It’s #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek and this year has been even more difficult than most. Feeling isolated and now having to manage an entire new way of going to school has made for stress levels like we’ve never seen. Even my daughter, who’s in Uni, had enough this past week. It’s crucial to encourage our children to share their thoughts and feelings about their mental health and support one another!
Thanks to everyone for their advice and tips on Children’s Mental on social media. My dear friend and inspiration Jackee Holder shared her wisdom…
This is such an important conversation Angie. The figures for mental health challenges and difficulties here in the UK are seriously accelerating every month including those for young people. It is a silent rise in many cases.
A couple of tips to start thinking about:
Get Out Into Nature
Start family walks and getting outdoors in nature if you are not doing do already. Nature has a number of physical and psychological benefits that support healthy mental health and well being and of course you get the daily dose of sunshine and vitamin D.
Journaling
Follow @kenyasdiaries fantastic motivating young woman journaler and journaling ambassador and motivational speaker. She has brilliant tips for young people on how to keep a journal and weekly motivational videos that are so on point.
Start a family journal.
Becoming increasingly popular and beneficial. Family journals are a great way of coming off social media and going analogue and off line way of connecting as a family.
Have a weekly question for all family members to respond to. Suggest writing in the family journal at the start of the day and the end of the day? Encourage family members to write down what they are grateful for?
Increase Self Care Now
Need an instant pick me up head over to @cherishme_uk for brilliant self care tips and products from the brilliant mother and daughters team, Carolyn, Nykera and Xavia @cherishme_uk who have an online shop and library of books, affirmation cards and products for young people that are fantastic and beautifully produced.
I bought items for my nieces and nephews over Xmas and they loved them. They sell illustrated journals, Afro mation cards and so much more.
We need to keep having this conversation.
and @cherishme_uk shared:
“Mental health in children is on the increase compounded with lockdown it isn’t easy. I try to help my daughter’s to engage in different activities , my youngest @nyks_uk expresses herself through talking to other young girls about self esteem and tips to encourage them through lockdown. We started @cherishme_uk as a family business to help raise the self esteem of black girls and our journals were our first tool we published a few years ago. Thank you @jackeeholderinspires ! Your green prescriptions have helped us to appreciate the outdoors more. @angiegreaves thanks for starting this process of conversation hope we can hear from our children how they feel and how we as parents can help.
and thank you to @vanessajosephjoseph for these great images.
When we feel better… we DO better. The same goes for our children. Model healthy coping skills and they will mirror your behavior. How have you been coping with virtual school? How have your remote learners been doing? Keeping those feelings in won’t help, so check in with yourself and don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Join the discussion on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
For more resources on remote learning and support for mental health and wellbeing head to gov.uk/coronavirus-remote-learning
