Nutritional Needs
According to Canada’s Food Guide, on average school-aged children need 2 400 calories every day (Health Canada, 2011). Nutritionists recommend that children at this age should consume a diet that is high in natural nutrition which includes lots of grains, fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, children diet should not include more than 30 percent of fat and 10 percent of saturated fat (Health Canada, 2011 & Papalia et.al., 2008). Furthermore, encourage your child to “drink water to quench their thirst and replenish body fluids rather than soft drinks and juices. In addition, children also need a total of 500 mL (2 cups) of milk every day to help meet their requirement for vitamin D” (Health Canada, 2011).
For more information on how you can help your child make healthy choices and to learn more about food guide servings with some sample menus for young children, please visit:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/choose-choix/advice-conseil/child-enfant-eng.php
According to Canada’s Food Guide, on average school-aged children need 2 400 calories every day (Health Canada, 2011). Nutritionists recommend that children at this age should consume a diet that is high in natural nutrition which includes lots of grains, fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, children diet should not include more than 30 percent of fat and 10 percent of saturated fat (Health Canada, 2011 & Papalia et.al., 2008). Furthermore, encourage your child to “drink water to quench their thirst and replenish body fluids rather than soft drinks and juices. In addition, children also need a total of 500 mL (2 cups) of milk every day to help meet their requirement for vitamin D” (Health Canada, 2011).
For more information on how you can help your child make healthy choices and to learn more about food guide servings with some sample menus for young children, please visit:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/choose-choix/advice-conseil/child-enfant-eng.php
Sleep
Children at the age of 5 it is recommended that children get about 11 hours of sleep a day, but during middle childhood around age 9 the recommendation drops to10 hours of sleep a day and then down to 9 hours a day for 13 year olds (Zembar & Blume, 2009). Unfortunately, many Canadian children get less sleep than what is recommended and this can affect children`s physical and cognitive development. During middle childhood, children can also encounter sleep problems such as resistance to going to bed, insomnia, and daytime sleepiness (Papalia et.al., 2008). A lot of these sleep related issues has to do with the fact that the older children get, the more likely they are allowed to set their own bedtimes. In addition to this, according to the National Sleep Foundation (2013), more than 40 percent of school-age children have a television set in their bedrooms, and these children get less sleep than other children. “More time is spent watching T.V., especially at bedtime, the more likely they are to resist going to bed, have a harder time falling asleep and get anxious around bedtime” (Papalia et.al., 2008). It is recommended that parents keep consistent bedtime routines and times even on the weekends and avoid putting televisions in children`s bedrooms. Consistent bedtime routines, such as brushing their teeth and reading a bedtime story, as well as a consistent time for bed, can help children understand that they are expected to be asleep at a certain time and can help to prevent resistance to go to sleep and anxiousness before bed.
Children at the age of 5 it is recommended that children get about 11 hours of sleep a day, but during middle childhood around age 9 the recommendation drops to10 hours of sleep a day and then down to 9 hours a day for 13 year olds (Zembar & Blume, 2009). Unfortunately, many Canadian children get less sleep than what is recommended and this can affect children`s physical and cognitive development. During middle childhood, children can also encounter sleep problems such as resistance to going to bed, insomnia, and daytime sleepiness (Papalia et.al., 2008). A lot of these sleep related issues has to do with the fact that the older children get, the more likely they are allowed to set their own bedtimes. In addition to this, according to the National Sleep Foundation (2013), more than 40 percent of school-age children have a television set in their bedrooms, and these children get less sleep than other children. “More time is spent watching T.V., especially at bedtime, the more likely they are to resist going to bed, have a harder time falling asleep and get anxious around bedtime” (Papalia et.al., 2008). It is recommended that parents keep consistent bedtime routines and times even on the weekends and avoid putting televisions in children`s bedrooms. Consistent bedtime routines, such as brushing their teeth and reading a bedtime story, as well as a consistent time for bed, can help children understand that they are expected to be asleep at a certain time and can help to prevent resistance to go to sleep and anxiousness before bed.