"What are kids? But little people!" whoever said this, couldn't be more correct. From the moment they are born, their personalities start evolving and as the kids begin walking, independence and curiosity sets in! Poor parents, have to be constantly on their toes to ensure that their baby doesn't end up with his fingers in the electrical sockets or with a marble up his nose. But this stage too, passes as the child soon starts schooling and parents heave a sigh of relief as schools are supposed to be a safe and healthy haven for kids. But did you know that your trusted classrooms also could foster some unhealthy habits in your child, too!

With lack of proper supervision, children unknowingly pick up some rather unhealthy habits while in the classroom! Following is a list of 6 such unhealthy habits that a child can pick up, whilst in school

• Chewing on Pencils:

Chewing on Pencils is harmful to the kids as it not only puts pressure on their upper teeth, thereby increasing the risk of pushing the teeth outwards, but also exposes them to some very serious health risks! If your child develops the habit of chewing on pencil tops absent mindedly or while concentrating on his studies, he could be at the risk of graphite poisoning, as pencils contain a mixture of graphite and clay which could be ingested unknowingly by the child as he chews on the pencil.

Another major risk that pencils pose to your child would be through the colors or dyes that are used to coat the pencils. These dyes or colors are mostly toxic and on ingestion could pose serious problems to your child! These days owing to health risks posed by pencils, manufacturers have come out with pencils made out of non-toxic colors and non-toxic leads!

To rid your child of this bad habit, use the aversion technique of coating the pencil top with some bitter tasting edible substances!

• Gnawing on Erasers and Chalks:

Chewing on Pencil top erasers and normal erasers pose as much a health risk as chewing on pencils themselves! Accidental swallowing of pencil top erasers or gnawing off normal erasers can cause gastro intestinal complications, which would require immediate hospitalization! Normal erasers are mostly synthetic, meaning made up of chemicals. Most erasers also contain sulfur, which gets added to the eraser during its manufacturing process, these chemicals and sulfur on ingestion can pose serious threats to the child's health!

If your child has a habit of eating chalk, it could be advised that you consult a doctor as eating chalk could point towards a condition called ‘Pica', which occurs in pregnant women and children, wherein there is an urge to eat non-edible substances, chalk in this case! While most schools use non-toxic chalks in their daily supplies, do check with the school from time to time.

• Slouching or bending, while writing or reading:

Many kids develop a bad habit while in the classroom, of slouching or bending over their notebooks while reading or writing. This habit can be potentially harmful to their postures in the long run, and if the habit persists it can cause spinal problems too! Besides bending over their notebooks while reading or writing brings them too close to the books, thereby putting strain on their eyes. The minimum distance between the eyes and the reading surface recommended by ophthalmologist is 15 cms, anything less than that puts strain on the eyes.

• Hurried Eating

Children are known to be impatient souls, always wanting to hurry onto the next fascinating thing around! This is evident during the school recess, as out of the scheduled 15 or 30 minute break meant for eating, they barely eat for 5-10 minute and the remainder is spent playing around! This gives rise to a habit of hurried eating, which soon descends to the meals at home, too. Hurried eating leads to an increased risk of indigestion and acid reflux in children. Hurried eating also makes them hungry quickly, thereby leading to over eating which in turn can their risk of obesity too!

• I want Maggi!

The Tasty Bhi, Healthy Bhi! Slogan has taken the kiddie world by storm, especially in India. With kids as young as 5 years old, demanding that Maggi be served during breakfast, lunch and dinner too! This constant demand structure also extends to the lunch boxes, with parents often found bending to the will of their little ones. On the odd days, that a nutritious food item finds its way into the lunch box, a full lunch box is returned in the evening, citing the absence of the beloved Maggi! While this habit may point towards defiance and a stubborn nature, the main threat lies in the content of Maggi, which is anything but healthy for your children. To read more 6 Unhealthy Classroom habits in Kids! by Medimanage.com