How to Teach Kids About Self-Care

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Note: This guest blog post was written by Anya Willis.

While childhood is a time where kids should live care-free, you as a parent know the responsibilities which they’ll need to face in the near future. To help them be prepared and make a smooth transition towards becoming responsible adults, it’s important to teach them the need for self-care. Not only will self-care allow them to manage stress but also lead a long healthy life. For parents trying to find the best ways to teach self-care habits to their children, this article can prove to be a great resource.

Start with Basic Skills

While your child will require assistance for almost all daily tasks at a young age, it is important to start teaching them the basics of how to implement those independently. This can include:

• How to properly brush teeth

• Teaching them how to wear different types of clothing

• Basics of healthy eating such as choosing fruits over-packaged snacks and eating at set times each day as reported by Help Guide. 

While these may seem like very simple tasks, they’ll create the bedrock for your child’s journey towards independence. Additionally, practicing these activities each day will help them create a routine, naturally leading to good time management skills.

Teach Them to Express

The idea of mental health can be hard for a child to comprehend. Hence, this is where you’ll need to serve as a role model for teaching them good habits. When you are stressed, instead of venting or losing control of your thoughts, find a healthy outlet to express your emotions. This can include talking to a family member, writing in a journal, engaging in physical activity, etc. 

By observing you, it’ll become easier for kids to adopt the same behavior themselves. For example, if your child is throwing a tantrum or feeling low, motivate them to talk about their honest feelings regarding the situation and work with them to find ways to manage it.

Set Boundaries

Owing to their age, kids can be intrusive, loud, and have little regard for personal space. But as they grow older, learning to respect boundaries, whether it’s their own or others will be important. The best way to teach your child about boundaries is to set house rules, which can include:

• Not disturbing you in the home office during work hours.

• Asking for permission before using things such as starting the television, playing games on a tablet, eating snacks, etc.

• Learning to be patient when talking to family, friends, or strangers. Essentially, teaching them to control their urge to interrupt and respond immediately.

• Cleaning up after themselves, whether that be the playpen, the kitchen table, or the backyard.

Don’t expect your child to follow these rules from the get-go. Inculcating these habits will take time and consistency from your end to remind them of these expectations while following them yourself.

Make Family Time a Priority

According to research, over the last ten years, the number of adolescents suffering from isolation has doubled. Prominent causes of this are constant exposure to social media and lack of a real connection with individuals. To ensure your child doesn’t become a part of this concerning trend, make family time a priority. 

On a daily basis, set a few hours aside where you spend time participating in activities collectively as a family. This can include going for a walk, watching a movie, engaging in arts and crafts, or even doing chores such as shopping, cleaning, cooking, etc. Additionally, you could regularly call their friends over or plan outdoor activities. The goal is to reduce your child’s dependence on technology and help them develop strong social skills through constant interaction with those around them. 

Now that you know the steps for teaching your child good self-care habits, plan to slowly incorporate them into their routine. While there is no set time by which your child will completely adopt these behaviors, you should expect to see noticeable changes as time passes. 

If you would like to learn ways you can assist your college aged children with self-care tips, we have a wonderful article for your college students.