Feeding children the right way

According to Children’s Hospital 1

Nutrition plays a very important role in human health, especially children. Nutrition contributes to improving the physical and mental development of children, and helps to strengthen the body’s resistance. The correct feeding of children is being concerned by many parents with the desire to raise children in the most scientific and effective way.

Important principles to help children eat deliciously and properly

1. Feed children with age-appropriate foods: young children should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life to improve the body’s resistance. Children from 6 months old should practice giving them weaning (additional food) the necessary foods as recommended by a nutritionist, specifically, they should eat enough 4 necessary food groups including flour – sugar, protein group – meat, shrimp, crab, fish, eggs…, fat group – oil, fat and food group that provide vitamins and minerals from green vegetables and fresh fruits. Children 8 months – 12 months old should practice giving them solid foods such as porridge, vermicelli, pho, noodles or crushed rice… so that children develop the ability to chew because this is the period when the baby is teething.

2. Children should not be forced to eat too much: this is the common mentality of parents because they want their children to gain weight well and want their children to be “always round” to be healthy and beautiful babies. This is very easy to make children afraid of eating, leading to anorexia mentality that is difficult to treat. Parents should let their children eat according to their ability, let them choose the foods that they like, those who have difficulty eating, parents should “divide meals” to help children still eat the necessary amount of food that their digestive system needs. Children’s metabolism is not overloaded. Encourage children to limit eating foods that are quickly processed (fast food) or contain a lot of sugar such as hamburgers, pizza, french fries, fried chicken, soft drinks, sweets, chocolates, etc. foods that are good for children’s health such as advising them to eat more green vegetables, fresh fruits and adding enough water for the body to ensure health and easy digestion.

3. Encourage children to increase physical activity: this is a way to help children have a flexible body and eat more easily because children who move more will be hungry faster and have a more appetizing feeling. Children should be encouraged to exercise for about 30 minutes every day with age-appropriate exercises such as cycling, swimming, kicking a ball in the yard, walking with their parents, etc. For older children Children should be encouraged to participate in “cooking” activities in the kitchen with their parents, both creating conditions for children to exercise and an opportunity to help children understand more about the nutritional value of dishes, making children more interested in cooking. his eating.

4. Create a family atmosphere in children’s meals: parents should maintain a family meal atmosphere with children, this helps children gradually practice eating skills such as teaching children to hold spoons and chopsticks, helping children learn to eat by themselves. feeding, training children to communicate skills at the dinner table together with adults… Many valuable scientific studies have proven that when children eat with family in a warm atmosphere, children often eat more, develop the senses and brain to the fullest.

5. For children to sit properly when eating: this is the way to help the child’s digestive system work best, parents should choose for the child an upright back seat with a backrest, the child’s seat must be at the same level as the awake position. eat so that tea can eat and drink easily. The right seat will help the digestive system’s organs expand to the maximum, making food quickly digested and absorbed, helping children avoid the troubles of bloating, gas or digestive disorders. cause.

  Habits parents should avoid when feeding children

– Feeding time should not last more than 30 minutes.

– Do not give the child food that the child vomits after eating.

– Do not feed the child too much or do not force the child when he does not want to eat more.

Children should not eat or drink foods containing a lot of sugar before eating the main meal.

– Absolutely not for children to eat while playing with toys, while eating while watching TV, eating and playing on the street… because it will reduce the ability to recognize foods and affect the functioning of the digestive system. in children.