Importance of massages for babies:

The sense of touch is very important for a baby. It is the first sense that they develop. A gentle touch is reassuring to them. And babies need to be constantly reassured as they get used to the world. Babies feel it when you touch them, pat them, or rock them. Whenever they are in pain, babies want loving arms to hold them. They feel it as a sign that someone is there to take care of them.

A gentle and stimulating massage by doctor, nurse, and parents also gives this reassuring feeling to the babies. Even adults enjoy massages. It makes them feel good. But a massage is more important for a baby than it is for adults. It comforts them, helps in the baby’s development, and strengthens the bond between the parents and the baby.

Advantages of massaging your baby:

• Massage helps in the baby’s physiological and emotional development. It is especially helpful for prematurely born babies.
• Many people believe that regular massages help in strengthening the child’s bones and also helps in muscle development.
• Some even say that babies experience fewer health problems when they are regularly massaged.
• In India, people believe that massage with warm oil can reduce the risk or severity of cough and cold.
• Massages also help the babies digest their food. And better digestion helps the babies to take sufficient feed needed for their health and wellbeing.
• Babies who are massaged regularly as less likely to be colic.
• When massaged regularly, babies are less prone to crying fits and are calmer.
• If your child has difficulty sleeping, a gentle massage can do wonders. It soothes the baby and makes the child sleepy.

As a parent, you want to do everything that’s beneficial for your child. So, don’t ignore massaging your child. It can help in your child’s health and happiness. Add it to your daily routine. And feel the blessing of seeing your baby happy and comfortable.

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There’s a lot you can do to ensure your child’s self-esteem. Here are some of the best ways.

Best ways to build your child’s self-esteem

1. Lead by example:

Children learn best through observation. They may ignore your teachings, but they often do what they see you doing. So, show them it is okay to be proud of themselves by being proud of yourself. Celebrate your achievements and strengths. Make it clear that you believe you can overcome your weaknesses, and do what you want to do. This will teach your children to be proud of their abilities, skills, and talents, and forgiving of their weaknesses.

2. Praise your child:

Don’t forget to praise your child. Applaud their achievements and skills. If you give your child a task, then praise them for the job well done after they’re finished. Show your child that their positive acts merit positive praise. But be honest in your praise.

3. Never compare:

Parents often get into the habit of comparing their child’s skills and abilities to some other child. This can have a serious effect on your kid and may lead to an inferiority complex. Every child is unique. Appreciate the talents of your children and be proud of them.

4. Be a good listener:

When your kid tries to tell you something, listen patiently. This will make them feel that they are important to you. When your child is sad, angry, stressed, or depressed, communicate openly and calmly with them. If they have created a mess, help them out of it by judicious advice. But never judge or criticize. Suggest positive behaviors and options to solve their problem. And leave the door of communication open, assuring them they can come to you for help at any time.

5. Let them try:

Your child may get interested in something that you consider too hard for them. But never tell them they won’t be able to do it. If it’s not dangerous, let them try. If they succeed, applaud them. And of they fail, assure them it was a tough task and they should be proud of themselves for even trying it. Being a parent, you do not want your child to feel disappointed and fail. But give them the freedom to choose. And be there to support them, motivate them, and comfort them with positivity if they fail.

6. Teach your child the value of planning:

When children achieve a goal, it boosts their self-esteem. You can help them achieve their goals by teaching them the value of preparation, practice, and planning. Praise them and motivate them at every step. And show them how best to work towards their goals. This will increase their confidence not just in themselves but in you too.

7. Help them recognize their strengths:

Your child may feel bad about some of their weakness. Divert their attention to their strengths. Teach them that all people are different and that if they are weak in one thing, they are stronger in something else. Encourage them to develop their strengths, instead of focusing on their weakness.

8. Say, “I love you” every day:

Your children are precious to you. Make sure they know it. Tell them you love them at every opportunity. Say “I love you” to them every day. You may also tuck short, sweet notes in their lunchboxes or coat pockets, or send them a loving card in the mail. It will boost your children’s self-esteem and strengthen your bond with them.

Conclusion:

Self-esteem is as important for a child as it is for an adult. Children are very sensitive and may easily get hurt and feel bad about themselves. Help them recognize their strengths and keep them feeling good about themselves. Lead by example and pamper them by praise and attention. These will do more good than buying them fancy presents.

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But is the use of technology good or bad for children? Well, the answer lies somewhere in between. Technology can benefit kids in many ways. It can harm them in many ways too. Let’s take a quick look at the main advantages and disadvantages of children’s use of technology.

Advantages of Children’s use of technology:

1. Development of skills:

When you let your child spend some time with smart devices or computers, it may help them develop necessary skills faster. For example, many smartphone apps and games for young children are designed as learning tools. They can help in developing the child’s hand-eye coordination, dynamic spatial skills, and fine motor skills. When the children watch cartoons, they often repeat the dialogues and sing along with the songs. This helps in developing their language skills. Spending time with smart devices and computers may also help in children’s visual attention. It can help them to maintain focus for a longer duration. Also, certain apps and games may give children a habit to pay more attention to details to complete tasks.

2. Educational tools:

Technology can be a great educational tool. It can help children learn their lessons in a more fun way. Developmentally appropriate computer programs can improve your child’s reading and math skills. Even many schools across the world are using innovative technology to impart education.

Technology brings the world’s knowledge at your child’s fingertips. Their learning need not be limited to their course books. Children are curious beings by nature with minds full of questions. Technology can help them find all the answers they want. Proficiency in using technology also prepares the children for good professional opportunities in future.

3. Motivation to complete tasks:

Many smartphone or computer games require children to complete various levels. They are required to solve problems, find solutions, and to keep trying till they succeed. This may help in developing children’s problem-solving skills. And may develop a good foundation to keep the child motivated to complete tasks at hand.

4. Broadens horizon:

Technology brings the world of knowledge to your child. Through various audio-visual means, including 3D and Augmented Reality, children can see and learn things beyond their scope of experience. Online courses can also give them knowledge and skills beyond their school curriculum. It can enhance their creativity by letting them explore more creative ideas and skills.

For older children, technology is not just helpful but essential. They need it to compete with their peers. They need it to stay connected with their friends. It also allows them to connect and build relationships with people from faraway places.

5. Security:

Parents can also use technology to protect their children. Smart wearables and tracking apps can help parents keep track of their children’s whereabouts. Phones can keep children stay connected with their family even when they are far away.

However, while the use of technology can help kids, its abuse can harm them too. We have seen some advantages of technology for kids. Let’s take a look at its harms too.

Dangers of children’s use of technology:

1. Bad effect on health:

Too much love for smartphones, tablet devices, and computers can have several bad effects on your child’s health. Staring at screens for a long duration can hurt their eyes. Too much screen time can lead to a sedentary lifestyle. It can cause obesity and other health problems. Love of smartphones and computers may even lead to smartphone addiction and gaming disorder.

2. Habit of finding an easy way out:

The Internet brings the world of knowledge within your child’s reach. It can be very beneficial in broadening your child’s horizon. But they may also abuse the great power of the internet to make their study work easier. For example, copy/pasting the information from the internet, instead of studying a book to learn it. This might help them score well but will hamper their learning.

3. Psychological problems:

Spending too much time with gadgets can also result in psychological problems like social withdrawal, loneliness, depression. Children who spend too much time communicating through social media and messaging apps may feel awkward in face-to-face interactions. They may have poor social skills. Playing violent games too much might even increase their aggressive response and reduce their empathy. Spending too much time with smartphones and computers might even lead to smartphone addiction and gaming disorders.

4. Poor performance in studies:

Love of smartphone games, social media, online videos, etc. may divert children’s attention away from studies. This might lead to poor performance in school. And that, in turn, may lead to several psychological issues like lack of confidence and depression. And, of course, it harms their future scope too.

5. Exposes children to cyber threats:

Children’s unmonitored use of smartphones and computers can expose them to unsuitable content and cybercriminals. Children do not recognize the threats of the cyberworld. And their curiosity may take them to dangerous and unsuitable places on the internet. This may put them in danger and lead to traumatic incidents.

Conclusion:

In today’s world, our life is surrounded by gadgets. So it is impossible as well as unadvisable to banish your child from using technology. Modern technology can be very beneficial for your child. It can help in developing their skills, give them support in studies, and broaden their horizon. At the same time, it can be very harmful and dangerous too.

So children’s use of smartphones and computers must never be unmonitored and unregulated. And it should never be allowed to affect their physical and psychological health. You, as a parent, need to be very watchful to make sure your children are using technology, not abusing it. And that their use of gadgets is within healthy limits.

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How to build your child’s immunity

There’s nothing better than breast milk to boost a baby’s immunity. It is full of immunity-enhancing antibodies and white blood cells. Breast milk can guard infants against allergies, ear infections, diarrhea, meningitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and even Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

However, boosting older children’s immunity is more challenging. The following tips can help:

Nutritious Diet for immunity boosting:

Children’s diet can have a direct impact on their health. And the trouble is children love to eat food that hurts their health. They love fast foods that harm them and hate vegetables and fruits that are good for them. Your task is to reverse these feelings.

Children need a healthy diet full of essential nutrients. But don’t use the word Nutritious before them or they will run away. Just try to feed them more fruits and vegetables. Carrots, green beans, oranges, strawberries are especially helpful in boosting immunity. They have immunity-boosting phytonutrients called carotenoids. Phytonutrients help the body to produce more infection-fighting white blood cells. They also boost the production of interferon which is an antibody. It coats cell surfaces and blocks out viruses.

For better health and stronger immunity, your child should eat five servings of fruits and veggies every day. This means, about two tablespoons for toddlers, 1 cup for older kids, five times a day.

Regular Exercise:

A good diet alone is not enough for a fit body. Regular exercise is needed too. Exercise reduces the risk of obesity, which lowers immunity and may cause serious health issues. Exercising regularly can help in toning muscles and increase bone density and strength. As per MedlinePlus, exercise causes changes in White Blood Cells and antibodies. The brief rise in body temperature during and after exercise may prevent bacteria’s growth and help the body fight infections better. And it is great for building immunity too. Exercise helps flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. This may reduce children’s risk of getting a cold, flu, or other illness.

But how to make your children exercise? First, make sure their games include more physical activity. Children nowadays prefer playing on smartphones. You need to curtail this smartphone addiction and make their playtime healthier. And when you exercise, encourage them to join you. Make exercise a family activity. When they see you exercising, they will be more motivated to do it.

Outdoor activities:

Compared to earlier, children today spend less time outdoors. They prefer watching TV or spending time with their computers and smart devices. Many parents hesitate to send their children out, fearing for their security and health.

But being outdoors is good for your children’s health. Constant exposure to air conditioning can lower immunity. Whereas fresh air can clean their lungs of impurities such as car fumes and dust. Being out in the sun can boost their Vitamin D. Being outside will increase their physical activity and reduce the risk of obesity. Playing outdoors may also reduce children’s risk of depression and hyperactivity. All this will help in improving their health and strengthening children’s immune system. It is also an easy way to increase their physical activity.

Sufficient sleep is vital for your child’s immunity:

Sleep deprivation can affect the health and emotional state of even adults. It can be very harmful to children. Children need more sleep than adults. An infant needs up to 16 hours of sleep time in a day. Toddlers need 11 to 14 hours of sleep, and preschoolers need 10 to 13 hours’ sleep time.

Disturbed or less sleep can make your children more vulnerable to infections. Sleep deprivation reduces natural killer cells, immune-system weapons that fight against microbes and cancer cells. So make sure your children are getting enough sleep. It is essential for their health and happiness.

Reduce their stress:

We think stress troubles only adults. But children can get stressed too. There are many things that can disturb your children. It might be the stress of studies, peer pressure, bullying in school, lack of confidence, obesity, and so on. Stress, anxiety, and depression can lower your child’s immunity too. So if you notice increased moodiness, withdrawal, and other behavioral changes, try to find the reason for them. Take steps to reduce your child’s stress and anxiety. Take the help of a medical practitioner if you need to. It is essential for their health and wellbeing.

Besides these, you also need to make sure your child’s immunity is not getting affected by your poor lifestyle. If you or your partner smoke, secondhand smoke can affect your children. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, you can’t make your children exercise. Similarly, if you eat a lot of fast food, you can’t force your children to avoid them and eat veggies instead.

With the increasing environmental pollution and the risk of infections, children must have strong immunity. For that, they need a healthy diet and lifestyle. But it is difficult to make children eat what they should, play as they should, and sleep when they should. Explain to them the benefit of proper diet, exercise, sleep, etc. And above all, be a good role model.

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Can children get stressed?

We all think childhood is a carefree time while adults’ life is full of tension. So it is easy to believe adults are more prone to stress. But that’s not true. Children face unfamiliar and confusing challenges constantly. At every stage of growing up, various accomplishments are expected of them. From potty training as a toddler to competition in school, children are continuously challenged. So they can get stressed. Even 6-month-old babies can feel stress. They can absorb the stress their parents are going through, or get affected by angry faces, raised voices, rough handling, or even big changes in their daily routine.

As children grow, the reason behind their stress and their response to it changes. While some amount of stress is needed, too much stress can cause long-term psychological damage. It can impair their mental growth, ability to function, and lower their immunity. It may even lead to psychological disorders like eating disorders, paranoia, anxiety, and depression. That is why stress relief is very important for children.
What causes stress in children?

Children of different age groups face different challenges. So the cause of their stress varies.

Causes of stress in children

Environment:

From babies to teenagers, the environment has a major effect on children’s stress levels. Babies can absorb the stress and anxiety of their parents. A disturbance in their routine, an unpleasant change in their environment, or caretaker can also give them stress. Babies as young as 3 months old can experience fear and sadness. So any unpleasant experience can cause them stress.
Toddlers also get affected by the home environment and the mood and behavior of their parents. Their separation anxiety, new experiences in playschool, even potty training can cause them stress. As children grow, school environment, family issues, and pressure of studies can make them tense. School bullies, peer pressure, and their need to keep up with friends can cause stress in children, especially teenagers.

Poor parenting:

Even a baby recognizes parents as their caretaker and protection. Children need to rely on parents with total trust. But when bad behavior or carelessness of parents causes children discomfort or fear, it may lead to stress. Parents fighting with each other, their anger, their stress, their expectations from the children, their excessive discipline or over protectiveness, it all can cause stress in children. So parents need to be very careful about how their behavior and parenting style is affecting their kids.

Life milestones:

From learning to walk to adjusting to school life, children have to achieve several such milestones. All these can lead to good as well as bad stress. Parents need to be very careful as they encourage their children towards these milestones. If learning to do something like walking or doing homework feels like a discipline issue, it can lead to stress and may even manifest in tantrums and other behavioral issues. The longer the kids struggle to achieve a milestone, the more will be their stress. Parents need to be supportive and helpful at such times.

Abuse and neglect:

Children who suffer physical, verbal, or mental abuse can feel a lot of stress. And it can impact them for life. Abuse can be in the form of beating, scolding, making kids feel inferior and unwanted, etc. Children who face child abuse or humiliation can develop psychological issues that can affect them even in adulthood.
Similarly, children who suffer neglect at home or school also develop stress and psychological issues. Parents might be too busy to notice their child is feeling neglected and lonely. Sometimes, a child may feel neglected among friends or in class. All this can affect the child’s self-confidence and cause stress.

Peer pressure:

Peer pressure can be very tough for school children, especially teenagers. Children are very sensitive about what their friends think of them. So, they constantly try to win the approval of their friends. Abuse, humiliation, mockery by peers can gravely affect a child. Peer pressure can destroy a child’s mental health and may even drive them to self-harm and suicide.

How to know if your child is stressed?

Children of different age groups can respond to stress differently and show different symptoms. You need to watch out for behavioral changes and an increase in emotional outbursts and mood swings. Here are some symptoms that can indicate stress in children

• Aggression: The aggressive response to mild problems, such as hitting and biting.
• Increased tantrums: Crying and screaming at minor irritations. Older kids might appear over-emotional and might show exaggerated responses to minor problems. They might have difficulty in controlling their emotional responses.
• Sleep problems: Sleep troubles like insomnia, bedwetting, and nightmares.
• Decreased appetite: Lack of appetite and disinterest in even favorite food items.
• Physical complaints: Frequent complaints of headaches or stomach aches.
• Tension: Finding it difficult to relax and always feeling jittery and on edge.
• Phobias: Children may develop new fears or start experiencing fears they had experienced earlier.
• Avoidance: Children might refuse to visit places where their stressor is located. These might include school, playgrounds, parks, even a friend’s house.
• Withdrawal: Children might start withdrawing from play activities and social interactions..

What to do if your child is stressed?

Whether at home or school, your child needs to feel protected and appreciated. You need to ensure that your child is growing in an environment that nurtures their self-worth and protects their wellbeing.

Understand:

Children cannot express their feelings. You need to pay attention to their behavior to judge if they are feeling disturbed. Help your children identify what’s disturbing them, then teach them ways to cope with these stressors. Listen to their problems, understand their struggles, and help instead of punishing. Of course, you need to teach and discipline them for their own good. But do it gently, with understanding and positive reinforcements.

Ensure a healthy home environment:

Your home environment should make your kids feel protected and cared for. A house ringing with fights, anger, and abuses cannot feel safe to a child.

Don’t neglect:

No matter how busy you are, you need to make time for your children. Even if it is just one hour a day. But keep that one hour regular and assure your children you are there for them, to protect them and take care of their every need.

Be careful about the school stressors:

Schools can be full of stress for children. Your child might get troubled by a bully, or jeered by his or her own friends. A frank conversation between children and parents as well as between parents and teachers can keep school stressors in control. If your child is facing some trouble at school, help your kid to sort it out. Seek their teacher’s help if you need to. Schools too should follow a strict policy against physical or verbal abuse and bullying to make sure their students feel protected in school.

Consult a doctor:

If your child is showing excessive emotional outbursts, performing poorly in school, withdrawing from social interactions, or showing symptoms of depression, consult your child’s pediatrician.

Even a minor event like a fight with a friend can cause stress to your child. If you notice any behavioral changes in your children, don’t ignore it. Try to understand the reason behind these changes. Assure your children, you understand their feelings and are there to help and protect them. Childhood stress can leave long-lasting effects. But a loving and nurturing environment at home and school can ensure your child is happy and healthy.

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Here’s how fast foods harm your children

Obesity:

Fast food consumption is one of the most common reasons for obesity in children. These food items are high in calories, sodium, sugar, and saturated fat. They also have high-starch content which may lead to overeating even if the child is not hungry. When a child eats fast food too frequently, it can lead to obesity. And obesity can lower the child’s immunity and may even lead to other chronic health problems, including Type 2 diabetes.

Deficiency diseases:

Fast foods or junk foods are deficient in vital nutrients. If the child’s diet is deficient in vitamins and minerals, it can lead to various health issues. It can weaken the bones, affect growth, and increase the risk of eye and dental problems. A nutritious diet is important for the health of a growing child. Fast foods cannot deliver the nutrition children need.

Atopy:

Consuming fast foods over three times a week may increase the risk of atopic disorders such as asthma, rhinitis, eczema. Researches have noted a 39 percent increase in severe asthma risk for teenagers and 27 percent for younger kids that consume too much fast food. Research has also shown that instead of fast foods, taking three or more servings of fruit every day can reduce the severity of symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, eczema.

Constipation:

Eating too much junk foods can reduce the intake of fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy products. Less consumption of fiber can lead to constipation. This can cause loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting in kids. It can also make children more tired, irritable, and pale.

Poor performance in studies:

This is a fast foods harm that few know about. Such foods create a spike in blood sugar. When this level drops, it leads to fatigue. This makes it harder for children to concentrate on their studies for a long duration. This and other health problems caused by overeating of fast foods can lower your child’s performance in school. A study of 12,000 fifth-graders showed the researchers that children who ate fast food four to six times a week performed significantly lower on math and reading tests compared to other children.

Low energy for physical activities:

As overeating of fast foods provide less nutrition and can make children fatigued sooner, they are less likely to take part in sports and other extracurricular activities. Lack of physical activity can aggravate their health issues and increase obesity.

Sleep Disturbance:

Consumption of fast foods may also lead to disturbance in the sleep-wake cycle. The energy spike junk foods cause and the caffeine content in pop and cola drinks can disturb sleep. Alternatively, when the sugar level drops, it creates fatigue and lethargy. This untimely spike and drop in energy can disturb the sleep-wake cycle. And that may further affect performance at school and make the child irritable and moody.

Depression:

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables increases energy. Several fruits and vegetables are rich in serotonin, which is called the happy chemical because it promotes the feelings of happiness and wellbeing. A diet heavily dependent on junk food can lead to a deficiency of serotonin and cause feelings of gloominess. Moreover, obesity, disturbed sleep, poor health, poor performance in school can lower self-esteem. Obesity may also cause poor body image. All of this can increase the risk of depression in children. As per a study published in the Public Health Journal, people with a diet high in processed food are 51 percent more prone to depression.

Fast foods harm can continue even in adulthood:

When children become addicted to junk food, they may find it harder to make healthier food choices in adulthood. They may continue to lead an inactive lifestyle. And the health troubles caused by fast foods can continue even in adulthood.

Therefore, it is essential to teach children healthy eating habits before it is too late. Children will want to eat what they find tastier. But you need to make sure your child’s diet is full of nutrition and fibers. Eating fast foods once in a while is okay. But don’t let your children become addicted to junk food. Restrict one or two days a month when children can have fast food of their choice. Use creative ways to make healthy food fun. And reduce your intake of junk food too before you try to teach its harms to your children.

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