Tips to Help Improve your Child’s Mental Health & Emotional Well-Being

Parents play an important role in the healthy development of their children. In today’s world, there is a big focus on mental health and supporting children to boost their self-esteem and self-confidence, but the amount of information at our fingertips can be very overwhelming. The Zebra Centre has put together a few tips for parents to help identify when their child may be struggling, respond to their child’s behaviour and promote their child’s emotional well-being.   

How can I tell if my child is struggling?

Many children who are struggling will express themselves with behaviours that are different from their “normal”. Some of these behaviour changes could look like: 

• Negative talk about themselves, blaming themselves for things beyond their control

• Difficulty concentrating

• Increased feelings of worry, guilt, fear, irritability, sadness, anger, helplessness, loneliness and rejection

• Loss of interest in activities they enjoy

• Changes in school performance

• Overreacting or sudden outbursts of anger or tears

• Changes in appetite and sleep patterns

• Difficulty relaxing and sleeping

Every child is different and will express themselves in a different way. As parents, it is important to pay attention to your child’s behaviour. When you notice a change, talk to you children about what might be going on instead of reacting to the behaviour. This will help yourself and your child separate their feelings from their behaviour. These conversations can help teach children to work through their negative feelings and problem solve in the future. As one article states, “Feelings are like important road signs if we understand them and listen to them, they can teach us where to go next and what to look for,” (7 tips to improve your child’s mental health and emotional well-being).

How do I start building healthy emotional well-being?

Whether you believe it or not, you have a lot of power in helping your child develop healthy emotional well-being as a parent. Here are a few tips that you can incorporate into your parenting routine:

• Encourage, don’t discourage

As a parent, it is likely that you have a vision of what you would like your child’s future to be. However, this vision may be different from what your child wants for themselves. It is important to encourage your child to be true to themselves, even if it is different from what you had hoped for. Pay attention to your child’s interests and allow them to try new things. Your child’s journey is complex and it is important to empower your child to make decisions and explore who they are. As a parent, your unconditional acceptance means a lot to your child. 

• Provide an emotionally and physically safe place for your child to grow

Creating a place where your child feels safe emotionally and physically is important. Disciplining with respect and not shame, normalizing feelings by talking about them, and demonstrating patience are a few strategies to consider. In today’s world, parents should set healthy boundaries with children, especially around internet safety. Explaining why a boundary is in place and including your child in the decision-making process can demonstrate to your child that their voice is important.

• Model the behaviour you want to see

Kids pick up and model the behaviours they learn from the people around them. Parents can teach children healthy patterns by modelling the behaviours they want to see. For example: openly sharing feelings, practicing self-care, treating others with respect, disengaging from technology and using body-positive language, etc.  

• Stop and think before you react

Before reacting to a child’s behaviour, it is important to stop and think through your response. Instead of disciplining with shame, use respect. Instead of yelling and nagging, see the situation as a teaching opportunity. Again, model how you would like your child to manage conflict in their own lives. 

Making changes can be challenging, however, helping your child improve their emotional wellbeing is worth it! For more information, check out the resources below. 

Check out this great resource activity booklet by Jennifer Jorgensen, Recreation Therapist, CTRS. Thank you, Jennifer, for sharing!

Resources:

https://parentswithconfidence.com/everyday-ways-to-nourish-a-childs-mental-health/

https://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/mental_health

https://www.carizon.ca/7-tips-improve-childs-mental-health-emotional-well/

Resources to Report Child Abuse:

Edmonton Police Service: 780-423-4567

RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police): Your local detachment

Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-387-5437

Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or Text CONNECT to 686868

Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-8477

Online exploitation tip line: cybertip.ca

Submission by Zebra Child Protection Centre