Ways to Boost Your Child’s Mental Well-Being
As parents and caregivers, there are many ways we can offer our children support and guidance to boost their mental well-being and maintain positive mental health.
Creating healthy habits and teaching a child to prioritize their own mental health and well-being are essential life skills that will benefit them for years to come, and they’re never too young to start learning.
Find out ways to boost your child’s mental well-being, how to talk about feelings, ways you best support them, and signs they may be struggling so you can help them live a happy and healthy life and become the best version of themselves.
Your Child’s Mental Well-Being
Ask Questions and Actively Listen
Frequently ask your child how they are doing. This will get them used to talking about their feelings and expressing themselves.
When your child is speaking to you, put your phone away and give them your undivided attention. Actively listen without judgment and take what the say seriously to assure them there’s always someone there that will listen and their feelings are valid.
Doing these things on a regular basis will make your child more likely to come to you when they do have a problem.
Stay Involved in Their Life
It’s important to stay involved and show interest in their life and what’s important to them. This will help your child value who they are promoting healthy self-esteem and also make it easier to become aware of problems when they happen so you can fully support them.
Support Them in Difficult Times
It’s inevitable your child will experience difficult times in their life. In these times be aware of their behaviors and feelings and try to support their needs the best you can.
Knowing they have a healthy support system to lean on is essential for your child to build resilience and strength to tackle problems.
Encourage Interests
Encourage your child to explore their interests and try new things. Being physically active, exploring creativity, learning new things, and being a part of a team will help your child develop confidence, healthy self-esteem, and sense of belonging while also boosting their mental health.
Create Positive Routines
Routines are important for children to have a sense of familiarity. Routine not only can help your child feel more confident and secure, but it helps them develop healthy habits long-term.
Create a routine around healthy eating habits, exercise, and sleep which are all essential for both positive physical health as well as mental health.
Another positive routine you can integrate into bedtime is sharing one thing they’re grateful for that day.
Studies show regularly practicing gratitude can help your child feel more positive and happy contributing to an overall sense of well-being.
When to Seek Help
Many children and teens will experience emotional or behavioral problems at some stage in their life. For some, they may just be a growing stage and will typically resolve over time, while others may need support from a professional.
Clinical depression in children is more than just a bad mood and should be taken seriously.
According to the mental health experts at Bespoke Treatment, there are signs to look out for that could indicate a more serious mental health issue such as depression.
- Significant changes in their behavior and/or attitude
- Changes in appearance
- Difficult concentrating
- Difficulty sleeping
- Low grades at school
- Withdrawing from family, friends, and social situations
- Loss of interest in things they once enjoyed
- Signs of self-harm or neglecting themselves
As a parent, you probably know your child better than anyone, so if you think something is wrong, there’s a good chance there is.
Become more aware of their behavior and if there has been any specific life changes or events that may have triggered their behavior.
For some children, these feelings may only be temporary and with time and your support they will be able to work through it.
However, some kids may need a little extra support through professional therapy. There are many forms of therapy that can help your child work through their issues.
