How to Support a Child’s Mental Health
A child’s mental health is often not considered, especially with very young children. In reality, though, children of all ages can struggle with mental health issues. According to the CDC, 1 in 6 children aged 2-8 years has a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder (17.4%). ADHD, depression, and anxiety are common areas of concern seen in children aged 3-17 years. With proper knowledge, we can learn how to support a child’s mental health.
What Does Positive Mental Health Look Like?
Learning and implementing effective coping skills for challenging behaviors influences positive mental health. Having a toolbox of coping skills can help your child function better at home and at school. Children with positive mental health can tackle problems without becoming overwhelmed. They are also good communicators who can state how they feel and why. Of course, there will be times when a child with good mental health struggles. Having positive mental health most of the time is the goal.
Mental Health Warning Signs
Children can show warning signs they may be struggling with their mental health. One common sign is major changes in mood or personality. Children may experience mood swings. They may feel anxious, scared, or sad. Feelings like these that last more than two weeks should be concerning. Having a hard time concentrating and feeling overwhelmed are also warning signs. Risky behaviors are another warning sign. Fighting or using substances are some examples of risky behaviors.
Ways to Help Support Children’s Mental Health.
The good news is there are ways we can help support or prevent mental illness in our children. Here are five ways we can help support our child’s mental health.
Model Coping Skills
Coping skills can help your child better regulate their feelings. You can help your child use coping skills through modeling. When you practice coping skills, your child will be more likely to. Your child can also see how coping skills work for you, making them more motivated to try. Deep breathing and grounding techniques are coping skills that work for all ages. Play and art are great outlets for younger children. Play is a child’s natural form of communication. When a child plays or engages in art, they are better able to express themselves. Spending quality time with your child can better your relationship with them. This would make them more likely to open up to you about their concerns. Strong communication is great for any relationship.
Create a Routine
Uncertainty about a schedule can cause stress and anxiety for a child. Making a routine can create more predictability and structure in your child’s life. Can you imagine the last time you had an unpredictable day? Was it filled with stress, anxiety, and uncertainty? Did you feel overwhelmed and out of control? Our children can feel the same or worse. As we grow older, we learn ways to manage the unpredictability of life. Children, though, often lack the skills and experiences to do so.
Give Positive Feedback
Like adults, children feel happy knowing they did something well. This can increase feelings of confidence and pride in oneself. It can also help a child develop positive self-esteem. Frequent positive feedback encourages children to repeat desirable behaviors. It’s easy for us to constantly criticize and correct our child’s mistakes. It is equally as important for us to recognize their strengths and successes, though.
Talk About Feelings
Like with coping skills, children can model emotional expression. Try to openly discuss different emotions you have felt throughout the day. Doing so can increase a child’s emotional vocabulary. It also validates their experiences and feelings. It also helps your child feel seen and heard. Try using the format: ”I feel ___ because ___”. This will help your child identify what they are feeling and why.
Let Your Child Make Choices
Children are often left out of the decision-making process. They expect to be told what to do or what will be done. They are also expected to follow along without disputing. Letting your child help make decisions can make them feel like their opinion matters. Decisions you can let your child be a part of could be small, like what show or movie to watch.
Noticing a Change in Your Child
The best thing we can do as parents is notice when our children are not presenting normal behaviors. Keeping frequent communication with our kids can help us notice warning signs early. When we catch warning signs early, we can intervene quicker. This can help prevent undesired behaviors from progressing to something more serious. Supporting our children emotionally can help them for years to come.
About the Author:
Brandy Chapman is a counseling intern studying to receive her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Brandy specializes in providing services to children and adolescents and has a special interest in play therapy. Play therapy utilizes play, a child’s natural form of communication, to help children express and process difficult experiences and emotions to live happier, more fulfilling lives.
Other Services Offered at Be Inspired:
Child therapy isn’t the only service provided at our Alexandria, LA and Natchitoches, LA locations. We also offer online therapy, trauma therapy, grief counseling, and anxiety treatment. In addition, we also offer child counseling and teen counseling. Feel free to visit our consulting services, FAQ, or blog pages for helpful info!
