While summer is usually a time for kids to take a break from school and have a little bit of fun, this fun often comes at the expense of their overall health. But luckily, it doesn’t have to be this way. You and your kids can still thoroughly enjoy your summer without getting hurt or sick or lazy.
To help you see how this can be done, here are three ways to help your kids stay healthy during the summer months.
Be Careful With Sun Protection
Since the summer months usually have the nicest weather for being outside, many parents find that their kids spend a lot of time in the sun during the summer. And while some sunlight is good for us, too much of a good thing can quickly become dangerous.
To best protect your kids from the damage of the sun, Amy Hendel, a contributor to HealthCentral.com, shares that you should be applying sunscreen to your kids every few hours, especially if they’ve been swimming or sweating. And if you are going to be putting sunscreen on before swimming, make sure you pick sunscreen that won’t make your pool harder to clean or potentially harm the wildlife in the natural water you’re swimming in.
Know The Dangers Of Playing In Pools
It’s not only too much sun exposure that you need to be worried about when your kids are outside swimming. According to Erin Mantz, a contributor to Care.com, drowning is one of the most common reasons of unintentional death in children, so it’s vital that you know how to keep your kids safe when they’re in the water.
To best do this, you’ll want to give your kids your full attention when they are swimming. Don’t have your eyes glued to your cell phone or allow yourself to get distracted talking to someone. Also, take the time to teach your kids how to swim and ensure that they have someone right there in the water to help them if need be.
Don’t Throw Healthy Rules Out The Window
Although it’s natural for rules to get relaxed a little in the summertime, if you relax too many rules too much, you could be undoing all of the healthy habits that you’ve worked so hard to put in place for your children during the other months of the year.
To ensure that doesn’t happen in your family, Dr. Dan Brennan, a contributor to WebMD.com, recommends that you still insist that your kids eat healthy food, that they still go to bed at a reasonable time, and that you don’t allow screens to take over their lives. By doing this, you should be able to maintain happy, healthy kids all summer long.
If you’re worried about your kids getting unhealthy physically or mentally during their summer break, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you help them to stay healthy.
Leave a Reply