Summer brings many surprises when kids are home more often — especially for stay-at-home parents. It’s essential to maintain routines and follow healthy habits that support children’s well-being and activity levels. One of the most important tasks? Encouraging your children to drink plenty of water regularly, especially before, during, and after physical activity.
Offer water frequently — even if they don't ask for it — especially on hot days. Replace sugary or fizzy drinks with water, and try making it more appealing by using colorful bottles or adding fruit slices. Here are doctor-recommended tips to help manage your child’s health and enjoy a safe, illness-free summer:
1. Offer More Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are rich in immune-boosting nutrients every child needs. These nutrients can increase the body’s production of infection-fighting white blood cells and interferons (antibodies that coat cell surfaces to block viruses).
A diet rich in fruits and veggies also protects against chronic diseases like cancer and heart conditions later in life. Fruits provide satiety, essential vitamins, and help stabilize blood sugar, which can prevent midday energy crashes. They’re also low in calories and make a great alternative to high-calorie snacks.
Fruits contain:
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Vitamin C: Supports cell growth and wound healing
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Potassium, fiber, and folate
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Little to no fat, salt, or cholesterolAll of which contribute to your child's overall health and development.
2. Avoid Exposure to Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand smoke causes many health problems in infants and children, including:
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More frequent and severe asthma attacks
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Ear infections
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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
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Respiratory infections (bronchitis, croup, pneumonia)
Children exposed to secondhand smoke often have weaker lungs and are more susceptible to chronic respiratory conditions, allergies, and severe symptoms like wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath.
Secondhand smoke is one of the leading causes of childhood mortality globally.
3. Exercise with the Family or in Groups
Like adults, children benefit greatly from physical activity. It improves cardiovascular health and boosts natural killer cells that help fight illness. Group or family workouts teach kids healthy habits that can last a lifetime and make exercise more enjoyable and social.
Try hiking, biking, or team sports with your kids. Group workouts also:
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Foster teamwork and strategy skills
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Provide motivation and a sense of responsibility
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Help children stick to fitness goals
4. Set an Early Bedtime
Sleep deprivation can weaken children’s immune systems, reducing their ability to fight infections and even cancer cells. Depending on age, kids need 10 to 16 hours of sleep per day.
The ideal bedtime is between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m., when melatonin production rises naturally, preparing the body for rest. Sleeping early ensures deep sleep during the crucial pre-midnight hours, helping children wake up refreshed and energized.
5. Use a Tooth-Brushing Timer
Tooth decay is one of the most common chronic conditions among children. If untreated, it can cause pain, infections, and problems with eating, speaking, and learning.
Children with poor oral health tend to miss more school and perform worse academically. Teach your kids to brush for two minutes, twice a day to prevent cavities and support long-term dental health.
Childhood brushing habits influence how teeth align in adulthood. Early brushing routines help ensure a bright, healthy smile.
6. Sing While Washing Hands
Handwashing has always been important — and became even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. Make it fun and educational by encouraging kids to sing “Happy Birthday” while washing with soap and water.
Singing teaches:
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New vocabulary
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Pronunciation
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Teamwork, cooperation, and respectIt also builds self-confidence and reinforces the importance of hygiene.
7. Let Them Help in the Kitchen
Feeding a child healthy meals isn’t the same as teaching them healthy eating habits. Involve your kids in food prep to help them:
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Learn how to make nutritious meals
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Gain life skills like measuring and patience
Children may resist trying new foods, but engaging other senses (touch, smell, sight) makes them more open to tasting. Tasks like kneading dough or washing veggies make kids feel comfortable with different textures, while smelling food builds anticipation and connection with what they’re eating.
8. Teach Emotional Expression
Mental health is just as important as physical health. Parents should teach children the basics of emotional well-being and how to handle daily stress. This includes:
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Understanding emotions
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Managing stress and anxiety in healthy ways
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Developing empathy and communication skills
Children who learn to express their feelings form better relationships, make healthier decisions, and grow more resilient. Teaching them that feeling sad, angry, or frustrated is normal helps them cope with challenges and boosts self-esteem.
9. Keep Sick Children at Home
It may be tough to slow down when a child gets sick, but a few days of rest can speed up recovery and prevent spreading illness to others.
Create a calm environment:
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Limit screen time to help them sleep
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Use soft bedding and dim lighting
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Play quiet music or lullabies to soothe them
Let them rest as much as possible — this is crucial for healing.
10. Be a Role Model
It’s not always easy to teach children the right choices, but kids learn most from what they see. Whether it's applying sunscreen daily or eating fruits and vegetables, your actions speak louder than words.
Remember: young, impressionable eyes are always watching — and learning from your example.
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