As we make strides towards a better tomorrow for future generations, there is a dark cloud looming over us at the same time; children’s mental health. Conditions like anxiety and depression are prevalent in children nowadays more than they ever were. 36.7% of adolescents, ages 12 -17, reportedly have persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and 15.1% have had major depressive episodes.
Stress, self-doubt, pressure to succeed, disappointment, or loss are just some of the major reasons behind bad mental health among children around the world. This was worsened during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, where there were additional 76 million cases of anxiety disorders on top of the baseline cases of 298 million.
Although as a parent or a teacher, there are multiple ways through which you can help children maintain a healthy mind. There are external factors that may be out of the control of a teacher or parent but building a nurturing and supportive environment can help minimize the effect those factors might have on the child.
Following are ways you, as a parent or a teacher, can ensure the mental well-being of children around you.
1. Praise Them Generously
Being just reprimanded for bad behaviour and never appreciated for good behaviour causes children to question themselves. It tends to give them the impression that they may never be good enough.
So, make sure you make children feel good about themselves by praising them on their good deeds regardless of how small the deed is.
2. Encourage Them to Seek Help
Reminding children that grown-ups also face problems that can’t be solved independently is a great way to encourage them to be more open about seeking help. Be gentle and encourage them to openly communicate about the issues they may be facing.
Point out to the child that they can discuss the issues with anyone they may be comfortable with, be it a friend, teacher, parent, or any other relative.
3. Enable Them to Think Positively
Embedding an optimistic behaviour in children from their childhood is important to get them to remain positive during difficult times.
Thinking positively also helps children in boosting their self-esteem and self-confidence. This way, they will be better equipped to deal with failures and setbacks and stay motivated to work hard.
With these tips, you can ensure the your children or students have a safe space with you and can talk about anything that may be troubling them.
Nowadays, there are a lot of factors that intensify the impact of factors that cause bad mental health in children. This includes digital and personal interactions. Hence, it is now more important than ever to ensure that there is a healthy balance of activities in a child’s daily lives.
GLOWSIMS is dedicated to ensuring children’s well-being in every sense of the word. With the use of technology, we aim to enable institutes to provide the best learning environment to the children that also nurtures and supports them in the ups and downs.
