Top Ways to Improve Your Child’s Mental Health

By-Lined Column by Tanja Spasojevic, General Manager of Ora, the Nursery of the Future

As a parent, you might be super careful in ensuring your child has access to the best school, nutritious food, timely immunisations, and more. How often, though, do you think about the importance of child’s mental health? Positive mental health can enable better self-expression for your child sand strengthen and display confidence. 

Studies suggest that a child’s mental health is just as important as their physical health, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 5 children experience a mental disorder in any given year. As a parent, you can help ensure that your child’s mental health is taken care of with a positive push. Combine the best of two worlds - traditional and futuristic ideas to serve a happy milestone in the lives of both you and your child.

Be a positive role model

One of the most important things you can do to keep your child mentally healthy is to take care of your own mental health. Kids learn by watching their parents. So, make sure you have a happy and positive outlook towards life to create a healthier environment for your child since their early years. Happy parents! Happier kids!

Be Empathetic to Your Child

The present landscape calls for a future-conscious, inspirational and ever-changing learning process in which early childhood education plays a pivotal role. During their early years, we can nurture and enrich their experience and allow them to be curious and be who they are whilst instilling in them the critical skills beneficial for their development. As such, empathize with your child every day. It not only helps them build a sense of security, but also encourages them to be more tolerant and accepting of others. This is one of the most important pillars for futuristic growth of children. In addition, empathetic children can be great future leaders, as their foundation is developed on happiness and positivity. So, ensure to promote empathy with your children to encourage good mental health.

Devote time to your child

As an adult, you might have several things to do, but make time for your child. Get yourself involved in their everyday activities and enjoy the time spent together doing things, like watching a movie or playing games that they enjoy. Also ensure that you listen to their conversations carefully. Be attentive, ask them about their friends and teachers at school to make them feel loved. Teach them about futuristic technologies to help them explore new skills and assist their physical, cognitive, and emotional growth.

Motivate and praise your child often

Who doesn’t love words of praise? Children must be praised often, since their early years. This helps them feel good about themselves. For wrong doings, avoid disrespectful phrases like naughty or lazy, and show them the right path to be mindful of their actions in the future.

Keep no expectations from your child

Every child is different. Avoid comparisons and do not make them feel like a failure when they do not do well. This not only shatters their morale, but they also feel less eager to learn. Help them realise their self-worth by discussing how to improve their performance step by step. 

Educate your child to think positively

Positive thinking can make or break a person. As a parent, you should teach your child to be optimistic when faced with difficulties. This helps to boost their self-esteem and confidence and continue to be motivated to work hard. Introduce your child in their early years to revolutionary technologies to help them embrace the world positively and encourage wonder, curiosity, and fun.

Empower your child to build meaningful friendships

Every individual needs a friend. Encourage your child to make friends, but at the same time keep an eye on the company they choose to ensure a happy and positive life for your child. The generation today are avid tech lovers so ensure that their friends share the same love for learning futuristic technologies, which when put to good use can boost creativity and performance.

Teach your child to manage stress

Even in an ideal environment, children will experience stress from time to time. Be there for them in such situations and don’t judge. Listen to them and suggest strategies that can help them cope. Show them how the use of futuristic technologies can help them lead a happy and positive life. Make them feel loved and important. This will increase their feelings of security and safety in the home and help them manage stress well. 

Encourage physical activity for your child

Physical activity is necessary for good mental health. Help your child find activities that can drain their energies in the right direction. Participating in physical activity with your child can also be a great way to get them involved and be happy always.

Children with good mental health feel loved, safe and secure. They’re kind to themselves and the world around. As parents and educators, it is important that we offer children an inspirational and ever-changing learning process in their early years. Drive positive behavior for your child with simple, yet powerful strategies, which has and will continue to make its way in the future. 

This will lay a foundation for a unique learning experience and enable your child to enjoy life, learn well and be a good human.