D A D B L O G S
A dad blog by a geek dad with two geeky kids.
Do you remember the time when as a kid you would cry when mom takes you for a dental check up? Oh yes. I do remember those times when I would cry my heart out, scream and close my lips so tight in fear that the dentist might do something that could hurt me big time or even kill me. Growing up, I thought that those scenarios happened because of my wrong perception of dentists and anything related to them. My mom used to scare me that the dentist would pull out all my teeth if I don't brush my teeth! I don't want the same thing happening to my sons for I know now how difficult it is to have dental problems as an adult. So, I consulted my dentist about this. According to him, bringing a child for dental check up as early as one year old can arrest this dental fear that paralyzes kids and adults alike and hindering them from seeing a dentist. By seeing a dentist as someone who would care for their teeth, kids can trust them sooner than expected. Also, when kids get used to seeing tools in the dental clinic, they would barely think negatively about them. Needless to say, it is important to choose a dentist who can relate positively to kids as the dentist's character can easily turn a kid away from coming back for a check up. Martial arts is an attractive sport for kids especially to those who have experienced bullying. With perfected karate moves they imagine of getting even with their offenders. More than that, there are noted benefits which your kids can derive from learning the sport. The first of which is discipline. By practicing the techniques, they gain self-control and concentration. When they are disciplined, they are able to move up the levels and acquire self-esteem for what they have achieved. On a positive note, they are confident that they can do more if they are just motivated to do so. As they train to climb up the ranks, kids get a view of paying respect to those who are a rank or a couple of ranks higher than them. Also, they are able to keep in mind giving respect to their teachers who are key in equipping them with the right skills. Balance, physical fitness and self-defense are part of the physiological benefits your kids would enjoy. Lack of balance often results to injuries. By knowing how to balance the body, kids can anticipate wrong positioning of the body. Moving forward, repeated trainings to learn and execute a specific technique make kids strong and physically fit. And when they are aware of their being fit and strong, kids are most likely to defend themselves without question. Going to the dentist has been a memorable experience for most of us, simply because it was not that easy to persuade us to attend to our dental appointments when we were kids. Now that I am a Dad, I fully understand how and why my kids were totally against the idea of seeing a dentist. Fortunately, there's a way to let them see one today, if you carefully select the dental professional to visit. Here are some tips in choosing a dentist for your kids. A dentist that fully adores kids. You will know this the moment you call or drop by to schedule an appointment. Ask the secretary if they use simple facilities or materials to help put kids at ease before or while having their turn at the dental chair. These assistants will definitely give you an idea if they can cater to these kids or if their client specializes in just doing cosmetic or preventive dentistry for adult clients. A dentist has great reviews in parenting and family oriented blogs and magazines. Yes, forum posts and articles from reputable sources count especially if fellow parents vouch for a dentist's expertise in handling young patients. A dentist that your family and friends trust. If you decide to go with your family and friends for advice, then take a hint when most of them refer you to the same person. This may be a giveaway on how much they like their dental help and services especially when it comes to serving younger patients like your kids. Continuing from last week's post, here are more ways you can encourage kids to pursue physical activities: Second, plan activities for the whole family. Walk, jog, or ride a bicycle together. If you’re not into these activities, you can come up with others. How about gardening? You can weed, mow, and fertilize the garden together. Or perhaps dance? These activities can be fun, entertaining, and healthy. Third, incorporate fitness into your routine. You can teach your kids simple ways to turn usual activities into something healthier and more productive. For instance, teach them to take the stairs rather than the elevator; to walk short distances rather than get on the car. Remind them that the reason why you park at the far end of the lot at work or in the grocery is because you want to take every opportunity to exercise. By the way, you may want to purchase pedometers so they can monitor how many steps they are able to take in a day. This can further give them motivation. Fourth, utilize incentives. Children are naturally eager to do what they will be rewarded for. Hence, you may want to use this opportunity to make them do something for their health. For instance, give them reward points for every physical activity. These reward points, when accumulated at a certain level, can be exchanged for a particular treat like a bowling session with dad or a Frisbee game with mom. These are but four ways on how to encourage your children to be physically active. Not all of them would probably work for your kids, but if one or two would, then you’re up for some marvelous benefits. Physical Education didn’t make much sense to me in school—or at least I didn’t see it for its real value. Now that I’m a dad, I’ve totally changed perspectives. I realized that health and fitness play integral parts in every person’s life and must be prioritized at an early age. Hence, I see to it that I take my children outside at least once a week to engage in a physical activity. The great thing about kids is they are easy to please. They don’t need the perfect getup or the perfect ball to start playing and enjoying. All they need is a space and some motivation and they’re good to go. I read somewhere that children who regularly engage in physical activities maintain a healthy weight, sleep better, and come to school more prepared among others. Now, if my children could attain even just the three, encouraging them to exercise is definitely worth it. Now, how do we exactly encourage our kids to do physical activities? I can think of four: First, set the example. Personally, setting an example is one of the most challenging parts of parenting. You can’t preach without doing the exact same thing. Well, you CAN actually, but the children would end up as casualties. Telling them to exercise while you spend the entire Saturday on the couch watching TV just won’t work. If you want them to appreciate a healthy lifestyle, then you’d better show them how. More of this in the next post coming soon. |
Hey there. My name is Jim. I'm a dad & I know some dad stuff & I like to write about them here. More about me.
Categories
All
Current ReadsCurrent Tunes |