Now that school is out for summer, parents should think about keeping kids active and eating healthy in the weeks ahead.
“At the start of summer … it’s a mad dash for us to figure out how we’re going to keep kids active and keep them off their devices. In general, we always recommend that you try to limit screen time to less than two hours a day,” said Dr. Tekeema Dixon, chief of pediatrics for the Baltimore area of Mid-Atlantic Kaiser Permanente group.
“This is super challenging in the summer, unless we’re filling their time with other things. So it’s important to find activities,” she added.
Away from classrooms and without homework, there’s a risk kids could be in front of their computer screens playing video games or on their smartphones engaging with social media for hours on end.
“Unfortunately, we do know and we are seeing some implications or side effects of all of the screen time that our kids are having. It impacts your eyes and your visual health, and also is one of the main contributors to the obesity pandemic that we’re seeing,” Dixon said.
“When kids spend too much time on screens … they’re spending less time getting active and moving. And sometimes too much screen time is also associated with a lot of snacking,” she added. “It also has impacts on sleep as well.”
To get kids moving, present the activity as play instead of exercise and find activities that can be done as a family.
Dixon recommended swimming lessons or spending time at a pool, taking biking trips, hiking, “doing things together as a family, while making sure that kids are having fun.”
Summertime is also a good time to work on healthy eating habits together as a family. On the warm and hot days of summer, kids should properly hydrate.
“It’s important for parents to make sure that they’re emphasizing the importance of choosing water over any sugary drinks. So making sure kids are hydrating with water, and limiting any sugary drinks to four to six ounces a day is really important,” she said.
She also recommended creating a “kitchen schedule,” or a policy on when it’s “eating time” and when the kitchen if off limits: “Make it the rule that meals and snacks are to happen on a routine schedule. … It helps to curb the snacking throughout the day.”
“It’s also important to make sure that families are eating together. Having family mealtime without devices and screens serves as an opportunity to model healthy eating habits and also offers a time to connect,” Dixon said.
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