Raising happy kids: Every parent should know these tips to take care of children’s mental health

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, psychologist and founder of Mindgrafts, Gina Girilal, shared a list of tips to take care of children’s mental health –

Listen without judgement,

• Provide an open and safe environment where your child feels free to share whatever is on his heart and mind.

Be attentive and listen actively,

• Pay attention to your child’s verbal and non-verbal cues; this will help you recognise any changes in behaviour or mood that may indicate a mental health problem.

Validate their feelings,

• Reassure your child that their feelings are important and genuine, even if you disagree. This makes them feel heard and understood.

teaching healthy coping mechanisms,

• Help your child learn different and very healthy ways to deal with stress and difficult emotions. This could include exercise, some relaxation techniques, or being out in nature. Keep an eye on their media consumption. In fact, the content a child watches online or on the media impacts their mental health to a great extent.

Encourage social interaction,

• Help him learn to develop and maintain healthy friendships and relationships with his peers and family members.

Seek professional help,

• If you have concerns about your child’s mental health, do not hesitate to consult a psychiatrist, counselor, or psychiatrist.

In a list of tips, Grace Reas, whole brain development expert and founder of Genius Nurturer, suggests:

1. Build emotional intelligence:

Welcome all emotions, build awareness – talk/read about different emotions, encourage healthy expression of emotions – words, art, etc.

2. Encourage open communication:

Listen actively without judging. Share your weaknesses and strengths to gain trust and openness.

3. Develop a positive self image:

Celebrate strengths, provide specific encouragement focused on efforts and skills rather than general praise/consequences, use positive statements to reinforce your child’s worth.

4. Limit screen time:

Quality and quantity matter. Replace random viewing habits with carefully considered high quality content that promotes learning. (Too much (random) screen viewing leads to reduced social interactions, decreased physical activity, reduced attention span, desensitization etc.)

5. Model healthy coping strategies:

Monkey sees, monkey does. Adopt healthy ways to deal with stress and emotions – meditation, deep breathing, etc.