Kids are busy these days. School, household chores, extracurricular activities, and spending time with friends take a lot of time and energy. Not to mention the additional pressures that come with social media and technology. Without balance, even kids can become overly stressed and burned out!
That's why it's so important to be a self-care role model for your child while also finding activities that can help them unwind, reset, and prepare for what life brings. Let's talk about some practical ways you can help your child develop a healthy self-care routine:
Practice It Yourself
While children certainly have their own, innate personalities, they also pick up certain character traits and habits based on the role models in their life. If you preach good eating habits but only eat junk food, they will likely end up eating the same. To ensure your child builds strong self-care routines, build those of your own.
Start with ensuring you're eating healthy, balanced meals full of proteins, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and good fats. Incorporate regular exercise into your daily schedule — all the better if you can include your child in your fitness routine. And try the following:
● Picking up relaxing hobbies that don't include screen time.
● Turn off all electronics during family bonding times.
● Getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night.
● Taking days off for mental and physical relaxation.
Boost Your Home's Atmosphere
The home is an outward reflection of you and your family. A tidy home can set the tone for your day, week, and month. If you go into a room and feel overwhelmed by clutter and disorganization, your children likely will feel the same emotional stress.
Take the time to assess your surroundings and the atmosphere. Get the whole family involved on a purge day; go room by room, choosing what to keep, donate, or toss if it feels crowded.
Once your house is clutter-free, organize everything. This could mean adding new vertical storage or moving furniture around. Whatever systems and structures will make life easier and cleaner for your family, it is the right action plan. As you are decluttering, rearranging, and organizing, do a thorough and deep clean of every part of your home.
If the atmosphere in your home needs a shift, here are some other things you can do to transform it into a peaceful, cheerful oasis:
● Add extra lighting.
● Hang more mirrors to reflect natural light.
● Open windows to let fresh air in.
● Play tranquil music throughout the day.
● Diffuse lavender or wild orange.
Try Yoga
If you can integrate yoga into your child's habits, they will reap the benefits for years to come. Not only is yoga excellent for physical stretching, balance, and strengthening, but it also helps children regulate their emotions and anxiety while improving concentration and self-discipline. Many YouTube channels (e.g., Cosmic Kids Yoga, KidsYogaStories, Yoga with Adrian, etc.) guide viewers through yoga poses in a kid-friendly way.
Establish a Weekly Family Movie Night
Building bonds with loved ones is vital for self-care. To fill your child's love tank, plan a weekly movie night that all family members can look forward to.
Whether you watch new or old movies, make it an event. You can either cuddle on the couch or put pillows and blankets on the floor, grab your favorite snacks or sweet treats, and enjoy sparking your imagination and quality time together.
Encourage Puzzling
There is ample scientific evidence for puzzles' benefits on the brain. Whether it is Sudoku, jigsaws, crosswords, or any number of other puzzles, encourage your child to foster a love for puzzles now so that they can reap the benefits as they age. If they stick with it, they could gain cognitive and emotional benefits (i.e., lower stress levels and better mood)!
Self-care is required for all people to live a balanced and healthy life. Teach your child what they can do to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The ideas above are a great place to start, but also consider your child's specific interest and keep trying new things that inspire their rest, health, creativity, and joy!
This article was written for KMFW by Anya Willis of FitKids.info