Kids are indeed as curious as cats! They will jump at any chance to be active, especially if they know they’ll have fun.

Being curious is a natural trait of a healthy kid. Therefore, we should encourage them to explore anything and everything as long as it safe to do so. It’s okay to be dirty in the process because kids learn as they go.

Besides providing a safe, healthy and nurturing environment for our kids, we also need to help increase our children’s immune system. Because curious kids need to be tough inside!

All children are exposed to pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. The immune system allows your child’s body to produce antibodies that kill those bad guys.

So, how can we parents help our curious kids to be tough in the inside? Perhaps, you already have some general knowledge on how to increase the immune system of your kids. But, I have come out with a fun way for you to get your curious kids to be tough inside.

Here, I present to all parents, the ABC’s Protection for Curious Kids specially brought to you by yours truly, Little Mama™. NO PLAGIARISM PLEASE.

Ready? Let’s start the ABC rolling!

A = All-out in learning.

Before being a mother to a cheeky 20 months old toddler, I used to baby-sit my nieces and nephews, so I am well-versed with the behaviour of curious kids on the move.

Keeping my baby healthy, happy and tough inside is my highest priority now. And, to do that I must learn everything related to boosting my child’s immune system in every way that I can. Reading magazines and subcribing to newsletters are some of good ways to learn and keep well updated on this immune thingy.

B = Breast milk is the best for babies.

No question. No doubt. Breastfeeding is the best way to keep your baby well-protected against disease and infections. It’s good if you can breastfeed your baby until he/she is 2 years of age.

But, not all moms are blessed with abundant milk supply and can only breastfeed for a few months only. I’m one of the unlucky ones. But, it doesn’t stop me from doing everything that I can to help my baby Izzah be tough inside!

C = Cultured Drinks are good for the body.

I bet you already know that cultured drinks are good for the body. Vitagen, Nutrigen and Yakult are examples of cultured drinks that you can find in the market.

Cultured drinks contain probiotics (good bacteria) that are important for restoring balance to the intestinal tract. Especially following antibiotic use. I gave my little Izzah Vitagen and she loves it so much!

D = Drink plenty of plain water.

My baby, Izzah loves to drink water from her cute Dora the Explorer tumbler.

This is very good because active and curious kids need to drink plenty of water every day.You see, adequate water intake prevents dehydration, cleans out the body, and promotes healing processes.

E = Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables.

Ha..ah… feeding your child vegetables could become a nightmare…. ha..ha..ha. Seriously, some kids don’t like the taste of vegetable in their mouth. Same goes to my little Izzah. She will spit those veggie out instantly. Fortunately, she love eating fruits.

Fruits and vegetables contain Bioflavenoids that help the immune system by protecting the cells of the body against environmental pollutants. That’s why fruits and vegetables are very important.

F = Fresh home-cooked food are healthier than fast food.

Fast food are fast, inexpensive, have tons of selection, and there seems to be one on every corner. But, they’re not a healthy choice for active and curious kids.

Do you know that fast food are mass produced and fill with artificial preservatives, coloring, and flavoring. Those artificial things are definitely not good for the kids immune system. So, please avoid feeding you kids too much fast food.

G = Get good night sleep.

Active and curious toddlers need a proper amount of sleep for their age. The little body needs that down time for healing and re-energizing. Because a good night’s sleep allows the immune system to regenerate itself and fight off disease.

I have trained Izzah to have her own sleep routine since she was 5 months old. Sleep routine means consistent bedtimes and wake times. For example, Izzah goes to sleep at 8.30pm, will sleep through the night (yes, without waking in the middle of night!) and will wake up around 6am. I’m blessed!

You see, a sleep routine will ensure a good night sleep which is very important for the body to heal itself.

H = Healthy food at all time.

I’m sure you know that healthy food makes healthy body. And, healthy body makes happy baby!

Just make sure your kids’s food contain enough minerals such as Selenium which increases cancer-fighting cells in the body.Tuna, lobster, shrimp, whole grains, brown rice, egg yolks, cottage cheese, chicken (white meat), sunflower seeds and garlic contain the needed Selenium.

Food containing Beta carotene like carrot also help in fighting infections as well as being a powerful antioxidant. That’s why I always include carrot in my little girl’s meal. She can eat boiled carrot pieces just like we eating snacks…ha..ha..ha

I = Ice-cream, candies and junk food is okay but not too much.

Yes, it’s okay to take some junk food once in a while. But too much can be very dangerous to a kid’s body.

Junk means garbage which means it’s useless to the immune system. Those junk food got too much salt, too much artifical flavour and colouring, too much fat and too much sugar.

J = Jump-start the day with a healthy breakfast.

Active and curious kids need their morning meal. Their growing bodies and developing brains rely heavily on the regular intake of food. If your kid skip breakfast, they will semi-starve which can create damage to the immune system.

Breakfast for kids do not need to be a heavy meal like nasi lemak or fried noodles. Simple breakfast like a toast would be enough for your kids to make it through lunch. So, what do I feed my little girl for breakfast? Emmm, plain wholemeal bread with cheese, corns and sometimes plain roti canai!

K = Keep track of vaccination schedule.

Vaccination is very important for the active and curious kids to be tough inside. The best way to help your kid sail through childhood with a healthy, strong immune system is to stay on top of vaccination schedules.

Vaccines help the immune system recognize infectious organisms – such as highly-infectious whooping cough – and attack these infectious organisms before they spread and make your child sick.

In addition to the compulsary vaccines, I also provided Izzah with additional protection such as Pneumococcal and Rotavirus vaccines. If you have a newborn baby, I strongly recommended you to get these additional vaccines as well. It’s expensive but worth it because your baby’s health is priceless.

L = Lots of hugs and kisses.

Mother Teresa once said, “We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but there are many more dying for a little love.”

So, give you active and curious kids lots and lots of loves, hugs and kisses. These are the best booster to any kid’s immune system!

M = Make healthy food fun to eat.

Well, healthy food especially vegetables are very important for the immune system. But, feeding the veggies to your active kids could become a nightmare…ha..ha..ha.

So, how we can make sure they get that healthy portion of greens on daily basis? Perhaps, Bento can help.

Bento is a Japanese word. Basically, bento is a home packed lunch or take out box. But like a lot of Japanese things bentos are more artistic and aesthetically pleasing. Preparing food using a Bento way make food (including veggie) looks more mouth-watering, yummy and fun to eat. I’m sure will try Bento-ing when Izzah starts going to school.

N = Nutritious blend of Friso® Gold Milk everyday!

I know about Friso® Gold Milk a long time ago. But, I never thought of trying this milk because my little girl was born prematured. I will try giving her Friso® Gold when she reaches 2 in a couple of months. I know she will loves it!

You see, Friso® Gold is formulated with Frisoshield™ with P2 Dual System™, a nutritious blend of healthy live bacteria prebiotics (FOS) and probiotics ( L. reuteri ), as well as key nutrients such as nucleotides, selenium and mixed carotenes.

With Friso® Gold Frisoshield™ P2 Dual System™, you can allow your child to be active and curious while exploring his world.

Ohh.. the thing that I love most about Friso® Gold is the packaging! The scoop is stuck at the back of the cover. I no longer need to dig into the milk to find the scoop. There is also a little level bar so that I get the perfect scoop every time which I think is great idea!

O = Omega-3 fatty acids.

Active and curious kids’ body needs a certain amount of good fats (Omega-3) in order to stay healthy. Many types of fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel are naturally high in Omega 3 Fatty acids.

The omega 3 fatty acids act as immune boosters by increasing the activity of phagocytes, the white blood cells that eat up bacteria. So, mommies… give your kids to eat more fish ya! Izzah loves to eat salmon which is a very expensive fish…ha..ha..

P = Play outdoor activities.

Playing freely outdoor is Izzah favorite activity. She came in filthy, most of the time, but I don’t mind the dirt and smelly shirts.

Because outdoor play help my baby to become creative and build strength endurance. You see, children who play regularly in natural environments show more advanced motor fitness, including coordination, balance and agility, and they are sick less often.

Q = Quick trips to parks and beaches

Let our kids love the nature and it’s goodness will flow to them.

There’s no way that we can help children to learn to love and preserve this planet, if we don’t give them direct experiences with the miracles and blessings of nature.” – Anita Olds

R = Reduce Sugar and Sweeteners

Do you know that sugar stops the immune system from working properly? It’s shocking yes!

Sugar and artificial sweeteners is the main ingredient in so many of the processed foods nowadays. These sweet thing are not good for health but kids love them so much. Therefore, I think it’s important for new moms not to introduce sweets to babies before the age of 3. Besides damaging the immune system, it also can rot your kid’s teeth.

S = Smile and be happy always

Research has shown that smiling releases the happy hormones known as endorphins, serotonin and natural pain killers. Endorphins, serotonin and pain killers help us feel good.

When our active kids smile, they are more comfortable, relaxed and their immune system functions better. So, do everything that you can can to make your kids smiling happily every day!

T = Teach good example

Active and curious kids learn through example. So, please give your child the healthiest environment you can.

Don’t smoke around your children, provide them with a clean home and teach good examples with your own healthy living. A healthy environment really help boosting any kid’s immune system.

U = Undo the stress

If the body of a kid is under constant stress, hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline race through the body and weaken the immune system.

Well, kids are not developed enough emotionally to express how or why they are stressed. Therefore, as a parent, watch your child’s mood and their daily patterns. While they may not be able to – or perhaps may not want to – tell you if something is wrong, your careful eye will catch if your kid is stressed out.

Whenever you think your kid is in a stress, do everthing that you can to make them happy again!!

Turn on the music and dance together with your kids. This simple trick works great for me and Izzah. We simply love to dance and be happy! Happy = endorphins = boost immune system.

V = Vitamins are important

Vitamins B and C are two of the most important when it comes to boosting the immune system. A good multivitamin can fill in the gaps in your kids diet.

Vitamin C increases the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies and increases levels of interferon, the antibody that coats cell surfaces, preventing the entry of viruses. Vitamin E enhances the production of B-cells, the immune cells that produce antibodies that destroy bacteria.

Our active and curious kids can get all the essential vitamin from fresh fruits, fortified children’s foods and vitamin tablets.

W = Wash hands before eating

Hand washing should be a practise for our active kids. It’s the best way to prevent germs from spreading and to keep our kids from falling sick.

Good hand washing is the first line of defense against the spread of many illnesses – from the common cold to more serious illnesses such as meningitis, bronchiolitis, influenza, hepatitis A and most types of infectious diarrhea.

My little girl, Izzah knows the importance of washing hands already. I trained her to wash her hands before eating. She will wash her hands herself whenever I turn on the tap water. Good girl!

X = Xtra streching is also good

If the kids sit, sleep or watch the television too much, this will not only make the body sluggish, but the immune system sluggish as well.

Exercise in the forms of outdoor activities are very important and you must get yourself involve with your kids. Jogging together as a family would bring happiness and healthier to every one.

Y = Yogurt is great!

Yogurt is a cultured food that contain enzymes which are good for restoring balance in your child’s digestive tract.

Look for yogurt with active cultures as they are the ones that help restore the good bacteria in your system (especially after being on antibiotics). Yogurt is also high in calcium which is good for strong bones.

Z = Zinc is in!

Zinc is a very valuable mineral that increases the production of white blood cells that fight infection and helps them fight more aggressively.

It also increases killer cells that fight against cancer and helps white cells release more antibodies. The best source of zinc for infants and young children is zinc-fortified cereals.

Friso Gold 3 and 4, help curious and active kids, be tough inside!

This ABC’s Protection for Curious Kids is created for submission to  Nuffnang Friso Gold Family Day Out contest.

The most interesting 80 entries will be given a family invite (for 2 adults and 2 children) to attend the Nuffnang Friso Gold Family Day Out at Kidzsport & Gym, One Utama on 2 January 2010. And the blogger with the best entry would be walking away with a 3 Days 2 Nights holiday package for a family of 4 to Disneyland Hong Kong! Not to forget RM100 Toys ‘R’ Us vouchers to be given away to the 10 blog entries with the most effort.

Let’s all join this contest and get the chance to get-to-gather at Kidzsport for free!!

Please do not copy any part of this entry. If I found out anyone stealing my entry, I will take serious action immediately.  

Popularity: 5% [?]