Growth is not easy for children—there are social pressure, academic pressure, and pressure to grow up. Mental health is as important to a child’s life as physical health. You are in the position of being the parent and hence, are responsible to shape the emotional resilience of your children. Get support for your child’s mental health in these ways.
1. Create a Safe and Open Environment
Children must be able to come to home and know that they can express and feel safe. Actively listen to them when they talk so to encourage them to open their mouths. This is done in the form of ask questions, such as ‘How was your day?’, ‘Is there anything you want to tell me?’. It allows the children to feel heard, and quite valued as well.
2. Teach Healthy Coping Strategies
Life is full of stress, including for kids. It can teach them healthy coping mechanisms, which means teaching them things such as deep breathing, journaling, or creative things… things that they can do that can calm them, calm a situation, calm their anxiety, their frustration. Encourage physical activities as well. The CDC notes that exercising, particularly regularly, helps children to have lower stress levels and better moods.
3. Encourage Positive Self-Talk
Failure is hard on kids, particularly so when they internalize thoughts of negative thinking. Teach them to describe self without the critique and to begin speaking encouraging words instead. Don’t say, “I’m bad at math,” instead try saying, “I’m still learning math and practice will get me better.” This builds confidence and resilience.
4. Prioritize Emotional Connection
The time you spend together increases the amount of quality emotional well being your child has as a result. Simple things such as reading a book, cooking together, playing a game, gives security and reassurance. A study has found that children with healthy family relationships are less likely to turn out an anxious or depressed adult.
5. Maintain a Healthy Routine
Daily routines are consistent and children understand that it is this routine that is the key source that will reduce stress and uncertainty. Make sure they’re getting enough sleep, eating nutritious food and have a structured nothing to do time. In particular, sleep is very important to emotional regulation—children 6-12 should have at least 9-12 hours of sleep a night.
6. Recognize Warning Signs of Mental Health Struggles
Sometimes, children feel emotions but can not express them. Look out for sudden and dramatic changes in behavior such as withdrawal, uncontrollable mood swings, sleep disorders, a dramatic drop in study results, etc. If the concerns continue, try to seek support from a professional. There is plenty of power in early intervention.
Final Thoughts
It doesn’t matter whether they are healthy in physical or mental health. You teach them to open conversations and to cope with life’s challenges, thus helping them to become resilient to other challenges that will come in life.
Looking for more parenting tips? Check out expert-backed strategies for raising emotionally healthy kids.
