5 Mental health activities to do with your kids
Kids are different from one another. While one kid may be excelling in their respective fields, other kids may be struggling to keep up. Today’s world has a lot of competition, and this competition starts at a very young age. Mental health is a crucial aspect for kids as it decides how much they learn, how they communicate with others, and how they respond to stressful situations.
Parents must understand that the kids of the current generation have more difficulties (criticism, peer pressure) to face, and things are very different from when they were kids. Keeping an open mind will go a long way in ensuring the well-being of their kid’s mental health.
As parents, it is essential to indulge in mental health activities for kids, so that they are well prepared and can take on stress when it arises. Here are 5 activities that parents can get their kids to do to keep a tab on their mental health:
1. Journaling Kids do not express what they are feeling. If kids can't voice out how they feel, it is important to look at other means of expressing what they feel. A simple solution would be journaling. This could involve writing about what is it that happened that day, how they felt, and what they gained through that day. If kids are upset, they must write who caused it and why they think they are upset.
2. Gratitude jar A gratitude jar should be a daily practice. Kids must write down what they are grateful for every day. For example, if a friend or a teacher has done a nice thing for a kid, they need to write it down on a sheet of paper and put it inside the jar. Keeping this as a daily habit will make the kid more empathetic and will automatically show gratitude as well.
3. Breathing When kids are faced with a stressful situation, they tend to panic. If this is not treated in an early stage, it can lead to panic attacks. Kids must be taught to breathe whenever they face a stressful situation. Breathing at counted intervals will help them calm down and think more clearly. Teaching kids breathing exercises will help kids. This is because, the next time they face a stressful situation, instincts kick in, and they tell themselves to breathe in and breathe out.
4. Toys A lot of kids resort to a stress ball or a toy that they hold on to until they feel better. Kids must be shown a way out of stressful situations. Clutching to a toy will work until a certain age. Older kids would have to be taught to communicate their stress to their parents. Even a comforting hug from their near and dear family will help calm down kids. It need not necessarily be a toy or a stress ball all the time.
5. Talking Parents must communicate with their kids daily to see how their day went. They must also listen to the kids when they say that they are sad or something went wrong that day. Instead of reacting, it is important that parents first listen to the kid's rant. Once the kid has completed ranting, the parent must then communicate to the child that stuff like that happens and provide solutions if any.
The above-listed mental health activities for kids are important for several reasons. Kids who have gone through these activities from a very young age will be a lot better prepared as they enter the other stages of life. Kids learn a lot, and some situations stick with them throughout life. Parents must help the kids who have been through stressful situations instead of disregarding them.