Raising a child is never an easy task but it's the most rewarding thing in the world is to become a parent and even more fulfilling to see your little bundle of joy raised to be a healthy and happy child. More than just providing the right nutrition and meeting their basic needs, my wife and I follow the "M.A.M.I.L" guideliness below to ensure our child grows up healthy and happy in body, spirit and mind:
M: Mornings are for hugs, kisses and smiles! We make it a point to greet our little one each morning with a big tight hug, a huge smile and a wet kiss - It's important for the children to know that they are adored by their parents and your affection starts their day on a bright, happy note! Morning breakfast is also the most important meal of the day so do feed your child milk (Mamil Gold!), cereals, bread and other nuritious snacks (like apples or museli bars) to give them that healthy energy boost to kickstart the day!
A: Affirmation and Assurance - The world can be such a big, unfamiliar and daunting place to a child. As they grow, they will begin to explore her surroundings with their emerging psychomotor skills. As parents, we encourage our daughter to touch, smell, taste, play, experiment, run and jump. If she should fall, we tell her it's ok and encourage her to pick herself up. Assure your child you'll always be there to protect her and you'll let no harm befall her as she gains independence. Such affirmative acts promote their healthy sense of curiosity and keen sense of adventure.
M: Making Moments into Memories - Living in an urbanised, fast-paced society means parents are often stretched for time. Whenever possible, we make an conscious effort to create and build in 'memorable experiences' into our calendar. It can range from simple activities like bringing your child to her favourite ice-cream treat after work on a weekday evening; visiting the Singapore Art Museum during the Children's Festival on Friday nights (free entry!); enlisting your children as little helpers while you bake their favourite cookies or muffins or a special staycation for the entire family during Public Holidays (like National Day!). Even simple family rituals of enjoying a prata breakfast together as a family on Sunday mornings, visiting grandparents and bringing them out for leisurely strolls in the neighbourhood park do a lot of good for a child's emotional development. Strive to give your children more memories not material goods. And here's a personal tip -be sure to record these precious memories down so they can watch and replay it again and again (on your iphone, ipads etc). Or publish your photos into a nice coffeetable book. Remember, moments come and go but Memories last forever.
I: Inspire - Have you seen that expression when your child's eyes lit up at something new or inspiring? Children thrive on imagination so it's important that we inspire the child. We read stories, narrate experiences, share interesting insights and stimulate her to think intellectually and draw her own conclusions and views based on her own observations so she would be curious, creative and spontaneous. Inspire them to love knowledge. Inspiration instills that sense of wonder and hope in children; it makes them eager to wake up every morning to learn something new about the awesome world around them.
L: Love & Laughter - Unlimited...Boundless....Abundant....Overflowing....Surround ing our child with lots of Love & Laughter. This are the 2 penultimate ingredients to raising a Happy & Healthy Baby - letting our child feel loved, esteemed and accepted; teaching them to love others in return through the way they witnessed how their Daddies love and honour their Mummies (and vice-versa). The home must be a place of laughter where they feel comfortable, relaxed, can laugh at their own silly antics and engage in fun activities with their parents no matter how difficult the day has been. Love bears all things; forgives all things and nurtures them to be confident, young children. Love & Laughter, when combined, empower our children with liberty and confidence to fulfill their dreams and unique destinies.
So there you have it, our tips for raising a Happy & Healthy Baby. Hope you''ll find them useful and can put some of them into practice. Thanks for reading.