As a busy adult with numerous responsibilities, you know how essential self-care is to your physical and mental health. However, you may not be the only one in your household trying to keep it all together. According to the American Psychological Association, kids and teens are more stimulated, stressed, and depressed than any other age group. As a parent, it’s important that you teach your children the value of self-care and how to implement an effective personal routine.
Nurture Self-Awareness and Emotional Expression
Young people are under a lot of pressure from parents, educators, peers, and media influences to conform and perform at a high level. While it’s valuable for your children to have hobbies and recreational activities in addition to school and household responsibilities, it’s also important that they can recognize and express when they feel overwhelmed. Talking to your kids about their feelings and encouraging them to tell you when they need a break will help them form emotional intelligence and a healthy mindset they can carry into adulthood.
Help Your Kids Find an Outlet
Many people think of self-care as a weekly massage, bubble bath, or an hour-long nap, but it doesn’t have to be still, quiet activities every time. Your child’s self-care preference may be playing the drums, creating art, or playing video games.
If you recognize your children diving deep into digital technology and social media, you can nurture that interest in a productive way as well. Perhaps they would be interested in learning code writing or video editing as a self-paced activity. Regardless of the hobby they choose, the important thing is that it helps them feel confident and recharged.
Practice What You Preach
You can talk to your kids about rest, relaxation, and mindfulness, but unless they see you doing it too, they won’t understand the importance. You can help yourself and your kids with a self-care routine that implements tools and techniques to make all your lives a little easier. Consider including your children in your own relaxation practice, whether that’s going for a walk, reading a book, or sipping on your favorite specialty coffee drink as you meander through the aisles of your favorite big-box department store.
If you work from home, it can be tough to maintain a work-life balance and practice self-care, but establishing ground rules and creating a schedule that the whole family respects can help reduce stress in your home. When your young family members witness how you prioritize your health and cope with mental strain, they will be able to replicate your behavior for themselves.
Reinforce Healthy Habits
Sometimes, overcoming a difficult period in life means getting back to the basics of a healthy routine. Before sending your stressed-out children on a journey of self-discovery, make sure they are practicing good hygiene, eating healthy, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sleep. Young people have an extraordinary amount of energy to expel, so you should encourage them to exercise every day and give them the freedom to do so. Additionally, teach them about nutrition and how the quality of fuel they put into their bodies affects their wellness as well as their mood.
When your kids understand how to practice self-care and why it is necessary, they will be healthy, happy, and well-adjusted as they grow and interact with the world.
Written and contributed by Anya Willis at anya@fitkids.info
