A Wellness Approach for Children
By Jane Sheppard
When raising healthy children, it is important to focus on more than just the physical aspects of wellbeing. A child's emotional health must also be nurtured and strengthened, and a mental attitude of wellness must be developed. As parents, we can help our children grow up with an attitude of wellness. As they mature, we can teach them that negative, unhealthy lifestyles are choices that contribute to poor health. We can make them aware of their power of choice and encourage them to make healthy decisions. It is our job as parents to enlighten our children about the body's incredible strengths and the extraordinary things it can do.
First, parents themselves should be models for “wellness.” In his book entitled What Do You Really Want For Your Children?, Dr. Wayne Dyer tells us, “The more children learn from you to rid themselves of attitudes that foster sickness, the more you are helping them to enjoy life each day.” Parents unwittingly make statements that reinforce a sickness attitude. Did your mother ever tell you that if you do not wear a scarf, you will catch a cold and be sick? A wellness approach would be to say, “You are so strong and healthy that you probably will not develop a cold, even if the other kids do, but here is a scarf to keep you warm and comfortable outside.”
Dr. Dyer also cautions us to resist the urge to make frequent trips to the doctor. He recommends limiting the use of medications for everyday aches, pains and common
ailments such as a cold. He asserts that children are disempowered when given a pill for every complaint and/or taken for a doctor visit as part of every cure. This sets up a lifestyle of relying heavily on drugs and doctors. Children need to know that they are in control of their own health. Instilling in them a wellness attitude will give them a sense that they have control over their own bodies and how healthy they can be.
In fact, children have much more control over their health than one would think. The human mind is a very powerful mechanism, and even as children we have miraculous control over our health and healing. The more children learn to use the extraordinary powers of their minds, the healthier and happier they will be. Positive imagery (or visualization) is a powerful tool that children can use to help them become capable, healthy and vibrant people. Verbal affirmations can be used with imagery. Laughter is also a strong healer and health builder.
With visualization, children practice seeing themselves in their mind's eye as healthy, energetic and actively participating in whatever activities they desire. Positive imagery or visualization is very helpful for children who are overweight or who have acne or other skin diseases and need to establish a better self-image. Visualization is one of the most effective ways to bring about desired changes in life. Affirmations also lend themselves to good health habits. A good affirmation for children is “I am good to my body and my body is good to me.” Affirmations work best when repeated regularly. Another good one is, “Every day I am feeling better and growing more vibrantly healthy.” Laughter can be the best medicine. According to Dr. Dyer, “When children laugh they actually are releasing into their bloodstream chemicals that are necessary for the prevention and/or cure of disease.”
When children are small, it can be a struggle to keep them away from junk food and make them eat healthy foods. When they are very young, it is easy to restrict unhealthy foods. However, as they get older, depriving them of sweets or other problematic foods can be counterproductive. Anything that is forbidden can be tempting and may cause them to rebel. If children are raised with a respectful attitude of wellness, as they get older they will most likely turn down things that they know are not good for them. “Respectful” is a key word in these discussions with children, meaning that you should not nag or shame them about food.
As they get older, children can be taught that doing such things as eating junk food, smoking cigarettes or taking drugs is the path to sickness. Telling them to “just say no” and forbidding them to smoke or take drugs is not enough. When they are ready, teach them the facts. Talk to them about the effect that food has on their bodies – for example, that sugar lowers their immune system making them more susceptible to sickness and contributing to tooth decay. Let them know that if they eat healthy foods they will have more energy and will feel better.
Point out the body's miraculous ability to heal a cut, how the heart works and how they can strengthen it through exercise and healthy food. Teach them about germs and other invaders, how our immune systems fight them off and how getting enough sleep makes children feel better throughout the day. All these things can be taught in fun and imaginative ways with drawings, stories and your own creative techniques. Children are usually fascinated with their bodies and easily will be engaged in these activities.
Wellness is more than an absence of symp-toms; it is a mindset that focuses on attaining outstanding health; it includes exercise and stress-reduction and choosing healthy foods. This is the behavior that we want to model for our children. As Dr. Dyer puts it, “It means simply being as healthy as you possibly can be, and being determined not to allow your wonderful body, the place where your mind currently resides, to deteriorate unnecessarily.” So, take Dr. Wayne Dyer's advice and have fun with your children. Be a little crazy, silly and laugh often.
Jane Sheppard is the editor of Healthy Child, a comprehensive newsletter and website for parents about natural, holistic health for children. Jane helps to empower parents to make informed choices to protect the health and wellbeing of their children, and she is the author of Super Healthy Kids: Strengthening Your Child's Resistance to Disease. Jane can be reached through her website at www.healthychild.com.
Jane Sheppard is the editor of Healthy Child, a comprehensive newsletter and website for parents about natural, holistic health for children. Jane helps to empower parents to make informed choices to protect the health and wellbeing of their children, and she is the author of Super Healthy Kids: Strengthening Your Child's Resistance to Disease. Jane can be reached through her website at www.healthychild.com.
