When I was reflecting on my own childhood for things that may have impacted my own childhood development in a negative way, I was able to write down fairly comprehensive list. I wouldn’t of been able to compile this list however, if I didn’t have the practical experience gained from working in the childcare sector. True knowledge is of course a combination of practical experience and information derived from reliable sources.
Working with children, parents & teachers first hand for the best part of 9 years has helped me become more aware of the detrimental impacts children face. Of course, a great deal of information outside of the working environment has come from courses, workshops, books, articles & online videos.
So, why am I looking back on my own childhood in this way? Simple, to avoid making the same mistakes as my parents and teachers did. We all want children in our care to thrive as much as possible, but in order for this to happen you must understand what impacts them negatively, whether it be their physical, cognitive, language or personal, social & emotional development. The will to find out, and the ability to research well, goes without saying. When you know the impacts, it’s easy to mitigate them As parents and/or educators we must safeguard our children as much as conceivably possible.
So, here is my own personal list, which I’ve discovered so far (of course there may be more I haven’t discovered as yet). I’ll also provide the links that detail why each one can impact your child’s development/health, just click on the word.
Avoid:
Aspartame found in ‘diet’ soft drinks and foods.
Impacts on cognitive, physical and personal, social & emotional development.
Radiation from WIFI, cell towers, cordless phones, routers, mobile phones & microwave ovens
Impacts cognitive & physical development
Meats which are processed and therefore contain many unhealthy chemicals.
Impacts cognitive & physical development
Fluoride toothpaste, quite possibly found in your chosen brand, also added to water in some countries.
Impacts cognitive development
Microwave fast-food meals, quick meal, but devoid of nutrients and contaminated.
Impacts cognitive & physical development
Drugs (e.g. aspirin, paracetamol, ibuprofen etc) which contain toxic metals, such as aluminium and other damaging ingredients.
Impacts cognitive & physical development
Vaccines/immunisations which contain a plethora of nasty ingredients.
Impacts physical, cognitive, personal, social, emotional & language development
Obviously, had my own parents known about the developmental impacts of the above, they surely would have avoided them. Unfortunately, just like many other parents, they were ignorant to these risks. The question then is, why are these impacts not more commonly known amongst parents and educators? Simple answer - money & agendas. Money is the root of all evil, right?
I’d also recommend you reflect on your own childhood and draw up your own list, and think critically of what you find. Things that appeared ‘healthy’ or ‘right’ may not necessary be the case. Further thought and research is definitely required.
Keeping things as natural as possible when it comes to food and lifestyle is the key to better development and a healthier overall child.
Here are some free books that I recommend that can help you and your family when planning for healthier lives:
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