One can never understand how big a parent’s responsibility can be until you become one. Raising a child is not limited to providing them with their basic needs. It is also your duty to ensure your child is happy, healthy, and loved. But among the responsibilities you have to take, keeping a child mentally healthy proves to be the hardest one to achieve.
Did you know that one out of 10 children has mental health problems? This is usually because parents failed to help their kids develop resilience, a sense of responsibility as well as confidence and courage. The good news is, you can avoid this with the help of the following strategies.
Show them how to love and take good care of themselves
One of the first few lessons you can teach kids is to prioritize self-care and self-love. This way, they will get to love themselves for who they are. They will learn that one day, they need to step up and be the ones to take care of themselves, make decisions on their own, and accept this huge responsibility.
Teach them the importance of eating healthy meals on time, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest and sleep. Show them how to clean themselves, clean up after their own mess, and how to talk nicely to themselves. Exhibit self-care by dressing comfortably, fixing your hair with a rolling hair styler whenever you feel like it, and engaging in hobbies during your free time. Let them know that there is nothing wrong with indulging in things that makes them feel happy and look good.
Allow kids to make mistakes
Many parents these days don’t allow their children to make mistakes. They are always trying to rescue their kids to save them from feeling bad or getting hurt. This is not to say that you should simply leave your kids unattended. Let them make and learn from their mistakes when it is safe to do so.
In life, everyone is bound to make mistakes. It can happen to everyone. Let them learn from their mistakes. Teach them to make better decisions next time, so they won’t have to make the same mistakes. Discipline them with natural consequences and make them experience the repercussions of their actions. This will help them realize that every decision they make will have corresponding consequences.
Value your kid’s opinion
Your kids may be too young to make big decisions on their own. But sooner or later, they will develop their own personality and have their own preferences. Giving them the power to make decisions early on can help them become good decision-makers in the future. Just make sure you draw boundaries and that you make it clear you are still the leader and main decision-maker of the family.
Help kids develop good decision-making skills by asking them relevant questions. Ask them what motivates them to want to do something. Ask their options are and what can possibly happen if they chose one option instead of the other. Be ready to be their mentor and to guide them along the way.
Raising mentally healthy kids is never easy. Even adults are sometimes having a hard time being mentally strong. But doing what you can to help them develop mental strength will do your kids good in the future. They will learn to be responsible adults, be ready to bounce back after failure, and learn to deal with whatever life has to throw to them in the future.
