Physical development of your child goes side by side with their cognitive development. Your child’s physical development includes development of their sensory that includes hearing, taste, smell, touch and vision. Lack of these can affect your child’s development of fine and gross motor skills. I invite parents and caregivers to always take their children’s physical needs with uttermost priority and provide them with safe and secured environment. The physical care needs include.
1. Food and water: healthy food and water are important for child’s physical, mental, emotional and social development. I encourage parents to be aware of healthy eating, especially breakfast. Your child needs healthy breakfast at all times, and this is said to have improved the academic performance of your child. Eating healthy will keep you and your child safe from sickness and diseases. I do understand that some children are picky eaters or does not like food, but I encourage parents to develop this habit by letting your child see you eat and sees the way you’re enjoying your food, they’ll join you to eat. Turn your eating time into play, song and make it fun and see how well your child will eat.
2.Washing, bath time, care of skin, teeth, hair: Taking bath or shower needs to be a pleasant activity for your child. I know some children take their bath in the morning and before they go to bed at night. Dear parents, please ensure you check the temperature of water before your child’s bathing and never leave them alone to take their bath. I encourage parents to always ask their children to wash their hands with soap and water before and after every meal or even after drinking and after using the toilet. For skin protection ask your child to dry their hands with towel or tissue paper after washing. For cleanliness, keep the nails clean. Encourage children to brush their teeth after meal, in the morning or before going to bed, if possible, allow them to brush it themselves especially the older ones.
3. Protection from injury and illness: it is parent’s responsibility to ensure a safe and secure environment for their children so that they can be protected from injury or any significant harm. I invite you to always make provision for soft toys and learning materials for your child. Always use rugs and soft carpets so that your child can learn and play while moving around easily without any injury and provide enough and clear space to move and jump around.
4. Nappy changing, toileting and toilet training: Children under the age of two years are completely dependent on their parents for nappy change. To prevent your child from infections and diseases, it is necessary to change the nappy regularly. There should be proper clean and clear space for nappy changing. I encourage parents and caregivers to always inform their child before any nappy change. You can say things like; ‘’is nappy time now’’, ‘’Can I change your nappy please, so you don’t have rash or infection’’, ‘’come on Golden, let’s make your bottom all nice and clean’’. Children deserves s every form of respect.
5.: Sleep and rest: every child needs good sleep; Sufficient sleep is important and there’s nothing like too much sleep for your child. Sleep patterns are related to behavior changes. Any child who has proper sleep patterns is healthy and remains happy; I believe you want this for your child right? So let them sleep otherwise, children who are deprived of sleep have health problems, behavioral problems, problems in learning, attention, cognitive abilities and problem solving. Growth and development of a child is also affected from sleep. I trust you do not want all of these for your child, right?
6.Fresh air: It is important for a child to interact with nature. Due to parent’s busy routine of life sometimes, they forget to take their children out for fresh air and healthy environment. For physical, social as well as emotional wellbeing of a child, it is essential for parents to take their children out for the fresh air. Even if it means taking a walk from the beginning of your street to the end and then return back home, is enough.
