Things Children Expecting From Their Parents To Do With Them

What do you think matters most to your children? You driving them to lessons and practices, or is it the smile and hug you greet them with after school? If you guessed the latter, you are correct.

Sixteen years of teaching and giving the same assignment every Mother’s Day has led me to the exact same conclusion. You see, every Mother’s Day I would ask my students to give me advice on being a mother. They were to think about things their mother or guardian did for or with them that made them feel happy or loved. The classroom would go silent as the students wrote intensely for longer than they had ever written before. Often smiles would appear on their faces as they reflected on the happy experiences they were remembering.

Something Interesting

After reading their responses I would add to my list all the ideas they mentioned. Surprisingly, many of the responses were the same. Year after year, in every country I taught, and in every type of demographic, the students were saying the same things and had the same message: It’s the small things that their mothers did that meant the most and that they remembered.

Many moms today feel as if they are not good mothers unless they are racing around, shuttling their children from lessons, to practices and back to lessons again. I’ve had mothers tell me that they want to give their children every opportunity they did not have. While this thinking might bring the mother some comfort, it really does not do the same for their child who is potentially feeling overextended, stressed and tired.

After speaking endlessly about this topic with my students, it became clear to me that children today are involved in too many activities and are in turn becoming less in touch with themselves and their families. In addition, my students told me they really wished for more time to “just play”. Of course many of them enjoy their extra-curricular activities, but it is not necessary they said to be allowed to do everything. What they enjoyed most, and what made their hearts happiest was when their mothers did simple things for or with them.

Important Points to Notice

Here is a list of the top ten things students around the world said they remembered and loved most about their mothers.

  1. Come into my bedroom at night, tuck me in and sing me a song. Also tell me stories about when you were little.
  2. Give me hugs and kisses and sit and talk with me privately.
  3. Spend quality time just with me, not with my brothers and sisters around.
  4. Give me nutritious food so I can grow up healthy.
  5. At dinner talk about what we could do together on the weekend.
  6. At night talk to me about about anything; love, school, family etc.
  7. Let me play outside a lot.
  8. Cuddle under a blanket and watch our favorite TV show together.
  9. Discipline me. It makes me feel like you care.
  10. Leave special messages in my desk or lunch bag.

Children are incredibly wise and tend to see the world more simply than we do. Perhaps it is time we start taking their advice. Maybe we as parents would all feel a little less stressed and be satisfied with the fact that doing little things really is… good enough.

How to support your diet with the best vitamins and supplements…

Most people should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals they require from a healthy, balanced diet. But statistics repeatedly show swathes of the British population are not achieving the recommendations which, alongside being more active, will help you to maintain a healthy weight and lower your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. In fact, only 30 per cent of adults met the current recommendation of five portions of fruit or vegetables per day. Luckily, Boots stocks a range of vitamins and supplements to support a healthy lifestyle, and pharmacists are on hand to offer advice.

“People come to us who have a goal,” says Boots nutritionist Anna, “for example, to achieve healthier skin and nails. We can also give advice to people on medicines or with certain conditions that might need supplementation – but this will also be on the advice of your doctor.” Below, Anna suggests nine ways of boosting a healthy diet with vitamins and supplements.

Eat more oily fish

A recent survey by Public Health England revealed consumption of oily fish is well below the recommended portion per week, and that 23 per cent of adults aged 19 to 64, and 22 per cent of children between 11 and 18 had low vitamin D. This increased to 40 per cent for both in the winter months. In addition, 46 per cent of girls and 23 per cent of women didn’t eat enough iron.

Limit the sugar in your diet

It’s important that we should limit our intake of sugary foods, and bear in mind that some foods such as yogurt, wholegrain breakfast cereals, fruit and fruit juice are rich in other nutrients. Plenty of fruit and vegetables – at least five portions of a variety of fruit and veg a day.

Go for protein-rich items

Some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, beans and non-dairy sources of protein, such as nuts and pulses.

Stock up on foods which boost your immune system

Fortified breakfast cereals are a really good source of iron, zinc, B vitamins and vitamin D which are important for the health our immune systems. At this time of year, taking additional vitamin C, zinc and Echinacea may help to support your immune system. Also, during the month of December, when we might be more prone to burning the candle at both ends, B vitamins can help support general energy levels.

Get advice deciding on a supplement

Whether it would be beneficial to take a supplement, and which one to choose, can be a minefield, especially because there are so many different types on the market. Remember that your local Boots pharmacist is available in store to offer advice at any point, particularly if you wish to combine any products.

Pick lots of starchy foods

Items such as rice, bread, pasta and potatoes – choosing wholegrain varieties when possible.

Dare to try dairy

The government recommends everyone consumes a diet that contains some milk and dairy because it is needed for a balanced diet. Reduced-fat versions are available