Today, it’s so easy to get caught up in technology that it has become a part of our lifestyle. It is no surprise that our kids get caught up in it as well. But rewind to the time when technology was not the norm, and that the best adventures we had were when we were out in the sun, picking our food from the garden or straight from the farm.

In our zealousness to provide faster, more of everything, we lost sight of the best lessons the past generation has taught us and simply moved on adapting, even at the expense of our well-being, most especially the health of our children.

Vitamin N for Nature’s Food

A drastic change is in order. Parents need to put their foot down to make a complete change of family lifestyle. It is time to get back to the basics, we return to the simplest and most important things, and Vitamin N for Nature plays a big role in this change. While there are certainly a lot of ways to approach this, the most basic route is to improve nutrition through good eating habits and increasing mobility or decreasing sedentary lifestyle.  

Improving nutrition can start anywhere, but perhaps kids may be more open to the change by providing snacks. Moms can be more creative when it comes to kids’ healthy snacks, and there is a variety of choices from Mother Nature that they can provide, such as fruits and snacks that have little to no high-fat and high sodium foods. Once they get used to a variety of what nature can offer, they might be more open to eating that broccoli at dinner. Starting with snacks helps them discover new recipes and evolve their young palate. Unlike with main course, where it can be repetitive, snacks are your kids gateway to a whole new food experience.  

In other instances, more parents are turning to organic or fresh produce for healthy snack ideas. Nature’s offerings prevent pesticide exposure that should be a concern for families. We might be limiting their exposure to chemicals from their surroundings, but we seldom do so with the food they eat. With organic choices, there is less worry about long term effects of chemicals on our kids’ bodies. As such, it is always a good idea and is not a conspiracy of farmers.   

Vitamin N for Outdoor Experience

On the other hand, limiting food, as such in the case of obese children, should be replaced with choosing the right food and increasing exercise. For example, school-age children should not be sedentary for more than 1 hour each day except when they are asleep.

Parents these days, because of technology, think that they need to come up with complicated form of play to entertain their kids, when there is a whole adventure waiting for their kids when they commune with nature. Moreover, being in the outdoors does more, not just on their physical well-being but also on their mental health. Playing outdoors boosts problem solving skills, focus, and self-discipline. According to a study by American Medical Association in 2005, children become smarter and emotionally stable when they have regular activities outdoors.

A Child One with Nature

Exposure to nature indeed does wonders for everyone. Even Moms out with the kids enjoy and feel less stressed. It might be because being out in a wide space, with an opportunity for unlimited ideas, help us get back to the most important things. With less complications, restrictions, our kids gain the skills and opportunity to be themselves, eventually exploring their potential.

Nutrition and environment play a huge role in a child’s well-being. It’s time parents realize this and un-complicate things for their child. After all, a child’s needs are simple. If we simplify things, we see the most important needs of our child.

Sources:

http://time.com/2914155/organic-food-children-health/
https://www.childrenandnature.org/2017/04/21/kids-need-access-to-nature-for-mental-health/
https://childmind.org/article/why-kids-need-to-spend-time-in-nature/
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/aug/16/childre-nature-outside-play-health

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