Promoting Positive Mental Health in Children

Children's Mental health is the way children think and feel about themselves and the world around them. It affects how children cope with life’s challenges and stresses. When children do not know how to cope with their emotions, this can manifest as behavior problems.

According to Mental Health America(MHA) (2017) Statistics, the children aged 11-17 who took their screening, reported that they often

• feel irritable or angry (55%)
• worry a lot (69%)
• feel sad or unhappy (68%)
• do not show their feelings (45%).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “10-20% of children and adolescents experience mental disorders.” WHO offers a few other insights to consider.

• 50% of all mental illnesses begin by age 14.
• 75% occur by the mid-20s

As a parent, you can help promote mental well-being as loving relationships are key to children’s mental health. 

• Tell your child that you love them, no matter what.

MOMS TIP - Daily good-morning hug and goodnight kiss work wonder.

• Use a Constructive Parenting Style. Use a positive, constructive, and consistent approach to guide your child’s behavior. 

MOMS TIP- Praise if they do something good, Pinpoint If they do something unethical.

• Make time to converse with your child. Talking and listening will make your bond stronger hence you can know their mental state.

MOMS TIP - Start sharing details of your day with them to develop the same habit among them.

• Enjoy time with your child doing activities. This could be reading together, kicking a ball, drawing, playing board games, and so on.

MOMS TIP - Plan a Family day once a week, where there would be no gadgets, only members and their chit-chat or old-fashioned board games and picnic.

• Encourage your child to connect with others in the community. The more they socialize, the more they learn to adjust and cooperate with others.

MOMS TIP - Help them to deal with other people, don't solve their problems, let them handle to make them independent.

• Role-model a positive outlook for your child.  Adopt a positive method of solving family issues to inculcate such habits for life.

MOMS TIP - Set an example of handling failure in life. It's okay if things don't go just like they imagined.

• Help your child learn how to solve problems. Make them independent and see a difference in their self esteem.

MOMS TIP - Encourage talking to solve any misunderstanding or any issue instead of staying quiet and building up frustration.

• Help your child stay physically fit and well. Mental health is directly related to Physical Health

MOMS TIP - Practise healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and a healthy sleep routine with them to help them to improve their mental well-being.

Good mental health is an important part of healthy child development. It helps children build positive social, emotional, behavioral, thinking, and communication skills. It also lays the foundation for better mental health and well-being later in life.

Children with good mental health

• feel loved, safe, and secure in their environments.
• feel satisfied and happy about themselves.
• enjoy life, learn well, and gel in easily with their family and friends.
• can manage their emotions, like sadness, anger frustration.

LOVE AND SUPPORT ALWAYS..!!