Wellbeing

How can we improve and support children’s wellbeing?

Children’s wellbeing is a combination of their physical, mental, emotional and social health. These elements all contribute to overall wellbeing, and it’s important for parents, carers and educators to foster positive wellbeing in our children from an early age. Because a range of different elements contribute to children’s wellbeing, there are also lots of ways that we can help support their wellbeing. Being a good role model for them and teaching them to improve their wellbeing are some of the most effective ways to help foster a positive attitude towards mental health and wellbeing in your child.

Physical activity. Exercise is an essential part of staying healthy in both mind and body for everyone, and especially for children. Exercise encourages a positive mood and is a brilliant way to release stress. Help children get outside into the fresh air after a day of sitting, thinking and learning. You can either encourage them to play a sport or even just get out and play.

Technology time. Because there is so much technology available to children these days, it’s more important than ever to limit the time they spend looking at screens. Ideally, children should be restricted to a maximum of 2 hours of technology-time per day. Setting clear and consistent guidelines from an early age makes it easier to reinforce these limits and create good habits later in life.

Positive relationships. Developing positive relationships with others is very important for children’s wellbeing. The benefits from spending time with friends and family are that they learn to share, compromise, and listen, as well as developing conflict resolution skills.

Sleep. Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep! It’s an important part of maintaining good mental and physical wellbeing. Ensuring your child gets enough sleep each night is one of the most important practises you can develop as a parent. For younger kids, start by establishing a nighttime routine, like having a bath, reading a story or listening to quiet music.

Build resilience. This is one of the most important qualities to develop in children. The ability to learn from mistakes and accept feedback, be persistent and not give up easily will help maintain a positive wellbeing. This can help kids bounce back and move past mistakes and problems, and develop a growth Mindset.

Growth Mindset

Someone with a growth mindset will bounce back after setbacks, be resilient, and have a love of learning. Someone with a fixed mindset may give up when problems arise or simply not try because they don’t believe they have the ability.Developing a growth mindset is something that is important to almost everyone, especially children because it will help them to become more persistent in their work and hobbies. When children have a growth mindset rather than giving up, they are more likely to try something new.

Children who have a fixed mindset instead of a growth mindset may struggle more to reach their full potential because they struggle to adapt when life gets tough. For example, these children are more likely to make comments like “I’ll never be able to spell,” after a bad test result.

There are lots of ways to help your children to develop a growth mindset.

Contact Strong Young Mindz if you would like us to work with your child.