Mental Fitness and Children

Taking care of our mental health is just as important as having a healthy body. As a parent, you play an important role in your child’s mental health.

Stress in children shows up in many different ways:

• Headaches
• Tummy aches
•  Seem sad, panicky or get angry more easily
•  May start fights
• May cry and whine a lot, especially in children who cannot talk yet
• Have trouble sleeping
• Find it hard to relax
•  Find it difficult to eat
• Show stress by behaving badly
• Refuse to go to daycare or school
•  Some children won’t show their stress

Here are 10 tips for parents to promote positive mental health in children:

1. Listen to and respect your child
2. Praise your child often for good behavior
3. Have play dates with children around the same age
4. Provide time for physical activity, play and family time
5. Be consistent: set limits
6. Morning and bedtime routines are important
7. Model behaviors that you want to see in your child
8. Teach your child that it is ok to be mad but never ok to hit or destroy objects
9. Give choices when your child is oppositional (would you like me to carry you to bed or wouldyou like to walk)
10. Screen time is not recommended for children younger than 2 years of age. Limit screen time to no more than 2 hours a day for children 2 years and older

Did you know…

Staying mentally healthy is like staying physically fit—it requires effort!

Tips provided by Public Health – View PDF with link below

Public Health Tips Daycare- May 2017

For more info, visit:

http://pathwaystoinclusion.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Tips-to-Promote-Positive-Mental-Health.pdf

http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/mental-fitness-tips/ http://mentalhealthweek.ca/toolkits/

http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/mental_health