Anxiety – Children struggle too
Having good mental health is key to the well being of every child. Children need good mental health – not only to be able to deal with challenges and adapt to change, but so they can feel good about themselves, gain confidence, build healthy relationships with others and enjoy life.
Having good mental health is key to the well being of every child. Children need good mental health – not only to be able to deal with challenges and adapt to change, but so they can feel good about themselves, gain confidence, build healthy relationships with others and enjoy life.
Anxiety in children is on the increase at a troubling rate. Nearly half of all mental health problems begin before the age of 14 and it is estimated that 1 in 7 primary school-age children has a mental health difficulty, like anxiety and depression but only 1 in 4 gets the help they need.
There is a solid body of evidence that indicates helping children develop social and emotional skills, including resilience, leads to better mental health and we see it as our responsibility to work in partnership with families to support this area of developmental. At Fit Kidz we have developed our Be Me by Fit Kidz Social and Emotional skills program to assist.
Our program implements important messages to build confidence and resilience through our curriculum in play, stories and experiences.
Everyone feels anxious from time to time. But for someone with anxiety, these feelings stick around and can make life very challenging. It is an emotion of concern when it starts to impact on:
- Doing everyday activities
- Relationships
- Preventing children from doing what they want to do
What families can do at home – It’s OK to feel stuck or confused about how to help at times. The positive news is that there are a few small, yet powerful, things you can do to help:
- Learn more – research online, books and talking to experts. We love parenting experts Maggie Dent and Justin Coulson.
https://www.happyfamilies.com.au/
- Young children do not understand these emotions therefore may have challenges expressing their concerns therefore patience and support is essential.
- Use positive and supportive language instead of shaming. Giving children opportunities to gain independence and taking healthy risks in play is essential to confidence building.
Author and Parenting Expert Maggie Dent talks about the importance of regular connection with your children. To support positive mental health in children, they need to know they are valued and loved and having little daily traditions are so important. A micro-moment of connection is much more manageable and can have a huge impact. Perhaps it’s the last thing you say to your child at night…the same simple yet special message every night.
Check out Tea Time with Mel on YouTube for more information.
