There are so many ways you can help your child stay mentally fit with gratitude being one of them. This month, we are focusing on gratitude in order to help parents support their child’s mental health and wellness.
Just recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Children’s Hospital Association have declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health, which truly brings to the forefront issues that have not been deeply addressed in the past. The pandemic has really put the problem in the spotlight which calls for more support from policymakers, governmental and non-governmental entities, and communities to address these issues now. Read the full statement here!
While the outside world looks to find solutions, there are simple practices that you can put into place that will aid with developing and maintaining your own child’s mental health and wellness, and one often overlooked way to do that is to simply practice thankfulness and gratitude.
One way to teach gratitude is to teach your child to say “thank you” in many different ways.
1. Verbally is the easiest way to practice. When someone does something nice for you, simply say “thank you”.
2. Written thank you notes are great, as well. A thank you note can be written in response to receiving a gift or can be written simply because an act of kindness needs to be acknowledged. Have your child write a thank you note to a friend who was kind.
3. Finally, thank your child for expressing thankfulness without a reminder. For example, you could say, “I really liked the way you thanked your brother for helping you clean your room.” or “Nice job remembering to say ‘thank you’ to your teacher when she reminded you to get your backpack.” Positive attention reinforces the importance of being thankful and showing gratitude.
If you need more support in this area, let us guide you in that process. There is so much more you can do to ensure that your child’s mental wellness is strong. We are here to partner with you in giving your child the best opportunities in life possible!
Recent Comments