In honor of the various cultures represented by our preschool and after school child care…
We are officially in the throes of the holiday season. For our children, this means an abundance of fun, presents, and worst of all, sweets. It is all too easy to allow our children to get in the holiday spirit and overindulge in their favorite candies; however, it is important to not let the holidays ruin young children’s view of what is acceptable to eat.
Holiday Healthy Eating Habits
Let’s face it: having a plan in terms of food is necessary for the holidays. Most of our sugary indulgences come from bad impulse decisions. While it is sometimes difficult to monitor meals, generally having a plan for food choices makes eating unhealthy food a lot more obsolete in the long run. An extension of this rule is to have healthy snacks available as much as possible. In order to gain the interest of your preschoolers, consider making the snacks Christmas themed.
A lot of people use the holidays as an excuse to overindulge in food. With your preschoolers, try to stick to three meals a day and two snacks. If you find your preschooler hungry even after the fact, a trick is to give them water to see if their hunger diminishes. Overall, thirst is very similar to hunger. If your child drinks water and is no longer hungry in ten to fifteen minutes, the chances are less likely that they will want food.
More Holiday Healthy Habits for Kids
The early years in a child’s life are extremely important as it is when the brain develops. In addition to helping your child build a base for eating healthy, it is also important to help them avoid germs in their early years. The holidays are well renowned for large gatherings, of which germs congregate. Help your child understand the importance of washing their hands and keep them away from people that are contagious.
Sleep is also important for keeping preschoolers healthy at any time of the year. Sugar can lead to hyper-spells, which can keep your child up later than usual. Susan of Rooted Mama Health says eating healthier can affect a child’s other habits, such as sleeping and fighting off germs. These are just a few ways that you can help your child stay safe, healthy, and happy over the holidays.
Happy Holidays From Primary Beginnings in Raleigh
Primary Beginnings is a 5-Star rated preschool in Raleigh, NC. We offer infant-care, preschool and after-school programs at both of our Spring Forest and North Hills child care centers. Request a tour today by filling out our online contact form!