Hayden Kho, Vanessa Matsunaga, Joy Mendoza, and Nicole Hernandez share tips on spending quality time with their kids

Given the current situation, it’s undeniable that apart from adults, children are also vulnerable to the stress brought about by the sudden change in their everyday lives. This leaves parents with even more challenges to face, ensuring that their children get to grow and develop properly. Aside from the continuous search for the best way to boost children’s immunity, provide the best nutrition, and ensure holistic development, parents are also faced with the challenge to verify which sources of information to trust.

For those looking for ideas on where to start, what to address, and how to know what to trust when it comes to the well-being and immunity of their children especially amid these challenging times, here are some tips and insights from celebrity parents which they shared in the ‘Live Q&A session of Nestle NANKID’s first interactive virtual event “The Science of Nourishing Possibles.”

Engage them in what you do
A fun way to get children to spend even more meaningful time with parents these days is through activities that are enjoyable together. Nicole Hernandez shared that with home workout being one of her go-to stressbusters, her children also became interested in yoga which is a good thing since studies have shown that it helps children enhance their self-esteem, strength, and flexibility.

“I have been working out and the kids are seeing that, and sometimes they ask to join. We do take some classes online. We just look at something on YouTube, like kids yoga. We guide them and we work out together, and the important thing is that they want to spend more time with us,” Nicole shared.

“It's something I guess we all took for granted before because we would be with our family and kids but we won't really be mentally, physically, emotionally, 100 percent present. And now, I'm proud to say that, my husband and I, we become better parents in that sense that we're more available for our children and more sensitive and attentive to their needs.”

Allow them to be independent
Since children are safer indoors these days, why not take this opportunity to help them learn to be independent? Nicole also mentioned that an effective way to do this is by allowing them to do household chores on their own. This can also be a way for them to learn responsibility and diligence.

Celebrity mom Vanessa Matsunaga also agreed as she believes that home activities help instill good habits in children. “Some things that we consider chores, for them, can be just like a fun activity. We see something that's just ordinary to us (adults), but then they see it, and to them, it's like magic, it's brilliant.”

Let them learn on their own
Some parents tend to go over the top in setting up for homeschooling and online learning, but for Joy Mendoza, what matters is that the children are equipped with the needed tools and space at home, even a small one, that’s conducive enough. “Just set aside an area where children know they're supposed to go to every day that's designated for their learning so that they identify with that space,” she said. Joy also added that it’s also important for parents to consider a learning schedule that’s focused not just on academics but on the holistic development of children.

“Don't spoon feed your kids when it comes to their learning. Because they have this innate capacity to learn. During this time, focus more on the application of the subject areas rather than just memorization. This is a great time to apply and develop life skills,” Joy said.

Trust research and science
With the variety of options available in the market claiming to provide what’s essential for children, Dr. Hayden Kho reminded his fellow parents to always be critical in selecting those that are scientifically-proven and backed by research, especially when it comes to formula milk, like what he does for his daughter Scarlet Snow.

“There's a lot of misinformation out there. The challenge is how you filter out the junk. And the other thing is, even if you filter out the junk, there's still a lot of information. It's overwhelming. You have to have a process, a system in how you do your research so you focus on what really matters,” Dr. Hayden said.

“When you look at the products, for example, you have to check if the ingredients in it are actually aligned with the sciences they're claiming and they're talking about,” he added. “Research things properly when it comes to things you feed your children. What really matters is that when you see something, when you read something, especially when it comes to nutrition, you have to ask, is this backed by science?”

Dr. Hayden lauded how NANKID is helping parents like him in providing what’s the best for their children, not just through their clinically-proven products, but also in providing platforms for parenting discussions.

"What I love about NANKID and Nestle is that they produce, they create products—and actually services, too—that are backed by evidence, verified by experts, and developed through decades of experience,” he said. “"NANKID gives us the platform to talk about things that are backed by science.”

Banking on more than 150 years of expertise, Nestle and NANKID understand the concerns of parents to ensure that their children’s immunity is always in check. Staying true to its mission as a trusted partner of parents in providing science-based nutrition, NANKID has introduced its best formula to date, packed with clinically-proven ingredients.

The new NANKID OPTIPRO FOUR is now made even better with Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HM-O), which promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria that plays a key role in gut barrier function and prevention of pathogen adhesion in the gut, resulting in a strengthened immune system. Another important component is its optimized protein which takes the job of supporting age-appropriate weight gain and development for children.

Never compromise when it comes to the health and immunity of children. Nourish every possible and learn more about the NANKID OPTIPRO FOUR here.

#Nicole Hernandez

Nourish every possible: How parents are ensuring the best for their children amid the new normal