The earlier your child learns how to practice self care, the better. Our kids deal with different pressures than we did at their age, and helping your child incorporate fun and relaxing activities into their routine can mean the difference between developing mental health concerns and thriving at every developmental stage.

As with other essential disciplines, teaching your child the importance of self care begins with you. You must model healthy habits in your own life and show your child real-life examples of prioritizing them. This is not only good for your child, it’s good for you. With the help of Melissa B. Rooney, we share some simple tips below.

Start at Home   

As your first mission, assess your living environment for any potential changes that could improve your family's health and well-being. Incorporate your child in helping keep their room clean and decluttered. Maybe you could dedicate a weekend to decluttering every room in the house and create a daily cleaning schedule where you wipe down specific surfaces each day. Such family cleanup days - where everyone cleans up together - have become less common in our busy present lives, as have their benefits.

Another idea is to invest in a quality essential oil diffuser. Diffusers have been shown to reduce stress and high blood pressure, literally causing people to stop and smell the roses. House plants have also been shown to reduce stress and foster peace in the home. You might be surprised by how little effort it takes to create a more relaxed and healthy environment in your home.

Keep Your Priorities Straight    

Chances are your schedule is as hectic as many other parents. And that was before you decided to incorporate new habits into your family routine! No matter how busy you are, you must not lose sight of your kids' needs.

No one needs to tell you that your children are a top priority. But it can be easy to become so occupied with other obligations that you forget to make time for what matters most.

Be extra intentional about carving out quality time with your children in your busy seasons. Lemon Lime Adventures suggests making yourself available for nightly bedtime routines and including them in household chores while you cook. Even better, you can include them in the cooking itself, something they will carry into adulthood.

Encourage Lifelong Learning   

Make education a priority for your child by regularly reading to them and encouraging reading as they age. You can also model prioritizing education by returning to school yourself. You may want to consider this option for a degree if you enjoy working with children. By pursuing an education degree, you’ll be well equipped to help both your child and others.

Find Ways to Get Out Together

Attending a game is a fun outing to relax, unwind, and enjoy a hot dog or nachos while you watch your favorite team. If your team isn't close by, turn it into a fun weekend getaway. For example, you can find discounted Dodgers tickets online as well as seats for the Angels or Padres, and filter by date, price range, and seat rating. Sporting events, especially, enable time for bonding and communicating while enjoying a shared engaging experience.

If you can’t make it to a big ball game, support your local minor leagues or just go watch your neighbor, friend, or niece play. Even just throwing the ball around in the park can be a great family outing.

Send Them On a Mission

A major part of teaching your child a healthy self-care routine is learning how to identify signs they might be stressed. Pay extra attention when you know a big change is on the way or that they’ve had a hard day, as you can bet stress is around the corner.

Be proactive about identifying your kids' stressors, and give them something to do during these times. For example, you could ask them to help you move something into the other room, make their bed, or simply insist on a break to read, listen to music, or do something else relaxing.

Find Fun Exercises      

Sometimes, younger kids just need to get their wiggles out. And older kids need exercise to maintain their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Nerd Fitness suggests looking for age-appropriate activities to get your children’s blood pumping. Dancing, jumping jacks, playing ball in the backyard, and many other activities will boost their health and improve their sleep.

Even just prioritizing a family walk after dinner can be a great start, especially if you live in a walkable area with parks, shops, or restaurants. Whatever activity you choose, if you plan on buying products like a trampoline or skateboards you’ll want to spend your money wisely. To get the most out of your investment, it helps to read product reviews and to check ratings from unbiased sources. This ensures you get products with staying power and will be worth the expense.

Don’t Look Past Professional Services

If you take steps toward modeling self care and helping your child develop their own routine, and they still seem overwhelmed with anxiety and stress, consider connecting them with a therapist. Mental health support can be valuable for children of all ages, and it’s easy to access services online these days.

Verywell Mind points out that there are many advantages to choosing online virtual therapy over in-person therapy. It’s more convenient and less expensive. It’s also private, secure, and doesn’t require travel. Use therapy sites to find a wide range of therapists, and take advantage of complimentary consultations until you find someone who is the right match for your child.

You should also show them the importance of regular health and dental check-ups. If you are self-employed or are currently without insurance, look into ways to change that situation. Getting added to a parent’s or spouse’s policy is the easiest, but you can also look into carrying your own health insurance. It can get expensive, though. If money is an issue, check out the Affordable Care Act, as it allows many people to get subsidized and even no-cost insurance policies at reasonable rates (the owner of this blog, Melissa Rooney, and her family are on the Affordable Care Act).

Stay Focused on Healthy Family Choices

You want your kids to thrive in everyday life. You also want to set them up to flourish well into adulthood. Implementing the tips above – keeping your priorities straight, hitting the ballpark to unwind, taking a dance class, scheduling a nightly family stroll – will go a long way in accomplishing that. Keep prioritizing your children at every step. And look for other ways to model self care in your own life while guiding your kids to healthy lifestyles.

For STEM-related resources for kids, parents, and educators, visit Melissa B. Rooney today!

This article was written by Oliver Lambert, of the Disaster Safety team.