Effective Tips for Improving Your Child’s Mental Health

As a parent, you are probably very careful and responsible for your kid. As you take your little one for regular health checkups, getting immunizations, serving nutritious and healthy meals, and helping with their schoolwork. How often do you think about the effective strategies that you can undertake for improving your child’s mental health?
A child’s mental health is equally important as their physical health, especially when it comes to dealing with stress, behavior, and academics. Always remember that the environment you provide for your child brings in a plethora of new opportunities for nourishing good mental health. Before proceeding ahead, let’s try to understand what exactly is mental health.

What is Mental Health?

Mental health can be defined as a state which consists of our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects our thinking ability like how we think, feel, and act. Mental health is an important component at every stage of life, right from childhood through adulthood.

Early Warning Signs

In case your child is suffering from a mental health issue, look out for the early warning signs mentioned below:

a) Irregular sleeping habits.
b) Pulling away from regular activities.
c) Having no energy.
d) Yelling and fighting with friends or family.
e) Inability to go to school.

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Effective Tips for Improving the Mental Health

One of the best things that you can do to keep your child mentally fit and healthy is to take care of your mental health. Not only will you be reflecting on healthy habits, but you will also be creating a healthier environment for your little child. Always remember, kids, look up to their parents to know and understand how they deal with stressful situations. Make sure that you take out time to relax and unwind. It is your responsibility to set a positive example for your child because they learn by watching you.

1. Build Trust

The relationship that you as parents share with your kids plays a major role in their mental health, and trust is the foundation rock of all relationships. One of the simplest ways to develop a bond of trust is by creating a cocoon that is safe and secure. This means looking after their needs when they are hungry, thirsty, hot, or cold, as well as when they are sad, scared, or stressed. Look for constructive ways to show your child that you love them and they can trust you to keep them safe and healthy.

2. Build Healthy Relationships

The relationship that a kid shares with their parents is not only special but vital too. It’s not the only relationship that matters. A child who is mentally fit and stable will have an end number of relationships with other family members, such as grandparents, and cousins, as well as friends and distant relatives. Make sure that you give your kids enough time to connect with other people too, especially their best friends. Fostering a healthy network of relationships can make all the difference in the world including your kid’s mental health. If you live in a different city, it’s time to get creative and take up constructive initiatives to encourage your kids to connect with them. You can arrange for a virtual visit with grandparents or let your children use Skype or FaceTime to connect with friends who don’t live close by.

3. Teach Your Kids the Art of Stress-Management

On one hand, it is important to keep your kids safe from trauma like abuse and bullying, on the other hand, you can’t prevent your kids from experiencing stress. Stress is a normal part of human existence and learning to deal with it is a healthy way and will prepare your child for success in the future. For instance, your kids are likely to have disagreements with their friends and failed group projects at one time or the other. Teach your kids healthy ways to deal with stress. This might mean spending more time together and talking about issues that are bothering them. You can also ask your kids to personalize their stress-relief activities. Some children may find relief from writing in a journal, another one may call a friend when they are feeling upset.

4. Develop Healthy Habits

A healthy and nutritional meal, a well-balanced sleep pattern, and plenty of exercises aren’t just good for your kid’s physical health, they are also essential for their mental health. Make your children aware of developing healthy habits that will keep their bodies and their mental well-being in good shape and health. As per research, mindfulness and gratitude can leave a long and lasting impact on your kid’s mental health. Therefore, it is advisable to include mindfulness activities in your daily life.

5. Play Together

It is important for a child who is healthy needs to play. Honestly, adults need to play too! Take out some time from your hectic work schedules and focus primarily on your child. By spending quality time with your kids it will show your children that they are worth your valuable time. Studies have also shown that by engaging your kids in a healthy and playful session they can benefit in several ways. For example, one study found that a child’s likely to be happy and there will be a lesser risk for depression and anxiety. Moreover, laughing and playing together is an effective stress-buster for you and your child. While playing with your child, you will not only strengthen your relationship with your kid, but you will also enjoy yourself while spending time with them.

6. Encourage Creativity

Emotions are an important part of human living. Therefore, all children need to learn about their emotions and relationships. The parents must teach their children these important skills. Every child is different from the other and their emotional needs will also differ to a great extent. The best thing that you as parents can do is to invoke their creative side. Look for different ways and things that your child truly loves and let them express themselves. Playing games, sports, arts and crafts, writing, music, dance, gardening, photography, or acting are some of the best and creative ways that your child can perform. Creativity is a natural way to learn and express yourself. Creativity can also help in making your child expressive.

7. Keep Them Away From Stressful News Or Environment

One of the most important and healthy tips is to limit the exposure of news for kids during a stressful period. Whenever there is a crisis going on in the world, you might want to keep yourself up to date with all the latest happenings. But, remember that you have kids in your home. A series of unhappy events can induce anxiety and confuse your kids.

8. Be Candid With Your Kids

One of the most efficient mental health advice that we can give is to make sure that your kids keep the channels of communication open. Always reassure them that they can talk to you openly about anything and everything. In case they have questions or queries, make sure that they know you are listening to them. As parents, it is your responsibility to ensure that their feelings are valued and that you will always be there for them.

9. Set Realistic Expectations

Comparing your child with another child is a big NO. As we already mentioned, every child is different from the other so there is no point in drawing comparisons because it will only lower their morale. Do not make your kids feel like they are a failure when they do not do well. This will lower their self-esteem which may impact their learning process. Moreover, you should praise them for their sincere efforts and hard work.

10. Teach Your Kids To Think Positively

It is imperative to teach your kids to be positive and remain optimistic when they encounter difficult situations in their lives. This helps to boost their confidence and self-esteem as well as they can recover from their failures. Continue to keep them motivated to work hard.

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Final Words

When it comes to our kid’s health, we want to do everything the best that we can. Right from building trust to talking openly with your kids and developing healthy habits, small initiatives like these can play a significant role in strengthening the mental health of kids.
At PiggyRide, we offer a comprehensive range of online extra co-curricular courses that are specially designed for your kids. These courses will bring out the creative side of your kid and help them in mastering it. These courses will keep your little kids busy and engaged. Wave goodbye to all the stress and anxiety with our interactive online courses.