Healthy Kids
The amount of time we spend researching and taking tips from my friends, the internet and various blogs and magazines to make sure our kids get the right kind of value, education, growth, and nutrition is huge. I wish at times there was a guide for Indian moms that could make it easier for us to know what is best.
When Eeshan was growing up, I was in and out of the hospitals and always visiting doctors. By the time I had my younger one, Ahaan, I had already made mistakes and learnt from them. There were some support groups around and I was a mom ready to share my experiences. I knew what worked and what didn’t. That’s why I feel Ahaan’s foundation is stronger, he is an active kid, not prone to infections and touchwood, we have never had to visit the hospitals apart from the regular vaccination visits.
Things that have worked for me are making sure that he gets the right nutrition and that he eats a balanced meal. Most kids are very non-experimental when it comes to vegetables and certain other food groups. For this, I make sure he has PediaSure with his milk. What it has done is taken a huge load of stress from my head, as I am assured that he is not missing out on any nutrients required for his essential growth. There are around 37 essential nutrients in PediaSure. The fact that it was recommended by my Pediatrician put all my anxiety to rest. Unlike what I had heard, my younger one has not put on excessive weight with Pediasure.
There are also subtle things that I have noticed which make me recommend PediaSure to other moms. His immunity is stronger than the kids around. While everyone was falling sick and had a cold during monsoons, we touchwood, crossed the entire season without any incidents. He continued with his school and all his other activities beyond school as well. In fact, there were days where he would run into the rain just to soak himself, without informing me. I would get angry as I was worried that he will fall sick but then I would be reminded of my childhood and how I loved getting wet in rains and floating paper boats in the water that got accumulated. Nowadays, we tend to protect them so much and for that, I feel guilty at times. Free play and connecting with nature is very essential for their sensory growth and overall development.
If you have a child who does not like PediaSure with his/her milk then you can search for online recipes that use PediaSure. There are times when my kids just want a milkshake instead of PediaSure and milk. So I give in to their demands, but make up by giving them a PediaSure meal along with their food. You can get creative yourself as well, I made these PediaSure no bake cookies which were an instant hit. You can keep experimenting as all kids have a different taste, my elder one liked only the chocolate flavour in PediaSure whereas my younger one prefers vanilla.
Good nutrition is fundamental to a child’s growth and development. As a parent, you should make healthy eating a priority for everyone in your family and make sure your kids never miss the essential nutrients. After all, happiness is happy and healthy kids.
Disclaimer: Blog is written from my own experience with PediaSure and we have been using it for years now. However, please check with your paediatrician before using the same.
