Mental Fitness and Children

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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:

Listen to and respect your child
Praise your child often for good behavior
Have play dates with children around the same age
Provide time for physical activity, play and family time
Be consistent: set limits
Morning and bedtime routines are important
Model behaviors that you want to see in your child
Teach your child that it is ok to be mad but never ok to hit or destroy objects
Give choices when your child is oppositional (would you like me to carry you to bed or wouldyou like to walk)
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