Of all the queries that I get from my readers, the most prominent ones are related to the growth and development milestones of kids. I know when it comes to our children we want only the best and to be sure of our choices, we seek help and answers from people we trust. I want to thank all those who reach out to me and trust my suggestions.

Since we are talking about growth and development in children, I want to share how parents worry a lot about their child’s health, immunity, growth, as well as their cognitive, emotional, and social development. Hence, they are always looking out for ways to ensure that their child reaches all milestones in time. Here are some of the common doubts I have heard from parents –

• “My child is not gaining weight and keeps falling sick. How to ensure that my child is growing right?”
• “My son is not growing in height. All his classmates are taller than him. Should I give him any nutritional supplement?”
• My daughter keeps losing her focus during the online class. How should I make her pay attention during the online class?”
• My kid just plays games on the phone all day. How should I reduce his screen time?”
• My child is a fussy eater. How can I make him love his veggies?”

If you have ever worried about any of this for your child then don’t be surprised because you are not alone in this. We all worry about our kids and that’s absolutely normal.

Nutrition plays an important role in a child’s development. Along with that stimulation activities and a nurturing environment play a significant role in their cognitive development. I have already talked about the importance of cognitive milestones[i] in my other post.

My son is now quite independent at this age he likes to make his own choices, be it for food, play, or entertainment. I no longer have full control over what he should eat, watch, or play. We talk and discuss, sometimes we have healthy arguments too but that also is a part of growing up.

There are 3 things that my son knows are most important for him to grow into a happy and healthy individual and I know that these will help him reach all milestones.

1 – Eating Healthy Food

Being from a foodie family, we love eating and experimenting with our food. The current situation helped in bringing the super chef out of us and we learned how to give our cravings a healthy offering. We try to make everything at home by giving our favourite junk food a healthy twist. Check out this healthy recipe of Veg Momos using Multigrain Atta. Watch the video below-

Another way I ensure Nemit gets his balanced meals is through PediaSure. Do you know that recently Abbott has launched the New PediaSure in India? Yes, the favourite of all mommies, PediaSure now comes enhanced with two important nutrients, Arginine and Vitamin K2. I was invited to be a part of the launch event and it was such an insightful session where we got to know so many amazing facts about bone growth and development in kids from the experts.

Did you know that 60% of kids’ bone growth happens by the age of 6?

I got to learn about the two super nutrients that are known to support bone growth. Arginine is an important amino acid that promotes cell growth in bones to help them grow faster in case of growth delay. Vitamin K2 helps to build stronger bones by transporting and absorbing calcium in the bones. The new PediaSure is scientifically designed to help bones grow longer and stronger to further support catch-up growth.

2 – Mindful Screen Time

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I have followed zero screen time for a long time for Nemit as suggested by his pediatrician since he had a speech delay. But when things normalized we gradually moved on to mindful screen time. However, when the online classes started, we had to make certain rules. Thankfully, Nemit understood the importance of having a routine and fixed screen time. Recently, in a post, I shared a list of 5 fun and educational shows for kids on YouTube. Do check it out.

3 – Indoor/Outdoor Activity

Kids need a daily dose of physical activity along with nutritious food for optimal growth and brain development. Even when my son is not able to go outside we make sure that he stays physically active. We dance and groove to our favourite songs, we play badminton in our living room, we even play table tennis on our dining table. When we are not able to play with him then he does ‘online yoga’ or plays ‘the floor is lava’ or ‘the freeze game’. There are also some brain-boosting games that we play as a family. Check out this video below-

Along with these brain games, you can also include other toys that can inspire creativity, brain development and also assist in building various skills in young children.

These are three simple steps I follow for Nemit’s overall health. While each child is different and we must let them grow at their own pace, some steps on our part reassure us that we’re on the right track. Why don’t you tell me what’s in your checklist to ensure your children reach all milestones?

References

[i] https://www.verywellmind.com/cognitive-developmental-milestones-2795109

The post Key Steps to Ensure My Child Reaches All Milestones appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hello mommies! I know a lot of you want to know how to instil healthy eating habits in kids. So, today I’ll be sharing some tips from my experience with you all. When Nemit was about 6 months old and it was time to introduce solids to him, I joined a couple of Facebook groups to learn the right techniques of weaning. I got to know about the traditional and baby-led weaning.

And the message that these groups were imparting was giving only healthy nutritious food to the baby. And, because my thoughts were in line with them, I succeeded in following the same for Nemit.

I know right now you must be having a lot of questions. That’s why I am listing down a few tips below which I followed to develop good eating habits in Nemit. Let’s understand a little about nutritious food. In simple words, food consisting of all the essential nutrients is nutritious. But, there is no single food which has all the nutrients.

Human body requires seven major types of nutrients.¹

(Protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamin, mineral, fibre and water)

Now, to get these nutrients in balanced quantity, a child should eat from different food groups.

Check out the VIDEO to understand the food groups better

4 Tips to develop good eating habits in kids early on in life

1. Start early and don’t give up.

Starting solids for the baby is fun but as the baby grows, meal times become a task. Many times I wanted to choose the easier way out but I somehow knew my efforts would pay off someday. I learned to make interesting finger foods for him to encourage eating on his own. Later, I started involving him in meal preparation. It helped him in understanding his food. Check out these creative recipes made with PediaSure that you can prepare together with your child.

2. Follow a feeding schedule.

I started following a feeding schedule for Nemit from an early age. And we are still sticking to it. It really helps in keeping a note on how much and what all he ate in a day. And, this makes it easier to plan the meals and include all the food groups in his diet.

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3. Eat together and eat the same food.

Before Nemit joined playschool, we used to eat all 3 meals together. You may introduce family food (sans salt and sugar) to your baby at 7-8 months. I would strap him in his booster chair and put a spoonful of food in his tray. He would play with it for a few secs & then watch me eat and follow. Kids learn a lot from their parents, so set a good example by following good food habits.

4. No screens while eating.

You will get tempted a lot to use that 30 mins of mealtime for yourself. And, you would want to replace eating together time with screen time. Please don’t do that! Once your child will get used to the screen, he will not leave it. Initially, you won’t understand the impact it will cause on the baby’s brain but there will be an impact on his development.

It’s just a matter of a few years, but good habits go a long way. And, trust me, you will be so proud of yourself when you will see your child is growing right.

In case, you are wondering if it’s too late to develop good habits because your child is past baby and toddler age, no, it’s never too late! It may take a little more effort but it’s still possible. Just say no to unhealthy junk food or any bad habits like a distraction while eating. If your child is a fussy eater, you may check with your pediatrician for guidance. The nutritional supplement like PediaSure is recommended by doctors for picky eaters. It consists of 37 vital nutrients from all the food groups for a child’s overall development.

Reference:

• https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/160774.php
• https://pediasure.com/child-development-nutrition/5-food-groups-kids

This is a sponsored post, however, all opinions are that of the author.

The post 4 Tips to develop good eating habits in kids #GrowRight appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Not sure? Let’s find out!

Hello mommies and daddies. Today I will be taking up an important question which bothers a lot of parents. Especially those whose children are fussy eaters. They really worry about their child’s growth due to their fussy eating habits. And in the hope to support their optimal development they sometimes offer them health supplements like Pediasure. But does PediaSure help growth in fussy eaters?

I know some of you will jump up and say, ‘Yes, it does!’ Well, that’s great. 

But what about others? What stops them in believing that? It’s definitely the lack of knowledge and the right information. Or maybe they are not in that category of parents with fussy eaters. Well, a few years ago, I was in the former category struggling to understand how PediaSure helps growth.

Nemit is not a fussy eater by habit. But his cold and cough episodes would turn him into a picky eater for that duration. It didn’t bother me much since that used to happen once in a while.

Everything was fine until he started his preschool when his immunity got compromised and such episodes got intensified. And each episode would last for 12-14 days. We were really worried since every time Nemit catches a cold, he stops eating or demands comfort food. And, he was losing weight as well.

Some of our well-wishers suggested allowing him to eat whatever he likes even if that means giving him unhealthy comfort food. Luckily, before taking their advice we met our pediatrician to ask her opinion.

Of course, a doctor is always a better choice for health-related advice rather than a bunch of experienced family members. But to our surprise, she at that time recommended PediaSure once a day for 3 months.

Obviously, I was doubtful and she sensed it. But what she explained changed my whole perspective towards PediaSure as a health drink and nutrition supplement.

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How does PediaSure help your child grow right?

She started by explaining the importance of nutrition during the initial years of a child’s life. If your child is getting a nutritious well-balanced diet and is gaining optimal height and weight then there’s nothing to worry about. But if your child shows a lack of interest in eating, falls sick often, and is not attaining optimal growth then it’s a matter of worry.

She further added that these initial years of a child’s life are the most crucial when the rapid growth and development takes place. PediaSure consists of 37 vital nutrients which helps them to grow right by supporting their brain development and immunity. She shared some of the links for reference which I’m adding at the end of the post.

Source – www.pediasure.in

So, when a child is a fussy eater or the period of fussiness overstays (like in our case), it may create a risk of nutrient deficiency. This, in turn, may lead to an impact in the future. To cover this gap, pediatricians all over the world recommend PediaSure. There are many studies which support that nutrient deficiency may lead to many serious complications in children at a later age.

Why take that risk when there’s a solution available? We can only help our kids develop good eating habits from an early age. But can’t force feed a child if he’s a fussy eater.

I realized giving PediaSure is a much more sensible choice rather than offering unhealthy comfort food to the child. Comfort food may fill their tummy but it can never fill the nutritional gap. 

References –

• https://nutrition.abbott/za/continuing-education/child-nutrition/toddler-picky-eating

• https://nutrition.abbott/za/continuing-education/child-nutrition/healthy-eating

• https://pediasure.in/about-pediasure/pediasure-formulation

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5118732/

All content here, including advice from the doctor, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek direct advice from your own doctor in case of any questions related to your health.

This is a sponsored post, however, all opinions are that of the author.

The post Does PediaSure help growth in fussy eaters? #GrowRight appeared first on Growing With Nemit.