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Essential Adaptive Habits for a Child to
Have Robust Mental Health

By Amanda Jerelyn

Most of the parents pay more attention to academics and extracurricular activities of their child. But very often they forget to focus and put effort into developing other crucial aspects of child success. Mental health is one of the essential elements of humans and plays a vital role to have a happy and satisfactory personality.

Mental health comprises of emotional, psychological, and social contentment. It influences the way we think, feels, and behave. It also benefits from regulating how we deal with stress, relate with others, and take our decisions. Mental health is influential at every stage of life, but it should be paid attention from childhood so that it helps the child not only to combat issues of childhood but also throughout life. There are many habits which you can teach your child to build their mental muscle.

1. Teach them mindfulness

Mindfulness is termed as maintaining a moment-by-moment consciousness of thinking, feelings, and surrounding through a pleasing perspective. Mindfulness is good for us and also for our children. It can help children to improve their abilities to pay attention, to relax when they are angry or upset and to take better decisions.

The aim of teaching mindfulness to our children is to provide the skills to enhance the consciousness of their inner and outer sense. It helps them to learn how emotions signify in their bodies and to realize when their focus was distracted and to equip them with tools for control.

2. Learning through toys

Children love toys. Their affection for toys is so much that they can spend their whole day playing with it. Toys are more than just fun and game for children. Most toys provide some level of learning the opportunity to them. The best toys mobilize children’s senses, enhance their imaginations, and inspire them to engage with each other.

Toys that involve creativity will keep the child more engaged over a period of time. Outdoor toys such as sandbox, playhouse, and swing sets are considerable for children to keep them outdoors more and have fun. Children playing with toys along with their parents and siblings encourage them in developing social skills and interacting with others.

3. A healthy diet ensures a healthy mind

There is scientific research which says that what we eat affects not only our physical health but also has a significant impact on our mental health. People who don’t take healthy diet are likely to have more symptoms of depression or mental health issues. Same goes for our children; therefore, healthy diet plays a crucial role in their physical as well as mental health.

Childhood is an essential window of physical and mental development for humans. Due to improper diet, many common mental disorders such as anxiety and nervousness often emerge in the early years of childhood. Graciously, there is evidence which suggests that eating a healthy and quality diet can protect a child’s mental health and minimize the possibilities of mental disorder.

4. Watching motivational kid’s movies

Watching a motivational kid’s movie about a historical legend, or a poor and kind-hearted hero can help to strengthen a child’s mental health. Besides, such movies can also benefit children in other aspects like communication, problem-solving skills to face challenging situations in life.

When children see a courageous, inspirational, and impulsive child-based movie or cartoons, he/she may internalize these images and concepts. It can encourage them to act and behave in the same way out in school or at home. Thoughts and emotions from movies can influence a child’s mental health very much.

5. Visiting museums

It can be a tough challenge to take your young children to a museum as probably they are unable to read thoroughly. But the benefits of visiting the museum are significant for your child’s mental health. There are multiple aspects of why children should visit a museum like it can teach critical thinking to them when they encounter with historical objects and monuments.

Museums expand the general world knowledge of children, and they will learn so many new and exciting things about the world. These information and knowledge can help them to think and ponder about the world in a different way, which can develop muscular mental strength.

6. Praise them for their creativity

Children are natural innovators with active imaginations. Creativity also plays an essential role in intellectual and mental health. Creativity also helps kids to get more confident, improve social skills, and learn new things, thus opening new gates for their mental abilities.

As parents, you need to praise your child on their creative achievements. You need to provide tools to your child in creating such an environment like a specific space for their creative activities. Creativity flourishes in the most cramped spaces and boosts children imaginative power and enhancing mental health.

7. Make them problem solvers

Child experts know that problem solving is foundational to a child’s mental health. Therefore good teachers don’t give children correct answers; instead, they teach children how to use problem-solving skills to come to a conclusion. The same way it becomes your responsibility as a parent to teach them how to become a problem solver by various methods.

A study conducted a few years ago found that children who lack problem-solving skill can be at a higher risk of depression. Besides, the researchers also found that teaching child problem-solving skills can improve their mental health. For training, share your small problems and give them chance to suggest the solutions. Reject some solutions through authentic reason and accept others. This habit will enhance their brainstorming ability as well as increase the experience also. It helps your child to sharpen their skills in school life and beyond.

8. Inspire them with great examples

To get inspired by great examples not only make children positive but also enhance their mental health. Children are usually asked “what do you want to become when you grow up?” and often they reply like, “I want to be a famous writer like JK Rowling” or “I want to be a great scientist like Isaac Newton.”

Reading success stories of such inspiring personalities will create a remarkable imprint in the thoughts of children, exciting them to follow their footprints. When you tell the strong mental strength these great people possess during the struggles of their lives, your children become more enthusiastic, which reinforces their mental health.

Closing Thoughts

Mentally healthy children are well prepared for the struggles they have to face during their lives. With mental toughness, they will be able to undertake problems, overcome from their failures, and confront the adversities. These children are resilient and have the bravery and determination to hit their maximum capabilities.

As a parent, it becomes your most significant obligation to develop such habits in your child so that they have robust mental health. The strategies and techniques discussed in this article would be of great help in building strong mental muscles. With these habits, your child will develop the toughness he/she needs to have intense mental health.

Author Bio:
Amanda Jerelyn is currently working as a Psychology & Health tutor at AcademistHelp. She holds a Master’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development. Amanda writes blogs about children psychological issue in a renowned mental health website. She lives with her 2 children & parents and loves to spend her weekend at home with them.