Image: Shutterstock
The emotional well being of a child has a lot to do with how they are raised. While some may argue that kids fall into depression or anxiety because of their circumstances, it may not hold true for all the cases. As parents, we are always focused on making sure our kids are physically healthy that we tend to ignore the emotional side of things. While it is impossible to protect your child from every unpleasant or traumatic experience that they may go through, you can fight the odds of it affecting their emotional and mental health. In this article, we discuss how you can raise your kids to be emotionally healthy individuals.
1. Have A Healthy Relationship With Your Husband/Partner
Image: Shutterstock
If you are in an abusive or unhealthy marriage, it is going to affect not just yours but your child’s mental health as well. So make sure you work on your relationship and do whatever it takes to create a healthy and safe environment for your child to grow in. If you are facing issues in your marriage, don’t hesitate to go for marriage counseling. It is better to try and work things out with each other. On the other hand, if there are irreconcilable differences between the two of you, then it is best to part ways and end things amicably rather than dragging each other through the mud and letting it take a toll on your child.
2. Build A Safe Space For Your Child
Image: Shutterstock
Your kid should always feel confident in approaching you and being honest with you without the feeling of being judged. It is crucial to create this safe space for them so that they feel free to open up about anything that is happening in their lives. And while it is natural for you to be upset about certain things that they did, let them know that you appreciate their honesty.
3. Respect Their Privacy
Image: Shutterstock
Now, this may be a hard one especially if you are a helicopter parent. But just because you gave birth to them, it doesn’t necessarily give you the right to dominate their lives. While it may be you who gave birth and raised them, let’s not forget that they are individual beings with their own mind and opinions. Reading a child’s personal diary, talking ill about them to their friends, or abusing them because they don’t listen to you are strictly off-limits.
4. Be Aware Of What’s Happening In Their World
Image: Shutterstock
You will never be able to constantly monitor their lives or see what they are up to. Kids today are exposed to everything through social media and it can be hard to control the content they are being exposed to every single day. But luckily there’s something you can do – be aware of the current bullying problems, video games, societal behavior, social media, etc so that you have a better understanding of what’s happening in their world. Staying proactive and self-informed is a great way to deal with things in a more efficient way.
5. Help Them Get In Touch With Nature At A Young Age
Image: Shutterstock
The influence social media and video games have on kids these days are huge. Unlike before, kids don’t have to leave their home or couch to be entertained. Though you cannot stop your kids from using mobile phones, they need to experience the real world. Getting in touch with nature can also have a positive impact on their mental health. Involve them in outdoor activities and games and take your time to figure out what they might be more into. It can be anything from star gazing, rock collecting, hiking, camping, swimming in lakes, football, or cycling. There are a gazillion options out there to explore and there will be at least a few that your kid will enjoy better than screen time.
Someone rightly said that it takes a village to raise a child. Raising a child is a huge responsibility, and rather than focusing on materialistic stuff, make sure to raise your child to be emotionally healthy and they will find happiness in life.
