Analyzing “Wellness” in Adults & Young Children
According to Dictionary.com, the term wellness, refers to, “the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as a result of deliberate effort”. This clearly highlights the equal importance of both physiological and psychological connotations to it. In other words, to attain this blissful state of well-being, only having a healthy disease-free body and a robust immune system is not sufficient. It only represents “half the battle won”. Complete success lies in also having a healthy and an optimistic mind, charged with balanced and rational thoughts and ideas that not only exudes positive energy towards the surrounding environment, but is also resilient enough to quickly bounce back in the wake of normal setbacks of daily life. However, as there are “no free lunches” in this world and everything comes with a price, similarly, one needs to make some initial and sustained investments to enjoy this life-long return. Fortunately, you don’t need a few thousand dollars to start with. Instead, a dedicatedly continual investment in oneself right from the childhood, comprising of a healthy lifestyle, which includes healthy drinking, eating & sleeping habits, safe and secure residence and neighborhood, adequate love and support of not only family members but also the immediately next societal layer of teachers at school, and last but not the least, a healthy company of “true friends”, instead of “fair weather” friends, who not only help you unwind and offer you a shoulder to cry but also make you grow with every round of interaction. But why start all this as a child? Because just like the foundation of a strong fruit-bearing tree full of shade is built during its infancy as a weak sapling, similarly, development of an overall healthy and balanced human being is a long-drawn process that starts with provision of a positive and wellness-conducive environment right from childhood.
Believe it or not, but the nutrition, health & safety provided to the infant by its environment soon after it is born, does actually lay the foundation for its optimal growth and development, by offering a favorable atmosphere for its new found abilities to thrive in.
The importance of nutrition cannot be emphasized more than the saying, “a healthy mind resides in a healthy body”. This is because nutrition, as a concept or a process does not work in isolation, but instead, needs to be perceived as a holistic process involving not only the manner in which the nutrients are consumed and accepted by the body, but also their positive contribution in promoting growth and development of the child. An important prerequisite for which is the context in which the food is procured, cooked, preserved and served, with respect to the hygiene and sanitation levels maintained in each of the four stages, thereby, bringing both health and safety into the loop. This is because, even the most nutritious diet comprising of the right mix of vital nutrients based on the child’s age can prove detrimental to his health and safety, if adequate care and discretion is not exercised with respect to the source through which it is procured, the conditions and surroundings in which it is cooked and preserved, as well as the manner in which it is finally served. This point again strengthens the close interdependency between nutrition, health and safety by highlighting the fact that health benefits in one area serve to promote positive outcomes in others. Likewise, any lacunas or gaps in one area negatively affect the others too. Further, both health and safety apart from being linked to nutrition also have their independent identities. Health involves focusing on prolonged absence of illness from the child’s life by ensuring his overall physical & mental well-being in the form of regular maintenance of personal & oral hygiene, timely childhood immunizations etc. On the other hand, practicing safety in early childhood settings emphasizes protecting the child from all sorts of harms in the environment by establishing safe living and playing surroundings and teaching to observe safety rules such as not going near electric gadgets and sharp objects like hot iron & cutting knife, respectively.
Finally, the responsibility of gifting children with a life full of wellness should transcend their homes, with the onus equally and proactively shared by their teachers, who represent their extended families, because of the time they spend with them daily. Young children learn using constructivist approach i.e.by adding new experiences and information to their already existing knowledge (Piaget, 1929; Vygotsky, 1962; Bruner, 1966 & others), however, their individual learning styles vary with developmental stages they undergo, namely; infants, toddlers & preschoolers, and early elementary age. Good teachers should recognize these differences and maneuver their teaching efforts accordingly to achieve optimal results. They should impart wellness training using tailor-made Developmentally Appropriate Practices that match the child’s age, understanding & maturity level considering the developmental stage he/she is into. For example, preschoolers, including toddlers and infants indulge in exploratory learning of their environment using sensory and motor skills, guided by intuitive curiosity and motivation often without any preconceived notions. Infants can be taught wellness by providing them unrestricted yet supervised movements in safe surroundings accompanied by placing toys of different shapes and sizes within their reach. They can also be encouraged to imbibe healthy behaviors like washing hands before and after meals. Similarly, older children with a higher intelligence level than infants can be educated about wellness scenarios through playful dramatizations such as getting timely immunization. Teaching them wellness-supporting languages like, “covering your mouth while yawning keeps your family, friends and teachers healthy” is also a good practice.
References
Wellness. (n.d.). Definition of ‘Wellness’. In Dictionary.com. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wellness
Sorte J., Daeschel I., & Amador C. (2010). Nutrition, Health , and Safety for Young Children: Promoting Wellness (with MyEducation Lab)(Chapters 1& 2). Pearson Custom Education .
Morrison, G.S. (2008). Early Childhood Education Today (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Merrill Education.
