Rain lifts our spirits and the kids are ready to have some fun. Getting soaked in rain, making paper boats, and floating them in puddles are all-time favorite activities for them. Kids must enjoy rain but at the same time, this season can bring diseases, infections, and allergies. We want monsoons to bring happiness for them and not misery. On many days the weather is bad, and we can’t allow them to go out.
If we educate our kids properly and teach them some healthy habits, it will help to keep infections and injuries at bay. Let’s see how we can keep our kids healthy this monsoon and what habits to focus on:
Personal Hygiene: Personal hygiene is extremely important for good health. Childhood is the best time to develop healthy habits.
- Regular Hand and Feet Washing: Encourage children to wash their hands with soap and water frequently, especially before eating, after using the toilets, and after playing outside. Demonstrate proper handwashing to them. They should spend at least 15 seconds in washing hands with soap and water. Feet washing is also important when coming home from outside. Damp weather can lead to itching and fungal infections on the feet. Apply moisturizer after washing.
- Bathing: Create a routine for daily baths with warm water to remove germs and dirt. They can take a bath after playing outside too. Bathing should be a regular habit in the rainy season.
- Nail Hygiene: Keep their nails trimmed and clean to prevent the accumulation of dirt and germs.
2. Diet and Nutrition: We are what we eat, so we develop healthy eating habits from childhood. The right nutrition is essential for good immunity against illnesses.
- Balanced Diet: Teach them the importance of a balanced diet in childhood. They should regularly have a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, probiotics, and proteins to boost their immune system.
- Hydration: Let them develop the habit of drinking water regularly. They should drink a glass of water when they get up in the morning. Give them water bottles whenever they are going out. Ensure that the quality of water is good for health. Create a habit of monitoring water intake.
- Avoid Street Food: Monsoon is the season of growth of insects, pests, and germs. Discourage consumption of street food during monsoon, as it can be contaminated. Develop a habit of having proper family meals with home-cooked fresh food. Do not encourage regular processed foods as it adversely impacts immunity. These habits will help them when they are adults.
- Warm Foods: Serve warm, freshly cooked meals to help maintain body warmth and aid digestion. Do not encourage cold drinks and ice creams during this season as kids can easily get infections.
- Healthy snacking: Kids love to snack. They are not able to have a full meal and in a couple of hours, they are hungry again. Develop healthy snacking habits like fruits, nuts, dry fruits, or some other homemade snacks.
3. Clothing and Protection
- Appropriate Clothing: Dress children in weather-appropriate clothing, such as light, breathable fabrics that dry quickly. Use raincoats, boots, and umbrellas to keep them dry. They should have a habit of maintaining rain gear with them whenever they are going out. If they are going for a longer duration or to a friend’s house, they can keep an extra set of clothes with them for emergencies.
- Footwear: Make sure they wear waterproof shoes or sandals to prevent fungal infections from wet feet.
- Dry Clothes: Ensure they change out of wet clothes and shoes promptly to prevent chills and skin infections.
4. Encourage indoor activities: Physical activity is important for kids. So, whenever they are not able to go out because of bad weather, they should be able to occupy themselves constructively indoors.
- Safe Play Areas: Provide safe indoor play areas to keep children active without exposure to rain and mud.
- Educational Activities: Engage them in educational games, puzzles, and reading to keep their minds active.
- Physical Exercise: Encourage indoor physical activities like yoga, dancing, or simple exercises to keep them physically active.
5. Environmental Cleanliness: Teach them how the environment impacts our health and develop their habits accordingly.
- Clean Surroundings: Develop a habit of keeping the home and surroundings clean and dry to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes and other insects.
- Avoid Stagnant Water: Ensure there is no stagnant water around the house, which can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
- Proper Ventilation: Maintain good ventilation indoors to reduce humidity and prevent mold growth.
6. Preventive Health Measures: Teach kids about immunity and the importance of preventive measures for good health.
- Vaccinations: Keep children’s vaccinations up to date to protect against common illnesses.
- Mosquito Protection: Use mosquito repellents, nets, and screens to protect children from mosquito bites and related diseases like dengue and malaria.
- Doctor Visits: Schedule regular check-ups with a pediatrician to monitor their health and address any concerns promptly.
- Practice physical safety: It is important to teach them about taking precautions when they are going out. Slippery surfaces can cause accidents. They should not be pushing each other and indulging in any other unsafe practices while playing.
8. Boosting Immunity
- Adequate Sleep: Ensure children get sufficient sleep to help their bodies recover and strengthen their immune systems. Develop a good sleep routine. Do not encourage late-night activities. A good sleep schedule will help them stay energetic throughout the day.
- Include herbs: Develop the habit of consuming ginger, tulsi, and turmeric in this season. Warm turmeric milk is excellent for immunity. Ginger and tulsi kadha or tea with honey is beneficial too. Try that kids develop the habit of consuming these in their early years as it is tough to introduce the things later.
Remember, if you want to develop healthy habits in kids you must lead by example. Kids learn more by observing parents rather than by teaching them. Model healthy behaviors for your children to follow.
Teach children about the importance of hygiene, safe eating habits, and the dangers of playing in dirty water. By instilling these healthy habits, parents can help their children stay healthy and enjoy the rainy season without falling ill.