By Jenna Sherman
The pace at which we tackle life nowadays is showing no signs of slowing down. And this is certainly no different for our children. That's why it's so important to pass on the value of self-care to our children, in the hopes that they would always put their mental and physical health first in a world that is non-stop busy. Writer and Mom, Jenna Sherman, on behalf of Children’s Craniofacial Association shares a few things you can encourage them to do to feel better when things start to feel overwhelming.
Teach Them Healthy Life Skills
While this may seem more like common sense than practical life lessons, teaching your kids the basics of taking care of themselves from hygiene to eating healthily to taking pride in their appearance, you're empowering them to take control of their lives. As far as self-care goes, these are the fundamental skills they will need to grow up healthy and happy.
This all starts at home, so be sure you’re doing all you can to make your living space conducive to a warm and welcoming environment. Signs that negativity has made its home in your own home include excessive complaining and family members playing the blame game. Take a few simple measures to replace the negative vibes with positive ones, such as decluttering, doing a deep clean throughout the house, and even using an oil diffuser emitted calming aromas like lavender.
This all starts at home, so be sure you’re doing all you can to make your living space conducive to a warm and welcoming environment. Signs that negativity has made its home in your own home include excessive complaining and family members playing the blame game. Take a few simple measures to replace the negative vibes with positive ones, such as decluttering, doing a deep clean throughout the house, and even using an oil diffuser emitted calming aromas like lavender.
Talking through their feelings with them
One of the ways in which you can instill the importance of self-care in your children is to encourage them to open up about their feelings even at a young age. Moreover, Educational Playcare notes that talking through their emotions with you or another trusted adult can teach them invaluable skills about how to manage their feelings and come to terms with what they are feeling so that they learn how to react appropriately and in a healthy manner.
Motivate Them To Exercise
Exercise plays a critical role in our overall health and is a vital element of self-care no matter your age. For growing children, exercise is essential not only for their physical health but for their mental health too. Furthermore, if you want to encourage them to exercise more, then why not consider finding an exercise regime that you do together, even if it's just a daily walk or jog in your neighborhood? This is part of prioritizing your relationship with your kids by carving out time to build new experiences and memories.
Practice The Art Of Gratitude
There is so much competition and comparison nowadays that children are feeling more pressure than ever to live up to a certain perceived standard. This could inevitably lead to feelings of frustration and disappointment when they feel that they don't quite measure up to society's standards. In this instance, Mindfulmazing points out that teaching them how to be grateful in every circumstance could be the saving grace they need to face tough situations with a positive and optimistic attitude.
Let Them Participate In A obby
Suppose your child is going through a particularly difficult and challenging time, and you can see they would benefit from some form of therapeutic outlet. Then encouraging them to participate in the arts, whether it's music, painting, or dance, can help alleviate any stress or negative emotions they may be feeling.
Leading By Example
As parents, we know that our children tend to emulate our behavior (whether positive or negative) because we are their role models. Therefore, if you want the message of self-care to ring true, then we should be living out this message for them to see. For example, if you are a parent that works from home, and you feel more stressed out than put together even on your best day, then you might need to consider putting some rules and boundaries in place so that everyone knows what is expected of them to create more cohesion within the household (which should hopefully lessen any stress and tension in the atmosphere).
In summary, self-care is important for everyone but is perhaps even more so important for impressionable young minds looking for guidance to help them navigate the growing years better. Therefore, it is up to us as parents to help them recognize why they need to prioritize their wellbeing and lead them in the way they should go so that they are better equipped to face the challenges that lie ahead.
In summary, self-care is important for everyone but is perhaps even more so important for impressionable young minds looking for guidance to help them navigate the growing years better. Therefore, it is up to us as parents to help them recognize why they need to prioritize their wellbeing and lead them in the way they should go so that they are better equipped to face the challenges that lie ahead.
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The Children’s Craniofacial Association empowers and gives hope to individuals and families affected by facial differences. Reach out today for more information! 800.535.3643
