National Children’s Mental Health Day
It’s easy to identify a child’s physical necessities, like food, water, clothing and housing. What’s more challenging for parents, though, is identifying their mental needs. A child’s mental and emotional needs may not be as obvious as their physical ones.
May 7th was National Children’s Mental Health Day and this year we’re honor the importance of children’s mental health. We need to work together to discard the stigma that a child experiencing a mental health is invalid, or that they’ll just grow out of it. Positive mental health is essential to a child’s development.
While a good mental health is important for all people, children are generally more at-risk for the dangerous side effects of mental health disorders considering their brains are still developing.
How do I foster positive mental health in my child?
1. Unconditional love
Unconditional love is at the top of the list for a reason. While all of the things listed here are important, none of them can foster positive mental health quite as much as unconditional love. Your child needs to know that they do not need to earn your love, and that your love is not based on their accomplishments. Your child will make mistakes, there is no avoided that fact. How you react to those mistakes is important. You should accept those mistakes to allow confidence to grow in your home.
2. Safe environment
A safe and secure environment is important to your child’s mental health. By helping our children feel safe in their home, we allow them to have a healthy development and successful future. The key to creating a safe environment is more than just meeting basic, physical needs. We need to build an atmosphere of openness, with feelings of trust and comfort, to raise a happy, healthy child. A few steps to consider in building a safe environment include no yelling, letting your child be a kid, reading to them, and setting good examples.
3. Play with other children
Having playmates is essential not only to developing a good set of social skills, but also to foster a positive mental health. Playtime allows children to bolster their creativity, learn problem-solving skills, and to learn self-control. By playing with others, children develop a sense of belonging while also learning their own strengths and weaknesses. If you are looking to find a group of playmates for your child, check out your local community center, neighbors, schoolmates, or a local park and recreation department. Parents can also be playmates! So don’t hesitate to join your children in their tom foolery.
4. High self-esteem
You can nurture high self-esteem in your child by praising them, setting realistic goals, being honest, and encouraging them. By praising your child when they learn a new skill, it helps them develop a desire to explore and learn more about their surroundings. Like we said above, be an active participant in their learning and exploring. Assure them by smiling and talking with them often. Setting realistic goals can foster self-esteem, make sure their goals align with their abilities and ambitions. Be honest with your children by letting them see your failures. Children need to know that we all make mistakes, and that’s okay. Lastly, encourage your children to not only try their best, but to enjoy the journey as well.
5. Appropriate discipline
An appropriate amount of discipline is essential to a child’s growth and development. Children need to learn that certain behaviors and actions are unacceptable. On top of this, they also need to learn about the consequences to their actions. Offer guidance and discipline to them that is fair and consistent. There is nothing more confusing to a child than inconsistent discipline. Decide with your significant other which behaviors are most important to you, and then follow those guidelines throughout the journey of raising your child.
On National Children’s Mental Health Day this year, set aside time to think about fostering and encouraging positive mental health with not only your child, but all of the children in your life.
If you are concerned about your child’s mental health or a child in your life, please reach out to us. Our team of therapists is here to provide support and guidance. We look forward to connecting with you.
