For this week’s Wellbeing Wednesday, our Head of Safeguarding, Mrs Davies, has shared these top tips for emotional health based on Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership information.

We all have mental health, no matter our age and we all need to support children and young people how to understand and manage their feelings. Positive emotional health allows us to enjoy life and cope with life’s ups and downs.

Find time to talk – as a family or just the two of you – ‘Check in’ with them while you’re doing things together, so they get used to talking about their feelings. Talk about the things you are grateful for, things that you are finding hard, talk about your day, ask their thoughts on things, what they are watching, playing, reading. Encourage them to ask you! Being curious and aware of the things around them helps children learn and to be aware of their thoughts and feelings.

Spend time together – Cook together, talk about your day over meals, read together; make something together, play together – play helps children to be curious, learn new things, solve problems, and express feelings without words. Go for walks – look at things, explore nature together, cycle – exercising regularly lowers rates of depression and anxiety and relieves stress.

Be a role-model – Show how you cope with difficult feelings and look after yourself. Make a present for someone; say something nice; give some time to help someone else. When we are kind to others and give our time and energy to someone else, it is very rewarding and helps children understand empathy.

TOP TIPS ABOUT EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Positive emotional health not only prevents mental ill-health but also allows children to enjoy life, believe in their abilities and cope with life’s ups and downs. It helps children to think clearly, develop socially, learn new skills and build self-esteem.

• Tip 1: It’s all right to cry sometimes. Children need to learn how to recognise and cope with their own feelings. Try not to tell your child how they feel.
• Tip 2: Children love to be praised. They thrive on it. They love to please you and are often desperate for your approval. Like you, they try much harder when you focus on the positive.
• Tip 3: Remember to give compliments. If you live with compliments, you are more likely to feel good about yourself and give those compliments to others. Self-esteem is vital.
• Tip 4: Make sure your child knows you love them and are proud of them. Remember to praise your child for trying, not just succeeding. Doing so helps young children to feel safe and comforted.
• Tip 5: Encourage them to talk to you whilst also being able to really listen and responding in a sensitive way to all kinds of things – not just nice things, but also anger, embarrassment, sadness or fear.
• Tip 6: What goes on in the family will have a massive impact on your child. They may need help in managing changes or coping with challenges. Be aware of how it must feel for them.