Maintaining good health should be a top priority for everyone. This is because with good health, life can be a lot more enjoyable. It’s also going to be worthwhile saving money that could have been spent on dealing with health issues. This is why it’s important to teach children about common health practices. Have a look below to learn more details about this.
From Their Early Years
Children start to learn at an extremely early age. Right from when they’re toddlers, they pick up on things that the people in their environment do. This makes it important to model positive behaviors for your children. When you do this, they’re bound to keep these habits as they grow, finding it easier to do than if they had to learn foreign behaviors on their own.
That said, let your children learn things like frequent handwashing from you by doing it yourself. Each time you use the bathroom or before you eat, wash your hands and encourage your child to do the same, especially if they’re at the age of learning to feed themselves. As they grow older, you can also share with them common facts such as that a mere 1% of the water on earth is suitable for drinking. The more they know as they grow, the better able they’ll be to take charge of their health.
Throughout School
As a child begins attending school, it becomes the duty of both their caregiver and their educators to ensure that they know common health practices. This will be done in school by having lessons on cleanliness and more. If a child finds that the same things they’re taught at school are also taught and encouraged at home, they might have an easier time sticking to them.
Keep in mind that by the time a child reaches three years of age, about 95% of their brain capacity has already been developed. This means that it’s possible for a child that’s of school-going age to grasp many concepts about personal hygiene and more. They might also pick up some habits from their peers, and this is why it’s important for all caregivers to make sure that the children they’re taking care of know as much as possible about acceptable hygiene practices.
At Adolescence
When a child reaches adolescence, it’s important that they’re already well-versed with common health practices. At this point, new health practices become important for them to learn, and these include sexual health and mental health. Since a child at this age is gearing up to go out and face the world on their own, it’s a good idea to make sure that they’re armed with the information they need to do this.
You should also share with adolescents the implications of ignoring health issues when they’re in a position to take charge of their own health. On this note, about 93 million adults in the United States are at considerable risk for serious damage to their eyes. A mere half of them have seen a doctor in the last 12 months, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This is something that’s bound to have a negative impact on the future health of an individual. That said, make sure that your child knows that it’s important to let an adult know if something is out of place so that they can seek help for it.
It’s never too early to start teaching a child about common health practices. The earlier they start learning, the better the chances they have of learning even more. This is why it’s important for caregivers and educators alike to play their role in making sure that the young ones in their care know what they should know about their health at every age.
