children nurtured by responsive parents have better emotion management, social skills development and great mental health!

⦁ Constant Communication

Mental health issues arise when children have no one to talk to about everything they are going through. A parent’s responsibility is to always be there for their child during such times.

Communication is the key to everything and building trust in your child definitely needs constant talking and active listening. Being open to honest conversations with your child will encourage them to come to you first when there’s a problem!

When you talk with your child,

⦁ Be present.
⦁ Listen first, respond second.
⦁ Be reassuring.

Another benefit? You’ll support your child to integrate different parts of their brain so they work as a whole, which means lesser tantrums, cooperative behaviour, and better mental health.

⦁ Spend Time With Your Child:

Your children need your presence more than your presents!

As a parent, you must make it a point to consistently be with them as they learn more from what you are than what you teach them. Laughing and playing with them proves to be a stress reliever and helps build stronger bonds ensuring positive regard and overall, a good mental health.

⦁ Monitor Your Child’s Mental Health:

Any disturbances in a child’s mental health are reflected in their behaviour. Learn to look for early signs of frustration, anxiety and low mood and immediately talk to your child.

Try to form your own way of asking your child about the level of stress or anxiety they are facing on a particular day. Questions like “How scared are you, on a scale of 0-10?” or “Do you feel extremely stressed or moderately stressed?” always help.

Be observant and make note of changes in your child’s behaviour like becoming quiet and withdrawn. Ask people around you to keep a check on your child’s behaviour and inform you immediately if any drastic changes are seen!

⦁ Develop Your Child’s Self-Esteem:

Creating a sense of belonging is the greatest thing you can do for your child. The sense of being connected and welcomed is important to children’s adjustment, self-identity and sense of trust.

You can help them develop their self-esteem by:

⦁ Showering love and showing acceptance.
⦁ Praising them genuinely.
⦁ Helping them set realistic goals and giving them independence.

⦁ Encourage Development of Healthy Habits:

According to a psychiatric study, nearly 50 million Indian children suffer from mental disorders at any given point of time. This usually happens due to unhealthy lifestyles!

Parents who want to ensure complete well-being of their child must encourage healthy behaviour like proper diet, exercise and a good sleep schedule in their children.

Nobody can escape stress. Children should be taught how to deal with it by encouraging them to take up activities like maintaining journals and diaries. Incorporating mindfulness and self-care routines also helps immensely!

At Walkertown Academy, we fully advocate mental well-being of children and make sure we do our part by focusing on personal, social and emotional development to help children become well-rounded individuals.

Let us know in the comments how you ensure your child’s well-being!

The post How Parents Should Cater To Their Child’s Mental Health? appeared first on Walkertown School.