We all know the importance of balanced diet as regards food, which is eating the right proportion of necessary nutrients that the body requires for proper functioning.
Balanced love diet for a child is a way of inculcating in right proportion, those necessary components of love, which are necessary for the proper growth and development of the child. A child – human offspring (boy or girl) below the age of adulthood, should grow into a whole person in terms of physical, mental, spiritual and social ramification.
Love is an abiding feeling of affection and care which moves us to take actions that benefit others. Love, expressed to our children is a composite of actions or provisions which satisfy their physical, mental, spiritual and social needs. When all the needs are met in the balanced proportion, the child grows into a complete adult. Otherwise, imbalance results in stunted growth into immature adults.
Balanced love diet includes, time, provision, care, discipline, role model, and prayer. In the classical knowledge of balanced-food-diet, kwashiorkor is caused by the deficiency of protein component; scurvy is caused by the deficiency of vitamin C; beriberi is caused by the deficiency of vitamin B; and so on. Likewise, deficiency of one or more elements of the balanced love diet will cause personality dysfunction at relevant levels.
Related post: Cultivating Your Child’s Intellect
COMPONENTS OF BALANCED-LOVE-DIET
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QUALITY TIME:
Time is needed both in terms of quantity and quality. The quantitative attribute of time should not be sacrificed on the alter of quality time. You may consider these in varying degrees, depending on your schedule and/or the child’s need per time. Spend time with your child in the following areas.
Communicate with your child often in informal gist and rapport. Slow down to listen to them and answer their questions. Let your communication be savoured with affirmation and praise. Learn to appreciate your child for doing the right thing; communicate gratefulness.
Accompany them to the places of their dream. Take a stroll with your child for no reason. It may not make meaning to you but to them, it’s a big deal. Show up on their important occasions.
Play with your child; participate in the activities of their interest. Spending time with your children gives them a sense of importance. -
PROVISION:
It is the responsibility of every parents to provide for the basic needs of a child.
Healthy Nutrition is the only acceptable feeding for a child. The carefree manner in which instant noodles are served to these young ones is abusive. Organic nutrition makes the child form well intellectually and physically. Any food, packaged for a longer shelf-life is devoid of life giving property. This accounts for high susceptibility to sicknesses and disease as well as academic poor performance among children.Protection and Safety in terms of conducive shelter, clothing and security enables the child to feel safe and develop properly. Parents and guardians should also support their wards against bully and racism.
Quality Education remains the best legacy to give a child. Quality education is not necessarily exorbitant, but it requires, paying the deserving attention to all that it takes.
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CARE:
This is the sum of all upkeep a child requires. Care means different things to children at different ages. It’s surprising how we often think that a teenager does not need as much care as a toddler. The fact is, every child needs to be cared for with same assiduity, but the type of care differ with age.
Healthcare and Hygiene is very important from the cradle. This include all childhood vaccination as well s good personal hygiene. One of the ways care givers show love is to maintain personal hygiene themselves. This controls the activities of germs and curbs the spread of infection.
Physical Contact is also a way of showing that you care. Pat on the back, head rub, massage, hug are ways of expressing love. Have you seen children showing you a part of their body because they need you to notice and massage it for them? Don’t allow your child to lack physical touch and hug to the point of exposure to wolfs in sheep clothing.
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ROLE MODEL:
In the perspective of a pre-teenage child, his/her parent is the perfect example to emulate. As children grow in age and knowledge, seeing variation between the teachings and actions of their parents, they are confused. You want your child to read; when last has he/she seen you reading? You want your child to say the truth at all times, but you’re a master in stratagem. You tell your child that marriage is the best place for love and sexual relationship, but you and your spouse live like cat and dog. If these and the likes are your attitude, you are exposing your child to confusion. That’s not a way to love a child. However, by being a good role model, even against your convenience, you are feeding your child with the proper love nutrition in that dimension.
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DISCIPLINE AND CONTROL:
A child that is not disciplined will discipline his/her parent. There has to be a control of excessive behaviour and tendencies. No child knows that a manner is bad until he/she is told. It’s a good balance of love-feed to correct your child when they behave in unacceptable manners and affirm them when they exhume acceptable mannerism.
Moral and Spiritual Values have proven to be solid foundation for sound character development in children. Embedded in spiritual values are acceptable ways of life, as well as consequences for action and in-action.
Desire for Good Things It takes a grown up to know that, too much of good thing is bad. Don’t watch your child sleep, eat, play, etc themselves into disaster, that is not love. Love them by controlling their penchant for sweets; let them know, like eggs need heat to hatch, a little bit of heat or inconvenience is required for life’s success.
Rules Guidelines and Punitive Measure are important mix of the balanced love diet. Let there be standards to guide the behaviour of not only the children but also the parents in a family. There should be accountability and punitive measure to deter careless flouting of laid down rules.
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PRAYER:
Lastly, love your children by praying for them always. Yes, you are taking good care of them, but certain things are without your control and should be committed to the higher power. The best time to pray is when there is no need for it. By the time a need comes, it would be too late to pray, but inspired action would be more appropriate.
When your child becomes an adult, do you honestly think he/she will choose to be birthed by you, if they are given the opportunity to choose their parents? If you are not sure of the answer, this may be the right time for you to start serving them the balanced-love-diet, on a regular basis. This ensures that a child reaches an on-time maturity, physically, mentally, spiritually and socially. Consequently, we’ll have a fully developed adult citizen, ably contributing to national commonwealths.
Related post: Cultivating Your Child’s Intellect
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