Author: James Druman
Raising a child in the modern world presents a host of modern challenges, and among those challenges is providing the variables that lead to the health of a human child and help them eventually grow into a healthy adult. Poor health is rightfully blamed on a lot of societal woes—both psychological and physical—and even criminal behavior is most often tied back to the start we are given in our childhood.
So what makes a healthy child? Well, obviously that's a complex issue that is up for debate in many circles, but sometimes the best way to tackle complex issues is simplify them. And let's face it, most adults have the innate ability to know what is good and bad fro growing bodies and minds. We are naturally inclined to know what is good for a child and common sense goes a long way.
1. Nutrition
It's no secret how vital nutrition is in the health of a human body, and in fact, we have found that not only do most of our modern health problems, many of which are primarily associated with the Western diet, arise from bad nutrition, but the wrong diet is also found to cause emotional problems and even criminal tendencies. But in this day and age, children are raised on a succession of microwave sandwiches, simple carbohydrates, and pure junk food.
Only you have the power to teach your children to acquire a taste for healthier foods, and it always starts at home. You don't need to count their calories or raise them on complex diets composed of super foods you can't even pronounce and that don't taste like food at all—just give them well-balanced meals, unprocessed foods, and plenty of greens. Again, much of this is common sense.
Learning to properly socialize is paramount in a child's emotional and spiritual growth. A lot of this just comes from school, clubs, sports, etc, but perhaps even more crucial is monitoring who children socialize with and how they do it. There are plenty of opportunities these days for kids to be tempted or corrupted by a wide range of influences.
While it may seem counter-intuitive as a path to a better social life, many parents find home schooling gives them the power to choose more about what goes on in their kids' lives and what kind of social interaction they get. Most keep their children heavily involved in sports activities, clubs, events, and get-togethers to ensure ample socializing takes place.
Finally, modern children often do not get enough exercise, and this is another area that is crucial to normal physical and emotional growth. Make hiking, sports, and simple outside activity a regular part of their lives. Consider putting together an activity center in your yard. It might be easier to plop them in front of a television while you juggle the many responsibilities of an American adult, but what seems like harmless hours passed in front of a computer or television affects them directly and robs them of the opportunity to be a healthier person and develop good habits.
