COVID-19 pandemic: How to ensure that your child has a healthy lifestyle during the pandemic

The novel coronavirus has infected close to 12 million people worldwide and resulted in more than 5 lacs 36 thousand fatalities globally. As the number continues to rise with every passing day, countries across the globe have slowly eased lockdown restrictions to prevent the economy from nosediving. While the adults are slowly beginning to step outdoors to get back to work, schools and other educational institutes are still closed shut for unforeseeable future.

As the little ones continue to stay confined between the four walls of the home, it can be a challenging task for the parents to take care of their overall wellbeing. In the absence of any fixed routine and a disrupted sense of normalcy, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ensure that the children stay healthy, both physically and mentally.

While we do not know when the normal routine of going to school, having three meals in a day and sleeping on time (sans any gadgets) will be restored, as parents, it is time to find novel solutions for novel problems. We list down 5 ways you can take care of your child’s wellbeing during these unprecedented times.

It is understandable if you have larger quantities of instant noodles, cookies, biscuits and ready-to-eat products stored in your pantry, due to the sudden shift in our daily routines. However, as we slowly strive to get back to a routine, it is equally important to watch what everyone in the family is eating. So, make it a point to remove junk and packaged products away from the vicinity of the children and keep fresh fruits instead.

There is no denying that the pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented increase in screen time for kids across the globe. This is why it is important to establish a routine when it comes to using gadgets and screen for the little ones. Set a strict time limit for gadget usage for the day and make sure that kids adhere to the same.

A goodnight’s sleep is all the more important for young minds as it keeps their physical and mental health in check. This is why a proper routine for shut-eye and a no-gadget policy in the bed is really important.

As the children are deprived of their regular outdoor activities and playtimes, it is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that they stay active physically everyday for at least 60 minutes. One can inculcate easy stretches and yoga routine to do with their children for the same.

Let’s not forget that we are living in the middle of a pandemic and the most important thing that your child needs to learn is to practise personal hygiene measures. These rules include washing hands properly for at least 30 seconds, not touching their face, wearing face-covers whenever needed and even covering their face while coughing or sneezing. They also need to be cautious about what they are touching and coming in contact with throughout the day.