Today, more than ever, children are prone to depression and anxiety. Whether it’s unforgiving modern society, excessive obligations, or something else, there are various negative stimuli that affect kids’ brains.
What’s worse, most children don’t have the proper mechanisms to fight off stress. They succumb to depression seemingly overnight, losing all sense of direction in life. In these situations, parents have to step into the role of mentors, helping their children as they navigate all this hardship.
In this article, we’ll talk about the best practices for developing kids’ mental resilience. Most of these methods are used from the youngest age, but you can also implement them for teens.
Create Healthy Environment
Parents often forget that their actions have a direct impact on children’s mental health. Divorce, abuse, or simply not being there has a profound effect on youngsters’ development. Because of that, if you wish to help your child, you should start by helping yourself.
Not only should you introduce a healthy, supportive environment, but you should also lead by example. Children learn to deal with stressful situations by watching their family. If you’re too nervous, quick to yell, or always in a bad mood, there’s a good chance your kids will adopt these behavioral patterns.
With that in mind, make sure to seek assistance if you’re under the weather. Many parents do the wrong thing of chasing after money, leaving them drained when they come home. So, you might also consider getting an easier job to protect yourself and your family.
Build Trust
If you’re looking for ways how to help your anxious teen, you should start by building trust. To do so, create a sense of security and safety in them. Take care of all their physical and mental needs as they appear while also maintaining authority.
Finding the right balance between supporting your child and spoiling them is the hardest thing. You need to be very critical regarding your teen’s actual needs and things that are a product of their whim. The last thing you need is to raise a kid who’s unable to take on any responsibility or feels entitled.
Another fantastic method for building trust is keeping your word. Kids are susceptible to betrayal. They will perceive your every word as a promise and will be disappointed if you don’t manage to keep it. Consistency and honesty are vital for solid relationship as it demonstrates you love your child and put them above everything else.
Introduce Healthy Habits
Physical and mental health go hand in hand. It’s tough for your youngster to have a positive self-image if they’re too lazy, complacent, inactive, tired, or don’t do the same things other kids do. Because of that, you need to teach them how to sleep properly, introduce regular exercises, and feed them the right food.
All these lessons transfer deep into adulthood. For example, a child who sleeps early and is left alone to recharge is bound to have more energy and become more productive. Healthy habits develop routine and discipline and are vital for healthy adulthood.
Use Stress Management
As they age, many children try to avoid stress as much as possible. They go out of their way to eliminate anything that could be mildly discomforting. This is why there are so many divorces and job switching.
Although you shouldn’t rush into things detrimental to your mental health, you also shouldn’t be scared of suffering some stress. Parents have to teach their young ones how to deal with these situations without getting burned out.
First and most important, you need to teach them things won’t always go their way. They have to understand defeat is a normal part of life and is, in fact, something that builds us up. You should also teach them to confide in others, cry when fatigued, and relax without being auto-destructive.
Work on Self-Esteem
People with high self-esteem usually live better lives and have healthier relationships. They excel at work, school, and sports and don’t crack under pressure as fast.
To increase a child’s self-respect, you have to provide them with support. Praise them when they do things the right way, but don’t go overboard as they might become arrogant. On the other hand, criticize them when they make a mess.
Whenever they lose confidence, ask them tough questions. For example, if they say they won’t be good at sports, challenge them and give them a counterargument. Another good trick for building self-esteem is by providing enough independence for a child to make their own choices and mistakes.
Last Thoughts
If you want to build your child’s mental resilience, you have to find a middle ground between being absent and helicopter parenting. Going to either extreme is detrimental to a youngster’s development, leading to all sorts of unwanted effects. Perhaps the best rule is being realistic. Instill confidence while also criticizing when necessary. Provide independence but set boundaries. By steering kids in the right direction, they will quickly grow into responsible adults who can tackle any issue and endure stress without breaking.
