Self-care and Wellness

There are 4 main types of self-care and it is important to provide time for each within your daily routine and your families daily routine. Helping your child integrate these skills into their daily routine helps to build resiliency and coping skills.

Check out these 8 practical ways to integrate self care into your daily routine!

  1. Create (and stick to) a family routine-kids crave structure and it is more important than ever to provide for our children and families!
  2. Get enough sleep-sleep is a crucial component of being ready to learn cope and maintain healthy mental health habits. Set a reasonable bedtime!
  3. Maintain healthy eating habits-this is particularly difficult right now as getting the groceries you need is harder to accomplish-so be reasonable and try to steer your kids and your family to healthy options whenever possible.
  4. Provide opportunities to identify and express emotions-some kids can do this verbally but for others it is hard to talk about how they feel. Offer opportunities for kids to write or draw about how they are feeling. Remember to also do this with the adults in your house!
  5. Find time to be creative-Write, draw, paint, sing, listen to music, dance bake, garden, sew, craft! Express yourself! It's important!
  6. Play to promote mental health-Children need opportunities to think creatively, engage with others, and regulate impulses and all of these things are accomplished when children engage in their most natural form of communication-PLAY! Play together it will help boost your mood!
  7. Foster social skills-Kids need connection and a sense of belonging to thrive. This is more challenging right now but stay engaged, help your kids find time to video chat with friends, think about the activities your child already enjoys and reach out to local organizations as many have started to offer virtual versions of their classes or lessons.
  8. Monitor screen time-get engaged in conversation with your child about screen time. Why do they like it? What are they hoping to get out of it? Are they engaging in games and social media in helpful and healthy ways? It is not as clear cut as just setting a screen time limit, make sure you understand the value that screen has in your child's life and make sure they are engaged in ways that promote wellness and self-care.

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