How to Help Your Child Discover Self Care

If you have kids, raising them to be happy and healthy adults is one of your top priorities. Instilling the value of self-care in your little ones from an early age is one helpful step you can take. Everyday Health explains that “self care” isn’t just a buzzword. When a person puts time and energy into their own wellbeing, their physical and emotional health improves. Discover how you can help teach your kids about self-care with these tips from Michael Thal.

Integrate exercise in your family routine

Exercise helps kids to grow strong and can reduce their risk of obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. It’s also great for mental health and is a valuable form of self-care. Make physical activity into a family affair. If it’s warm out, go for a walk or play a game of tag in the yard. If it’s snowy, opt for sledding or a snowball fight. These are just a few of the family-friendly types of exercise you can choose from.

Make healthy eating a habit early on

Nurturing your body with healthy food is another valuable form of self-care. Teach your kids how to cook nutritious food early on by preparing child-friendly recipes as a group.  BBC Good Food provides a list of appropriate options, like homemade pizza, apple “doughnuts,” and rice paper wraps. As your kids get older, you can delve into more complex and exotic recipes, helping them to discover new cuisines. 

Work from home? You can model self-care and healthy eating by eating nutritious snacks and staying hydrated throughout the day. You may even gain some extra energy so you can forgo that extra cup of coffee!

Emphasize the value of safety

It seems like all children go through a phase when they perceive themselves as invincible, but it’s important to help them understand the importance of safety. Safety extends beyond actions; it also means making safe choices in purchasing home items. Research products that you’re considering for your home to make sure they are safe — you can read customer reviews and testimonials to get a good idea of what you can expect. It’s important for everyone in the family to feel safe.

Teach them relaxation techniques

Kids aren’t immune to stress. From homework to problems with friends at school, children have plenty of triggers. Teaching them how to manage stress when it arises can help them stay mentally well. Look for kid-friendly relaxation techniques to engage in, like deep breathing. For smaller kids, you can explain it to them in concrete terms. For example, tell them to breathe in through their nose as if they were smelling a flower.

Of course, it’s also important to make sure that your home supports wellness practices. Remove negative energy by organizing and decluttering. It will improve your home considerably, making it a more ideal environment for self-care.

Encourage them to spend time outdoors

Research shows that spending time outdoors can help improve overall mental health. Encourage your little ones to get out into nature with kid-friendly activities. For example, you can create a scavenger hunt to look for certain animals, rocks, and leaves. Equip them with a smartwatch so they can take photos of their finds. New watches dedicated for kids have features like medical ID and GPS, which can give parents peace of mind.

Show them how to reward themselves

Part of striving for and achieving goals is rewarding yourself when you accomplish them, and you can share that experience with your child. If you are both Dodgers fans, buy some tickets to a game so you can yell “let’s go Dodgers, let’s go!” together. You can choose from hundreds of available tickets to dozens of games online. You can even preview your seats before purchase. You’re sure to find a rewarding trip to the ballgame together.

Find ways to boost their confidence

Self-care isn’t just about physical aspects. It’s just as much about the emotional side of wellbeing. You can foster confidence in your little ones and give them the self-esteem they need to thrive using positive affirmations. They don’t have to be complicated. Simple ideas include “I am loved”, “I am intelligent”, and “I am creative.” You can also help foster a sense of gratitude with affirmations like “I am thankful.”

Every parent dreams of raising their children to be vibrant, confident, healthy adults. Teaching the value of self-care while they’re young can help. Equip them with valuable lessons about health, safety, and fun from an early age. Follow the tips above to help your child see their self-worth, ensuring they will always care for themselves.

About the Columnist

Penny Martin is a huge advocate for rescue dogs. Her goal is to inform people of what to expect and how to react to their dog so that the relationship always retains love. She created fureverfriend.info to help new owners prepare themselves for new furry friends.