5 Ways to Teach Self-Care for Kids
How Do You Prioritize Self-Care?
There are many things that you can do for yourself that fall inside the definition of self-care. This can be putting your emotional well-being first, taking time to diminish your stress, and working on relaxing more to maintain your health. They are all key elements that can lead to you living a happy and healthy lifestyle. In stressful situations where you prioritize self-care for yourself, you should be prioritizing self-care for kids as well.
Here are some tips on practicing self-care at home with your children:
- Talk about Emotions: While you are dealing with your own emotions, it is equally important to acknowledge your child’s as well and help them process those. You want to encourage your children always to be open about how they feel and find available times to have open discussions with them.
- Model Healthy Behavior: Your children are always watching. In how you treat yourself, children will mirror that self-care as well. From you, they can learn that self-care is essential to prioritize. This applies to kids of all ages.
- Stay Active: Make physical activity a must. Do what you can to make sure that the family and your children remain active. Don’t look at physical activity as a chore. Look at it as having positive impacts on your family’s life and emotions.
- Teach Stress Management: Learning how to deal with stress is an important skill in your self-care journey with yourself and your children. In teaching children stress management, you are teaching them how to protect their health and well-being in the future. This could stem from daily meditations, yoga, and other energy healing techniques to release any negative energy inside you.
- Give Kids Time to Relax: Make sure to promote relaxation in your children’s self-care routines. Some options could include watching a family movie, reading a book, or playing board games. The possibilities are endless for family relaxation!
Remember, while prioritizing self-care for yourself and your children, make sure that you bring it all together to support each other’s self-care journeys. Always strive as a parent to ensure your children have everything they need to support their mental and physical health. This ensures your children will be ready to take on the future.