7 tips on how to keep the kids healthy

How you can keep your child healthy

Keeping your children healthy is important, but how can you achieve it? Here are a few building blocks of good child (and adult) health to incorporate into your child's daily life.

1. Be a good role model

There is endless debate in child psychology circles about how your parenting style impacts your child's behaviour and development. No child is a blank slate, and their personality may equally affect the way you parent them.

However, your lifestyle and habits form your child's view of the world. If you spend your weekends walking in the countryside, your children will grow up viewing that as a normal part of life (even if they complain bitterly about their aching feet at the time). Equally, a constant diet of burgers and chips will also become routine for children who have never experienced anything else.

The Millennium Cohort Study of children's health found that socio-economic factors had a profound effect; basically, children living in poverty were more likely to experience poor health. However, there is a link between childhood obesity and poor parental health that goes beyond this.

In short, if you set a good example, your children will benefit.

2. Eat a well-balanced diet

A healthy diet supports your child's physical development and gives them the nutrients they need to grow into healthy adults. Every parent has probably heard "I don't like it" or had to deal with one child whose tastes differ vastly from their sibling's at some point. A famous study found that children typically choose a healthy diet even if each meal isn't perfectly balanced. However, the study only presented children with healthy foods. It's hard to predict what would have happened if the choices had included junk food.

Eating healthy foods can help to prevent or treat chronic illnesses, such as diabetes or heart disease and can even prevent some cancers. What you eat will depend on your food preferences and cooking skills, but nutritional guidance such as the Eatwell plate should give you a good idea of a balanced diet.

So, how can you help your child develop healthy eating habits that will continue into later life?

Cook healthy meals

Cooking healthy meals at home lets you decide what goes into your food. Whilst family life means that it isn't always practical for the whole family to eat together, sharing a few meals during the week allows you to normalise healthy habits.

It's a good idea to involve your children in preparing meals in an age-appropriate way. Even toddlers can learn how to wash vegetables or mash a banana. They can develop the skills that let them prepare meals as they get older; also, if they've helped to make dinner, they're much more likely to eat it!

Offer healthy snacks

Snacks such as crisps or nuts are quick to grab, but it's easy to overdo the salt, fat or sugar. Give your children healthier snacks like fruits and vegetables or rice cakes with hummus or peanut butter when they're little, and they'll hopefully choose them as they get older.

Include a variety of foods

There's no easy answer to encouraging your children to eat well. Even if you prioritise healthy eating at home, your kids will still have access to unhealthy food as they grow up. Even expert views differ on whether junk food should be banned from children's diets. Some feel that schools should only serve healthy options, while others believe that including some treats makes them less of a novelty.

Jamie Oliver's initiative to improve school dinners led to a rebellion from some parents whose children didn't like the new meals. The right approach for you depends on your lifestyle, tastes and what your child's school offers.

3. Get fresh air and exercise

Active children experience various health benefits, including better sleep, increased fitness, stronger muscles, bones and heart health. Including regular activity as part of their daily routine can also have positive mental health benefits, boosting their self-esteem and improving their concentration. Making movement a normal part of life means they're much more likely to carry it forward into adulthood, reducing their risk of illness in the long term.

It's important to make exercise fun and include it in your child's usual routine. Normalise walking or cycling to school and make exercise an opportunity to spend time with the family.

Getting your children out into the fresh air increases these benefits, giving them vitamin D and cleaning their lungs, reducing their risk of respiratory infections. Exposure to sunlight can also improve their sleep - good news for parents of tiny children.

4. Reduce screen time

We live in a digital world with children who increasingly spend their lives online. This can increase their risk of experiencing mental health issues or becoming a victim of online bullying. If they spend their evenings and weekends playing video games, this will likely reduce their level of physical activity.

The amount of time your child spends using screens can also impact their eyesight. Opticians advise that screens can cause eye strain or lead to short-sightedness. Time away allows their vision time to recover.

A family film night can be a great shared activity, but it's crucial to balance the time they spend sitting with hobbies and interests involving movement. Placing limits can help. Many devices come with parental controls that allow you to set the time your child can use it or have downtime to ensure they can have screen-free time before bed.

Understanding the increase in children’s mental health referrals

Recent studies show a surge in the number of mental health referrals for children and young people.

5. Get the right amount of sleep

Sleep is a perennial topic for parents, often because a young child's sleeping habits can change constantly, leaving parents needing a good night's rest. Getting enough sleep supports every aspect of your growing child's health, from memory and concentration to immunity and appetite. Sleep problems can also cause issues with growth and hormones as they get into their teenage years.

Eating well and getting enough exercise promote good quality sleep. Stress or worry can disrupt sleep, so you can support your child by enabling them to discuss their concerns or seek outside help when necessary. A bedtime routine that helps them to wind down and relax lets their body and brain know it's time to sleep. This could include a drink of warm milk, a bath and a story; consistency is essential.

How much sleep does my child need?

Your child's sleep requirements change as they get older. Babies and toddlers with developing brains need between 11 and 16 hours daily, including naps. Preschoolers and even reception-age children may still need a nap during the day. A child's sleep requirements will reduce as they get older, with teenagers needing between 8 and 10 hours. This can be the most challenging age group as their social activities shift into the evening and beyond.

You can learn more about developing good sleep routines for children and young people here.

6. Wash your hands

The COVID-19 pandemic reminded us of the importance of washing our hands, with information posters in public toilets and instructions to sing 'Happy Birthday' twice to ensure we wash for long enough. Teaching our children to wash their hands properly remains vital. Regular hand washing helps to prevent the spread of infections or illnesses, including food poisoning.

You can review your hand-washing technique with this NHS guide; there's a video you can share with your children too.

If you're out and about with your children and don't have access to proper hand-washing facilities, alcohol-based hand sanitiser is a good alternative.

7. Invest in health insurance

Investing in private health insurance gives you quick access to medical care when you need it most. It's worth looking for an insurer that allows you to add your children to your policy free of charge. Some family policies will cover your children until they're 25, giving you all peace of mind even when they're away at university or starting their first job.

Health insurance provides access to services that support their health and well-being and can help them to develop healthy habits.

Virtual GP

Getting an appointment with your NHS GP can be challenging thanks to a rise in the number of patients registered with each full-time GP and recruitment stagnation. If your child has a temperature in the middle of the night, it can be challenging for parents to decide whether to take urgent action or look after them at home.

All health insurance policies come with a virtual or online GP service operating 24/7 so you can get advice when you need it. You can also speak to a nurse via a telephone helpline for advice.

Mental health support

Children can develop stress or anxiety at any age, particularly as they head into their teenage years. Waiting times for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services can be long, leaving children and their parents to find alternative support or risk deteriorating mental health.

Health insurance providers offer various mental health support services, including telephone helplines, online resources or access to counselling or CBT without a GP referral.

Wellness rewards

Most insurers offer member discounts, with some allowing you to spend quality time with your kids. These include trips to the cinema, family days out and holidays.

Vitality's reward program provides discounts when you hit your health and activity goals, helping you be a good role model for your children and develop a healthy lifestyle.

13 tips for keeping healthy

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Average cost of private health insurance UK

Contact us for professional advice

MyTribe guides offer advice to help you make an informed choice about health insurance for you and your family. If you'd like to learn more about how health insurance can support your family's well-being, contact us for a comparison quote. We'll put you in touch with a regulated broker for tailored advice.