25 Mar Practical Self-Care Skills for Kids
Photo by Upsplash
Learning practical self-care skills allows your child to become more aware of their physical and emotional needs. As a parent, you’re your child’s biggest role model, so the sooner you start integrating self-care into their lives, the easier it is for them to incorporate these practices into their adult lives. Playapy wants to help, and shares the following insight.
How To Encourage Self-Care in Kids
Start small. You don’t want to overwhelm your child. And remember, kids are more likely to learn from what you do rather than what you say.
- Kids love routine. It helps them feel safe and settled. You can divide routines into morning and evening. Mornings can involve getting up at a set time, cleaning teeth, and getting dressed, while evenings can include taking a bath or shower, putting on their PJs, reading a book, and getting into bed.
- Respect their opinions. While your child needs to respect your boundaries and opinions, it’s also vital that you respect theirs. Doing so allows them to explore their thinking. Continually opposing their points of view and teaching them always to do what they’re told can marginalize and disempower them.
- Instill a growth mindset. Kids need to believe that through hard work, good strategies, and encouragement from others, they can develop their talents. When they have a growth mindset, rather than saying, “I can’t,” a kid can instead say, “I can’t yet.”
Self-Care Activities for Kids
While crucial to a child’s development, learning how to dress and undress, brushing teeth, and taking a bath aren’t the only forms of self-care kids need to know. They also need time to recharge and refresh, both physically and mentally, particularly as they get older and get bogged down with schoolwork and extracurricular activities. Here are some activities that can help with this.
- Play a game where your kids make up the rules
- Build with Legos or Play-Doh
- Make a gratitude list
- Be in nature, at a beach, or in a park
- Exercise
- Hang out with friends
- Watch a favorite show
- Draw or paint
- Camp outside
- Go stargazing
These are just some of the many activities to help your child refresh and prepare for the days ahead. Others include visiting an amusement park, going out for pizza, or baking delicious goodies together.
Your Duties as a Role Model
When your kids see you eating healthily, engaging in regular exercise, being kind to others, and having self-control, they’re likely to follow suit. However, if you’re stressed or agitated for any reason, it can affect your child’s self-care routine and stall their development. If you’re a business owner, you can reduce stress caused by burnout by limiting distractions, delegating tasks, and dealing with larger tasks in the morning. You can even explain to your child what you’re doing to manage your stress. This plants a seed, and shows them techniques that can benefit them their entire life.
Learn and Enjoy
Kids who fail to learn the basics of self-care may end up depending on adults. Even when they understand the skills associated with self-care, it’s still vitally important that they take time to refresh and rest by enjoying activities and spending time with friends. The tips above can help your kids achieve both.
Daniel Sherwin considers raising his 9 year old daughter and 6 year old son both an adventure and a blessing. He created Dadsolo.com to provide other single dads/parents with information and resources to help them better equip themselves on the journey to parenthood.