Tips for Keeping Your Child Happy and Healthy

Healthy foods, exercise and regular check-ups with your child's physician are the best ways to raise a healthy, happy child. Substitute sugar with sugar substitutes like, splenda or sweet-low. Use sugar free foods to make snacks and desserts.

Healthy Foods: Cutting out most sweets and foods high in sugars is a start to having a healthy child. Making healthy snacks with your child can not only be healthier, it can also educate your child on how to eat healthier. Teach your child the difference between good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates. Knowing the difference between good carbs and bad carbs will be beneficial to both you and your child. Teach your child about the health risk in consuming to many bad carbs and what it can do to your health to prevent them from wanting to eat unhealthy foods. Eliminate your child's soda intake, replacing it with juices, water, or milk.

Examples of healthier desserts: You can purchase sugar free chocolate pudding, sugar free whip cream and one graham cracker crust. Put the chocolate pudding in the graham cracker crust and top that with the sugar free whip cream, refrigerate to let cool. Another example is to put some sugar free whip cream in between two squares of graham crackers and then freeze, taste just like a ice-cream sandwich without all the sugar.

Exercise: Exercise is a good way to keep your child in shape and healthy. Exercise does not have to be boring to the child, you can make it fun for them, this will keep them more interested in exercising. Going to the lake to walk around and feed the ducks is a good form of exercising and it can be fun for the child. Wii fit is a good way to interact with your child and exercise together. Wii fit makes it so you have to actually get up and exercise by bowling, boxing, playing tennis, or playing baseball. Playing these sports together with your child will keep them more interested in the game.

Check-ups: Regular check-ups with your child's physician will help with keeping track of your child's weight and blood pressure. Talk with your child's physician about changes you have made in their diet and exercise to make sure they are getting the proper amounts of nutrition. Make sure your child's immunization shots are up to date. Regular dental exams should also be a part of your child's check-ups to ensure their teeth are developing normally so that your child has a bright and healthy smile.