Parents focus on the overall growth of the child for a healthy life. Every parent tries to do their best to make sure that their child receives every nutrient for his or her proper growth. But do you know not just the physical health, mental health is equally important for kids. As a parent, you must focus on both physical and mental health of your child equally. You might be confused about how to help your child grow emotionally? Read on to know some tips which will help you improve the mental health of your children.
Teaching ‘language of feelings’
In order to improve your child’s mental health, teach them to recognize what they feel and the way to express their feelings in words. It is observed that kids usually start hiding their feelings or feel afraid of expressing them in front of you because of your actions. Teach that actions might be bad but not the feelings or emotions behind those actions. When you teach them the language of feelings they will come to you for a solution and that will improve the bond between you two. This will help them grow emotionally strong and increase social skills.
Support their creativity
It is important to help your children in learning about their emotions and relationship. Children are different from one another and it becomes your job to find out what is best for them individually. There is nothing better than creativity to express and learn personally. Play, photography, music, and acting, games, sports, art, writing, dance, horticulture, or role-playing situations are great ways of helping your little ones learn to cope with difficult feelings and relationships.
Fit yourself in their shoes
To create a strong bond of trust, make sure you understand their point of view and they react accordingly. Listen to your kid, what they actually want to say before giving any advice or getting angry. During this point, they are not as emotionally strong as you are. They can have different thoughts. So, to avoid their defensive reaction, hear out your child’s viewpoint. Kids who grow up with their feelings have fewer chances to struggle in the future.
A mixture of strength and struggle is normal
Struggling is part of a journey towards success and there is no shame in struggling. Make your kids under that every person goes through times of strength and times of struggle. It is difficult for kids to work on something which they found hard but you need to help your children balance the amount of time in which they should focus on what is hard for them to learn and what are their natural skills and passions. Let your kids do what they love and that is the only secret to helping them grow self-esteem.
Break that cycle
As you know children are like mirrors, they reflect back what they see in their surroundings. Many kids are raised up being ashamed of their feelings and always asked to shut down. As they become grown-up adults they tried to ignore them in order to get over tough times. But unintentionally, some parents pass it on to their children. Don’t make them feel ashamed of their feelings and teach them that being upset or having tough feelings are normal.
