How to help your kids practice self-care

How To Help Your Kids Practice Self-Care

Kids get stressed, too, and part of your job as a parent is to help them find ways to handle and overcome that stress. Bright Wings encourages you to read on for some tips and tricks to teach your kids good self-care in a crazy world.

Be a Role Model

Your kids watch everything you do, so if you want them to be less stressed and practice self-care, you have to model the behavior you want your kids to display. Your stress can affect your children, so work to keep stress to a minimum. Let your kids see you practicing meditation or deep breathing exercises, making good choices about diet and exercise, mixing up your routine, and trying to curb your perfectionist tendencies.

Let Them Play

Sometimes the best way for kids to fight stress is simply to engage in unstructured play. Let your kids have a break from after-school activities and organized sports and enjoy time outside, board games, or a couple of hours with their toys. Allow them the freedom to choose their activities (within limits, of course) and relax in their play.

Encourage Healthy Choices

Kids do, of course, need structure to help them make healthy choices, especially when it comes to food and exercise. Include your children in meal planning, and explain to them why some foods are healthy and others aren’t. Teach them how to make healthy snacks and cook simple meals.

Also, get your kids active by exercising with them. Go for walks or bike rides. Play badminton or basketball. Take them swimming in the summer or ice skating in the winter. They can have fun and learn to be active.

Promote Creative Activities

Even though free play is important, also promote creative activities as an important part of your kids’ self-care routine. Arts and crafts can be a great way for your children to build their creativity and relax at the same time. You can set aside time for them to draw or paint or to learn how to do woodworking or weaving. Encourage your kids to appreciate music, too. Invest in piano, vocal, or instrumental lessons if your children are interested, but also spend time with them listening to music, singing along, or dancing together and being silly. They quickly learn the value of music for stress relief.

Work on Attitude

Finally, help your kids work on their attitudes. Stress can lead to crankiness, but constant crankiness and complaining can lead to more stress for you and your kids. Cultivate calm at home by teaching your kids how to discuss problems rather than arguing or shouting, and model that behavior yourself. Also, give your kids ideas about how to control their anger and anxiety, and show them how to focus on good things rather than bad. Ask them to make a list of everything they’re thankful for to promote an attitude of gratitude.

Enjoy Calmer Kids

Kids who have a self-care routine tend to be calmer and happier, so help your children get started as soon as possible. Visit the Bright Wings website for more ideas.