Supporting my kids mental health is something that has been weighing on me lately. I mean…are they happy? Do they have enough friends? Can they process and articulate emotions? Do they use unhealthy coping skills? I have questions.
Are you like me? Just out here hoping and praying with crossed fingers that the kids are alright? To help myself (and all of you) I am sharing some tips from yoga master and youth counselor,, Indra Singh.
She just released her new book “My Best Friend’s a Superhero.” She writes from the experience of struggling with her mental health as a child. But for the last 25 years, she’s been on the other side, helping children and teens better their emotional health. She gave me some really specific, actionable tips for parents like me trying to support children’s mental health.
Between the pandemic and a very high suicide rate among teenagers, Indra says it’s especially important to support your kids right now.
5 Tips For Supporting Kids Mental Health
1. Give them your time.
More than anything else in the world, kids just want to spend quality time with their parents. They want to feel wanted, listened to and given your full attention. It’s not about money or gifts. Take a few days and make it all about you and your kids. What you do is irrelevant. Just be together and connect with each other.
2. Validate them
Many kids, especially teenagers, often feel like they are constantly being knocked down from teachers, peers, coaches and even parents. Take some time to boost your child’s self-esteem and validate them. Use supportive phrases like “I hear you,” “I’m so happy you’re part of our family” and “You are so special to me” to really help lift them up. Try to affirm who they are rather than what they do.
Is it time to see a therapist? Check out the signs you may need the help.
3. Say NO to FOMO.
So many kids struggle with the fear of missing out or FOMO. That gets magnified when their friends or strangers share pictures of their well-curated Instagram life.
You can support your children’s mental healthy by helping them appreciate everything they have. Encourage them to be grateful for the blessings they have that they might overlook. Also, talk to kids about how social media photos are just a snapshot of someone’s life and they are often staged and filtered to death.
4. Help them be their own best friend.
The most important skill parents can teach their kids is the ability to look inward. Instead of looking to outside sources for comfort, teach your kids to turn inward and make themselves feel better. Self-soothing is not just something babies need to practice. We all do! This is a skill children can carry with them for the rest of their lives to improve their emotional health.
5. Don’t take life too seriously.
Kids have had so much extra stress to deal with during this pandemic, so make sure you find time for fun too. The best way to do that is through laughter. Watch a lighthearted comedy. Tell jokes. Dance. Tickle.
You can even try laughter yoga, which involves prolonged voluntary laughter. When done in groups, it’s contagious and everyone has a great time. It helps boost the natural “feel good” chemicals in the brain.
BOTTOM LINE: Be aware. Be supportive.
Parents, we need to know that these aren’t normal times. Our kids are living through unprecedented times. You can support your children’s mental health simply by understanding life is tough right now. Also, make sure you’re prioritizing your own mental health too. Be well, friends!
