Ways to Foster Mental Well-being for Grade Schoolers

Mental Well-being Healthy Habits

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children engage in at least one hour of physical activity per day. Research has shown that regular physical activity not only improves mental wellness, but also can delay the onset and progression of mental health disorders.
• Support children in eating healthy meals every day that include a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and proteins. Each food group contains different nutrients which fuel the body and mind.
• Establish a regular sleep schedule and ensure your child is getting adequate sleep each night. School-age children, 6-12 years, should sleep 9-12 hours per 24 hours (including naps), as recommended by the CDC.
• Monitor screen time usage. Research shows that media can influence how we feel, learn, think and act.
• Spend time outside doing activities you enjoy doing together such as going to the park, doing an activity or having a picnic.

Help Develop a Strong Self-Esteem

Children need a strong self-esteem to feel good about themselves and who they are. Having a strong sense of self-esteem contributes to children feeling valued, independent, confident and more resilient. They also are more likely to resist negative peer pressure and make better choices. There are a variety of ways you can help boost your child’s self-esteem.

• Recognize and praise them for their accomplishments and good behaviors. It’s best to focus praise on what they do (“you worked so hard on that project, great work!”) rather than traits they can’t change (“you’re smart.”)
• Help them set their own achievable goals. A great way to do this is by encouraging them to try new things. They will begin learning to take pride in themselves and rely less on the approval of others.
• During difficult tasks, encourage them to take a deep breath, think calmly, try new ways, ask for help and most importantly, be kind to themselves.
• When offering praise, help your child think about their accomplishments. For example, “I am proud of you. You must be proud of yourself, too!” This can lead to making better choices when others aren’t around to offer praise.
• Help children find a sense of belonging, such as a part of the family, team or community. This can be done by sharing family photos and stories, joining groups and participating in community activities.

Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations are supportive and encouraging statements that can be read, written down, or said out loud to promote self-acceptance, confidence, and positive thoughts. The power behind positive affirmations is repeating the phrase(s) throughout the day. Over time, these positive affirmations become an internal belief. Try saying these affirmations to your child and have them repeat after you:

• I am worthy and I matter
• I believe in myself and my abilities
• My family and friends love me
• I can do this

Teach Them About Emotions

Each day, childhood is full of a variety of emotions — happiness, fear, disappointment, sadness, anxiety, anger. It’s important to teach children healthy ways to handle their emotions. Here are some ways you can help your child learn to manage emotions:

• Talk openly about emotions with your child and let them know it’s normal to feel those emotions. Encourage them to recognize and label their emotions — for example, “It looks like you’re really sad that we have to leave the park. I can understand that. I’m sad, too.”
• Role-model optimism with your child during difficult situations — for example, “This puzzle looks difficult, but I think we can do it by working on it together!”
• Be supportive and reassure your child that you are always there for them, especially when a situation is bothering them. For example, if they are having a difficult time with a friend, provide hugs, listen to their frustrations, and remind them you are always there to listen.
• You know your child best. Talk to your child’s health care professional if you have concerns about the way your child behaves at home, in school or with friends.

Practice Meditation

You can help children learn how to regulate their emotions by teaching them breathing exercises or mindfulness techniques.

• 4-2-6 belly breathing. Inhale deeply and slowly count to 4. Hold that breath for a count of 2. Slowly exhale though your mouth for a count of 6. Repeat as many times as you need.
• Draw on your 5 senses. Sit still in the moment and name 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you touch, 2 things you smell, 1 thing you taste.
• Balloon breathing. Take a deep breath through your nose, and while you expand your belly, imagine that it’s inflating like a balloon. As you exhale, imagine that the balloon is slowly deflating. Repeat as many times as you need.
• Counting meditation. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so. Start at 100 and count backwards until you reach 1. Concentrate on each number and if another thought comes to mind, like “hey, I’m at 50 and halfway done,” start again at 100.
• Play a free meditation app.
  • Stop, Breathe, Think
  • Calm
  • Smiling Mind
  • Insight Timer
  • Headspace

Help Them Build Strong Relationships

It is essential for children to have strong relationships with supportive adults who can offer encouragement and guidance. These relationships can be with a family members, friends, teachers, coaches and other mentors. There are a variety of ways to strengthen your relationship with your child.

• Tell your child that you love them. Love can be expressed verbally and you also can show love through body language and nonverbal communication — for example, making eye contact, giving a hug or smiling.
• Make time every day to give your child your full attention to talk together. Truly listen to what they’re saying and acknowledge their feelings. Ask them about their friendships, details about their day and what they are looking forward to in the future.
• Spend quality time together doing fun activities you enjoy together, such as reading a book, playing a game or going to a community event. Let your child take the lead by letting them pick a reasonable activity to do together.
• Assist them with schoolwork as they need it. It’s OK if you don’t know all of the answers, too!
• When using discipline to guide and protect your child, follow up by discussing what would have been a better choice. Try to avoid punishment as a way of making them feel bad about themselves.