No matter how old your child is, it is important to pay attention to all parts of their wellness, and that includes mental health. It is never too early or too late to start paying attention to your family’s mental health, and that includes both your own and that of your kids. Even young children can benefit from an awareness of mental health support — in fact, it can build a strong foundation of self-care and consideration throughout life. Care starts at home, and you can begin that cycle for your kids.
There are so many ways you can support your child’s mental health, especially as they grow and change to become the people they’re meant to be. Every person is different, which means that every child is different. Therefore, it helps to have an array of options to try out and see which ones work the best in your family. Ideally, you can use all of these methods in conjunction with one another to create a strong foundation of support for your kids. The most important part is that you’re putting in the effort to support your child’s mental health, and from there, you can do amazing things. Here are a few ways you can get started.
1. Engage In Play Together
Especially when it comes to younger children, engaging in play is one of the best ways to improve mood, disposition, mental health, and happiness. Not to mention, this often has great physical health benefits, too. Childhood is the best time to really engage with imagination and play, and helping your child develop that can be a fun and natural way to support their mental health.
2. Foster Support Systems
It takes a village to raise a child, and while you may be the mayor of that village, you can’t populate it all on your own. One of the best ways to support your child’s mental health is to start building the support system you want to give them as soon as possible. There’s nothing like being surrounded by people who love and support you.
3. Pay Attention to Their Interests
Another great way to support your child’s mental health is to truly get invested in the things that make them happy. Whether they love sports, arts, or school, taking an interest in their passions can let them know that you care about them and that their thoughts and feelings are valuable.
4. Reduce Stress In Your House
Kids are experiencing more and more stress nowadays, and that can impact their mental health — especially while they’re still developing. While activities like spending time in nature and engaging in physical activities can reduce and manage existing stress, you should also make sure that the stress isn’t coming from inside your own home. Not putting too much pressure on your kids is crucial, especially in times like these.
5. Check In Regularly
While knowing that they can come to you with anything is an important fixture of any healthy household, sometimes they need you to come to them, and that’s okay. You won’t always know when your kids need you to come to them with help, so checking in and genuinely asking how they’re doing regularly can go a long way, even just in reminding them that they’re supported and loved.
6. Respect Their Boundaries
This often comes into play with older kids, but it can start the moment you have children. All people have boundaries, from aspects of life like physical touch to topics of conversation. Learning to set boundaries is an important skill to develop in order to grow into healthy adult life. When your child expresses a boundary, try your best to respect it, just like you would a friend or family member.
7. … But, Protect Them When You Need to
Respecting your child’s boundaries, however, doesn’t mean letting them do whatever they want in the name of mental health. Even with their own autonomy, they are still children, and that means it’s your job to protect them from harm — mental, physical and emotional. Whether your teenager is starting to date and you need to put some boundaries in place or your middle schooler doesn’t want a bedtime, protecting your child is one of the most important ways to keep them safe both mentally and physically.
8. Support Your Own Mental Health
This one is easier said than done, but it must be said. In order to show up for others who need you as your very best self, you need to take care of yourself. It can be hard sometimes with kiddos who depend on you, but you deserve care, too.
How to Support Your Children’s Mental Health
From the time that your kids are small, you want to love and protect them, and one of the best ways to do that is to ensure that they’re healthy both inside and out. From checking in regularly to engaging in play, there are so many ways to support mental health in your family. Do you use any of these techniques already?