Healthy Inside and Out

Family tips to promote children’s mental wellbeing.

We often fail to remember that our minds and bodies are connected and that when one is experiencing difficulties it can have a significant impact on the other. Having a positive mental health means that we can form strong relationships, deal with the ups and downs of life, and can encourage positive self acceptance, happiness and the desire to embrace life and try new things.

Here are 4 tips on how to engage as a family to help promote positive mental and physical wellbeing in children.

1. Relationships

Building a strong relationship with a child should help the child feel that they are in a safe, positive, home environment. If we show them love and acceptance it helps build the child’s confidence and own ability to be self aware and to have self acceptance. Children are keen observers, and you are a role model to them. Consider how you deal with difficult emotions such as stress, anger and anxiety. Do you deal with them in a positive way? Try to model good habits. Could you improve your own behaviour when addressing difficult emotions, relationships or situations? Modelling a positive mental mindset, showing a child how to solve problems, rather than just reacting negatively to them, will help them build resilience and an ability to positively address difficulties rather than being overwhelmed by them.

2. Self awareness

It is important that you make time for your child. It is very easy allow the constant demands of day to day life to distract us from taking the time to sit, listen and engage with our children. Put the phone down, ignore emails, and forget about the housework to be done, and let your child know that you are present and engage in conversation with them. Setting aside just 15 minutes a day will help your child feel more connected to you. It doesn’t need to be about their mental health, but the more you openly talk the more comfortable your child will feel when they do need to talk about something important with you.

3. Diet and exercise

It is well known that being physically active can prevent weight gain, build muscle and bone density, and cuts the risk of developing serious disease such as diabetes and cancer. Exercise is also important in promoting a positive mental health. Research suggests that active children have a positive outlook on life as it helps them build confidence and self esteem whilst at the same time reducing anxiety, stress and depression. A natural feel good chemical known as endorphins are released whilst being active and help reduce depression.

As a family think about what you can do together to be active. Go out on your bikes, let the children scoot to school, encourage active play in the garden, take a trip to the park. The most important thing is to make the activity fun, which encourages the children into being active without it being a chore, and more importantly being active together helps build positive memories and family bonds.

4. Model good behaviour

It is important that a child sees a parent taking care of themselves. Again, you are setting a good example when you highlight the importance of looking after your own mind and body, and that responsibility is down to you as an individual. Let your children see you relaxing, taking time out, exercising, participating in a hobby, maybe doing some mindfulness exercises. There is only so much that we can offer, and for us to be able to be there for our children, we need to be in a positive mental space, otherwise we can’t be fully present.