Written by Ratidzo Makombe
Mental health issues among adults are on the rise and often this can be traced back to childhood experiences. Being able to nurture your child at a very young age concerning their mental health plays a significant role in addressing mental health.
When you become a parent one of the things that takes precedence is your child's health. Many parents understand the importance of healthy eating habits and staying active for their child's physical health. However, the mental health aspect of a child’s health is often murky. This article seeks to shed some light on how to nurture your child’s mental health as part of their overall health and wellness.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), "Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community." Our mental health can affect how to think, feel, and behave and influence daily activities such as relationships, academic performance, and physical health, hence nurturing good mental health in your child plays an important part in overall wellness.
Develop a balanced relationship
Look for everyday opportunities to lead with empathy and foster closeness. This can help create a healthy relationship – one that makes it easier for your child to come to you when they face a problem. For example, when your child throws a fit in the middle of a restaurant, your first reaction might be to settle them quickly, so they start behaving. While it is important for children to learn how to be good citizens, it is also important to show empathy at the moment. Instead of telling your child to be quiet, consider if there is another factor at play. Is she hungry? Did he not take a nap today? Did they have a bad day at school? According to Doctor Nicholas J. Westers, Psy.D., ABPP, a children's health clinical psychologist and associate professor at UT Southwestern, this applies to older children and teenagers all the more. They are more likely to comply with parental requests when they feel loved by and close to their parents.
Provide structure
It is easier to deal with failures and struggles in life when we have a sense of structure in place. This may include boundaries at bedtime, limits on electronics, rules for playtime and expectations on how we treat others and ourselves. It is okay to allow for flexibility, but creating structure communicates to your child that you love them and are invested in their well-being.
Encourage healthy connections
Social health is a key part of our mental health. We are wired for connection. Building relationships allow us to learn how to be a better friend and learn critical social skills, such as reading and responding to non-verbal cues. It is advised that for every hour of online connections, kids may need 30 minutes of face-to-face connections. That means balancing online video games and cartoons with sending children outdoors or with friends.
Manage failure with compassion
Understandably, parents often want to swoop in and stop children from experiencing heartache or failure. "Failure builds resilience and encourages growth, understanding and even empathy," explains Dr Westers. As long as your child is safe, consider standing on the side-lines and being ready to support and encourage them when they need it most – instead of fixing a problem as soon as it happens.
Ensuring healthy development in children is every parent’s goal. While this article has touched on some of the basic techniques there is so much more for parents to be able to research on. It is important to note that as a parent there is a limit as far as what you can do for your child and there are some instances that are beyond your control. If this is the case it is encouraged to seek professional health as it is all for the betterment of your child’s mental and overall health.
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