Children’s Mental Health Week (3rd – 9th February) shines a light on children and young people’s mental health in the modern world. The Children’s Society1 revealed that 1 in 10 children between the ages of 5 and 16 have a diagnosable mental health condition and 75% of all mental health problems are established by the time someone is 18.
Managing Director, Chelsea Eden, of in-home tutoring service, Tutor Doctor Grantham, knows all too well how children can quickly develop extreme levels of stress with school, exams and homework. Here are her tips and advice on some of things that parents can do to combat children’s stress both in and out of the classroom:
- Have something to look forward to. Not only will children work harder to reach that end goal, having their sights set on something will help to focus them on their school/homework.
- Celebrate their learning. It’s important to promote their learning and praise them for their work. Work closely with them to achieve their goals, celebrate their successes and create an atmosphere of positivity.
- Introduce a proper routine. That means sleeping, eating and socialising. The NHS recommends from 9-10 hours for children aged 9 to 16 years old. Eating a well-balanced diet rich in vegetables and nutrients has been proven to positively affect mental health.
- Monitor social media usage. Think about enforcing a digital detox on evenings to reduce the risk of getting distracted – put phones away an hour before bed as this will not only improve the quality of sleep but boost productivity the following day.
- Talk about their feelings. If it’s not you – and don’t be disgruntled if they don’t want to talk to you – tell them that they can seek help from someone else – whether it’s a friend, trusted teacher or a trained professional. If they’re having trouble articulating their feelings, there are text/email forums that are designed to help too.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.