5 Tips For Taking Care of Your Kids In 2020 And Beyond

Now more than ever, it is important to be mindful of your children’s health — and ensure that you are doing everything you possibly can to raise a happy, healthy child.

Children’s lives are a far cry from normal. Schools are closed, masks and social distancing are standard for the foreseeable future, and returning to life as usual with weddings, birthday parties, and indoor dining depends on a vaccine that is still in the trial process. While that may initially sound grim, it is possible to raise happy, healthy, and well-adjusted children — in spite of what’s going on in the world around us.

With extra intention and careful planning, parents can guide their children toward success in 2020 and beyond. Take it one day at a time, and use the following tips to get started.

Spend Plenty Of Time Outdoors

Experts agree: while travel may be impossible or extremely limited right now, it is still very much possible to prioritize your child’s mental and physical health by spending plenty of time outdoors. According to HealthyChildren.org, going outside promotes regular physical activity, reduces anger and aggression, improves focus and impulse control, and encourages creativity, curiosity, and learning.

If you need some ideas to get inspired, consider taking a family bike ride, hiking a nature trail, playing catch or kicking around a ball, or purchasing other recreational items, like sidewalk chalk or bubbles and bubble wands, to pique children’s interest.

Take Care Of You And Your Partner

Taking care of your children starts with taking care of you and your partner. “Parental depression shapes not only a parent’s perception of the world but also a child’s experience of the world internally and externally,” Ph.D. Megan Smith tells Yale Medicine. Unfortunately, depressed parents are prone to being less responsive and expressive with their children, having smaller (if any) support systems, and being less fastidious about the physical well-being of their child. Children of depressed parents generally do not perform as well in school.

By treating depression and prioritizing self-care, you not only help yourself but also your family. First, know that what you’re going through is normal. A full one in six Americans have symptoms of depression at some point in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Talk to a therapist, ask your doctor about medication, and/or compile your toolbox of healthy coping mechanisms, like exercise, journaling, and meditation.

Similarly, taking steps to maintain a healthy marriage or relationship will also benefit your parenting skills. Remember, maintaining a healthy marriage model will promote a healthy and fruitful romantic relationship for your children. Plus, if you are not continually butting heads with your partner, chances are you will have more emotional energy to devote to your children. Make time for your spouse or partner, have date nights — even if it is just a candlelit dinner at home, and go the extra mile for them when you can.

If you do split or get a divorce, talk openly to your child. Do what you can to effectively co-parent and be transparent about when kids will be with you and when they will be with your partner. On average, kids spend 277 days of the year with their custodial parent. Don’t make the remaining 88 a mystery. Hang up a calendar with your children’s schedule in plain sight and talk through feelings and plans as often as your child wants to.

Keep Screen-time Within Reason — Yours And Theirs

Another way to keep children at their physical and emotional peak is to monitor their screen time. “Children begin zooming in on digital media devices, such as their parents’ tablets or smartphones, as young as 6 months old,” HealthyChildren.org writes. “By their teens, kids spend nearly seven hours a day using screened-based media, watching TV, playing video games, and using social media.” Spending too much time in front of the TV or scrolling on a smartphone or tablet negatively impacts children’s language comprehension and critical thinking skills. These children are also more likely to be overweight or obese, struggle to sleep at night, and get in fights at school. Remember, keep screen-time to one hour or less for children two to five, and set consistent limits for older children.

A final note on screen-time: Your screen-time matters, too. Your actions can set a good or bad example for your child. Plus, children may feel neglected if you are on your phone instead of playing with them or appropriately reacting to their feelings.

Ensure Your Child Receives The Best Possible Education

Decide what type of education is best for your child. Right now, many schools are closed, slowly reopening, and/or continuing to offer virtual classes for the foreseeable future. Things will eventually return to normal and, when that happens, it is wise to determine what kind of schooling — public school, private school, or magnet schools — is most suitable for your child.

This is not a one-size-fits-all sort of decision. Most schools are public. The remaining 25% of U.S. schools are private. Public school teachers are paid more and often attend more ongoing education programs. Private schools have small classes, lower student-to-teach ratios, and typically offer more specialized classes (their curriculums are not quite as restrictive). Magnet schools vary by county and state but may draw student populations from the region, based on academic achievement, and/or based on diversity initiative programs. Magnet schools typically have a particular focus in one area, like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) or the arts.

Your Guide To Pediatric Well-Care In 2020 And Beyond

Just because we are in the midst of a global pandemic does not mean that your child does not need routine pediatric well-care. For young children, maintaining consistency and continuity of care whenever possible. Attending the occasional appointment with masks and temperature screenings should be relatively safe. Consult your doctor beforehand and opt for telehealth appointments if necessary.

Most importantly, don’t skip appointments. Problems left unchecked just get worse. For example, a child with a single ear infection may simply need a course of regular treatment. If they get multiple infections over 3 to 12 months (either left untreated or unsuccessfully treated) may need a myringotomy tube surgically placed to drain excess fluid from their ears.

Modern parenting is changing, thanks to mobile devices, global pandemics, and social unrest. Prioritize your child’s mental and emotional well-being. Start with the tips and tricks above.