What are the differences between parenting and child health?

To put it simply, children's health is the core underpinning item under the big topic of parenting. The former focuses on the maintenance of the physical, psychological, and social adaptability of children aged 0-18 years old and the intervention of problems. The latter covers the sum of all nurturing and guiding behaviors of children from birth to adulthood. The two are included and included, but there are considerable differences in action goals, evaluation standards, and intervention logic.

I met a mother of her second child at a community parenting salon a while ago. Her baby contracted herpetic angina in the first two weeks. She strictly followed the doctor's instructions to cool down her baby, add dilute salt water, and provide home isolation care. This is a very typical child health operation. There are clear medical indicators as a guide for action. Once the baby's fever subsides, herpes subsides, and she can eat normally, the matter will be settled smoothly. When the baby recovers and returns to kindergarten, she will accompany her to practice arithmetic, guide her to communicate with children who are grabbing toys, and take her to learn creative painting on weekends. These behaviors that are not directly related to medical treatment and growth and development all belong to the category of parenting. There is no unified "passing line", and the choices of different families vary greatly.

Many people tend to equate the two, and even think that "parenting is successful as long as the baby is raised without illness or pain." This is also a point of great controversy in the parenting circle now. Most parents who hold the "health first" view believe that many parenting behaviors nowadays involve "taking in" unnecessary content. As long as the child's height and weight are up to standard and his mental state is comfortable, the rest can be done naturally. There is no need to force the child to learn this or that to consume energy. ； However, many practitioners in the field of child development have suggested that good parenting guidance will actually promote children's long-term health. For example, helping children establish a sense of rules from an early age and guiding children to express their emotions reasonably can reduce the probability of emotional disorders and behavioral problems in adolescence. In essence, they are also supporting health. There is actually no right or wrong in either view. It just depends on which part of the value the family values ​​more.

From a practical perspective, the difference between the two judgment scales is actually very obvious. There is a clear medical consensus on most relevant indicators of children's health, such as the extent to which a 6-month-old baby's gross movements should develop, what is the reference range of blood routine for a 1-year-old child, and what symptoms require prompt medical treatment. These all have unified standards, and most of the time require the professional intervention of child health departments and pediatric nurses. It is difficult for ordinary parents to rely solely on their own experience to judge. But there is never a standard answer to parenting. Some families want their children to be exposed to nature and run wild from an early age, while other families want their children to develop good study habits early. As long as it does not harm the child's physical and mental health, there is no wrong choice. It all depends on each family's parenting goals.

I once met a father who forced his 3-year-old child to run 1 kilometer every day in order to build up the child's resistance. The child was crying but refused to run but insisted on running. This was originally for the purpose of protecting the child's health. In the end, the child became anxious before going to bed every day and could not sleep well for half a month. Instead, he frequently caught colds. This is actually confusing the boundaries between "will cultivation" in parenting and children's health, and it is self-defeating. In fact, for ordinary parents, there is no need to be too entangled in the conceptual division between the two. As long as they remember that children's health is the bottom line of all parenting behaviors, on this basis, it is enough to raise them according to the rhythm of their own family. There is no need to apply other people's parenting standards to their own children.