As parents and caregivers, we all want the children in our lives to be happy and healthy.
In order to give your preschooler the best possible start in life, it’s important to look after the mental health of your whole family. Modelling good mental health practices yourself and equipping your child with the right toolset to deal with challenges and obstacles they may face is truly invaluable.
So let’s take a look at what mental health is and how you can teach good mental health practices to your preschooler.
Talking to your preschooler about mental health
Many people are familiar with the term ‘mental health’ but struggle to explain exactly what it means.
Children benefit from clear, concise explanations so try to get a strong definition prepared in advance before you begin your discussion. A useful way to explain mental health is by comparing it to physical health.
You can talk to your child about how sometimes our muscles and joints hurt and we need to look after our bodies, just as sometimes we feel sad or angry and we must look after our minds too.
What is good mental health?
Many people focus heavily on happiness and worry that if their children are unhappy then they are having problems or may be developing mental health issues.
Mental health should instead be seen as a spectrum and as with adults, children will have good days and bad days. Having good mental health will help to enable children to recognise and manage difficult thoughts and emotions instead of feeling unable to cope or being overwhelmed.
Make sure that your child is aware of the vast range of emotions that they may feel within a day – from happiness at playing with their favourite toy, to frustration at not doing an activity they had planned. Talk to your child about the different emotions and how they manifest.
Practical mental health tips for your preschooler
Luckily, there has been a huge increase in the awareness around mental health and the importance of making your children aware of its significance.
- Use Resources and Role Play
There are brilliant resources available – from story books tackling specific issues, to online games where children can identify individual emotions.
Make use of these by exposing your child to characters in books who may be feeling similar emotions to them. Your local library should have a section for children with some of the latest books.
Role play is a brilliant way for children to express their emotions and process issues that may have upset them at some point during their day. Depending on their age and preferences, you may want to help them act out a situation, or they may prefer to use toy figures or their favourite soft toys to do this themselves.
- Make a set of emotion cards
You can easily buy or download emotion cards online, but engage your child with the task of making them and you could see some fascinating results.
Draw a different face (happy, sad, angry, worried) on each card and on the back, write the name of the emotion – this helps to keep it consistent if other adults use these with your child.
When your child is struggling to express their emotions, ask them if they can pick out the emotion card that is most relevant to them.
Emotion cards can also be used as a family. You can play games such as picking out a card and talking about a time in your day when you have felt that emotion. Children love to hear adults giving examples of when they felt happy, sad, angry or worried and it really helps them learn.
- Ensure that your child learns self care
Adults and children alike should value self care and the importance of slowing down. It’s easy for parents or caregivers to be busy all the time – yet children will pick up on this sense of stress and see it as normal.
Try to teach your child appropriate self care rituals that they can use if they feel stressed or overwhelmed during their day. This may be sitting down and doing some quiet colouring, learning some gentle yoga exercises, or practising mindfulness when you go for a walk.
Practising self care with your child is a great way to spend time together. Try to sit down and read a book with them, without your phone or other distractions, or find an easy to follow yoga video that you can do together.
Setting your preschooler up for a happy and healthy future
It often seems as though our young children don’t have a care in the world, yet this can change quickly. Preschoolers can face numerous challenges as they grow, from navigating friendships to coping with new environments and routines. Equipping your child with the right skills to be able to overcome challenges, build resilience, and practice self-care will help to protect their mental health as they grow and develop.
Teaching them to recognise and articulate their emotions is a crucial first step. By providing them with a vocabulary for their feelings, you enable them to express themselves more clearly and seek help when needed. Encourage open conversations about their day, their feelings, and any challenges they might be facing.
Creating a supportive and open environment at home will ensure that they feel safe and valued, laying the groundwork for a happy and healthy future.
In conclusion, fostering good mental health practices in preschoolers is essential for their overall wellbeing and development. By openly discussing mental health, modelling healthy behaviours, and providing practical tools such as emotion cards and self-care activities, you can help your child navigate their emotions and build resilience. Remember, the foundation you lay now will support them throughout their lives, enabling them to handle future challenges with confidence and a positive mindset. With your guidance, your preschooler can grow into a happy, healthy individual capable of managing their mental health effectively.