| The Case for Play |
| Children seem to have a bottomless source of energy. They love to run, jump and play as long as they can.
A new study from the University of South Carolina took a closer look at that commonly-held assumption and found some interesting results. In the 24 community center-based programs involved, a surprising 89% of preschooler activity was characterized as sedentary. The implication that children are less active today has wide-ranging ramifications on their healthy development.
Researchers at the University of Iowa found that active five year olds are more likely to 'bank' their good health into later childhood, even if their later activity levels drop. Compared to their peers, the more active five year olds still weighed less three and six years later.
Recent findings also identified a relationship between a child's activity level and his sleep patterns. On average, every hour of inactivity in a child's day adds three minutes to the time it takes him to fall asleep. Curiously, children who fell asleep faster tended to sleep longer as well. Your child won't be the only one to benefit, you may have some extra quiet time if he goes to bed quickly.
Children should get a minimum of 60 minutes of age-appropriate physical activity every day. While the weather's nice, consider visiting the local park. You'll model a healthy lifestyle, spend quality time together, and then have a little more free time to yourself at the end of the day. You may need it after playing hard with your tyke.
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| The Battle for Bed Time.
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| You want quiet. Your child wants to stay up later.
Threats and consequences may get him into bed, but not necessarily into REM. Bed time arguments can exacerbate the problem by riling up both you and your child. Going to bed in a state of frustration only makes it harder for everyone to get their rest.
Before it's time for bed, establish firm rules with your child. If he knows what's coming, you'll have an easier time enforcing your expectations.
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| That Sweet Sensation |
Their teeth have a different opinion.
You know to limit your child's consumption of sugar, but do you know why?
Bacteria in the mouth consume residual sugar, then excrete lactic acid and form plaque.
After eating something sugary, those bacteria create an acidic state in the mouth for about 40 minutes. This condition is compounded by grazing on sugary snacks over time.
If knowledge is power, we hope this helps you maintain control over your child's long-term health.
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