Learning Self-Care for kids is as important as it is for adults. And the more they learn at an early age, the less chance they have at developing depression and anxiety when they become older.
How To Teach Your Kids About Self-Care
When you notice your kid acting up and having some temper tantrums, it may be time to break out some self-care for kids.
Self-care has become a hot topic among adults recently. As the stress of everyday life increases, we are finding ourselves in need of tools to help us calm down and alleviate stress.
Related: 20 Easy Ways to Practice Self-Care
But have we ever stopped to think that our kids might need the same thing?
I spent a lot of time trying to find ways to make me a calmer, more patient mom. The answer always seemed to be to incorporate more self-care activities into my life. And you know what? I did!
And as I learned calming techniques
But that didn’t stop my daughter from having her moments.
So maybe I was equipped to deal with her ‘moments’ better. But what really was going on was that SHE needed the same tools I taught myself.
Because I’m not at school where she might get angry at her friends. And I’m not at her dad’s house where she gets yelled at and can’t deal with it.
To really give my daughter what she needs, I had to teach her some self-care activities of her own.
Related: How To Be a Better Parent
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The Importance of Self-Care for Children
Kids who learn self-care at a young age are better to handle real-life situations when they get older. They are less likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, mood swings, and more.
By taking care of yourself at a young age, you will be better to cope with stress and at an older age.
So by teaching them self-care for kids, you are setting them up with tools for their future. So when you are not around, they know how to handle a stressful situation.
And as adults, they learn how to prioritize their own mental well-being.
Related: 12 Factors That Influence a Child’s Behavior
Self-Care Activities for Kids
Self-Care can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. And just like with adults, there may be some activities that kids enjoy a lot more than others.
If your child really hates baths… then it won’t really help them relieve their stress by taking a bath!
So figure out what works best for your specific child (ask them!) and make a list of self-care activities they will enjoy. It’s all about what will make them happy and relaxed!
These are just a few examples of self-care activities for kids that they might enjoy…
1 – Calm Down Yoga For Kids.
Believe it or not, it’s an actual thing! And you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for it. Just look it up on youTube and you can find some free, easy to follow videos.
You can try this book to teach them easy to do yoga moves. Or try this Yoga For Families video you can do together (or by themselves if they need alone time).
Related: Getting Kids Involved In Exercise
2 – Body Melting
This is a quick yet very effective way to get kids to loosen up and calm down. When you start to feel tense, your body physically tenses up. So the best way to relax your mind is to relax your body.
Have your kid stand frozen like a statue and then slowly start ‘melting’ their body toward the floor by relaxing their muscles. Take big deep breathes each time they ‘melt’ until they are laying on the floor, complete relaxed and ‘melted’.
This is a great tool to teach kids that they can literally do anywhere at any time, even when you are not around to help them.
3 – Journaling
I know it seems repetitive that journaling is always brought up when you talk about self-care, but there’s a reason for it… it works!
Kids minds work the same way. They need to get it out. But there’s a second part…
Teach kids to write down their feelings… no matter how angry they are or what they want to say. Even if they are mad at someone. Write it all down. Then rip the paper out of the journal and tear it into a thousand pieces. It’ll make them feel better!
4 – Try Coloring
Seems simple right? But here’s the catch. There are two kinds of coloring. Angry coloring and calming coloring. If your child is in a mood and displaying some real anger, teach them how to ‘angry color’. Meaning, they take a blank piece of paper and just scribble as hard and as fast as they can.
Once they get that all out, they can move on to calm coloring. Get them a really cool coloring book to keep in their room so whenever they need it, they can do some calm coloring. It really can be a great stress reliever.
5 – Make a Vision Board
Vision boards are so fun! I love making them as an adult because it helps you to feel like a kid again. Cutting and pasting fun pictures of things you really like could even be a great activi
By making a vision board, you are your kids a creative way to express themselves. AND in a positive way. And when they are having a bad day, teach them to go look at their vision board and remember all the things that make them happy.
6 – Some Pampering Time
Believe it or not, kids like to one pampered just like mom! My daughter LOVES baths with bath bombs. It really helps to relax her. So when I see she’s having an especially bad day, I tell you to go take a bath with her bath bombs.
Bath bombs, face masks, or even eye masks can be as fun and relaxing for kids as much as adults.
7 – Listen to Calming Music
Most kids have access to a tablet, or old phone or even an Alexa. Ask your Alexa to play calming music. Or go on YouTube and search for calming music or meditation music.
Kids can either sit back and relax listening to music or they can do an activity like coloring yoga moves.
8 – Take Care of Their Body
Just like with adults, taking care of your body has a MAJOR impact on your mood and stress. Kids are no different! Use this as a time to teach them the importance of staying healthy.
Talk to them about eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and exercising. And how these elements can make their body AND their minds feel better.
9 – Get Out In Nature!
Fresh air is known to be a mood booster. Whether it’s going on a hike or just taking the family dog for a walk, making your kid get outside in the sunshine and fresh air is some of the best self-care that kids can do.
10 – Watch Funny Animal Videos
If my daughter had a bad day at school or got into a fight with someone, I’ll make her sit down with her tablet (which right there makes her happy) and I’ll force her to watch funny animal videos.
Just go to YouTube and search for funny dog or funny cat videos. No one can watch those without laughing and feeling better over all those little cuties!
11 – Stop and Smell the Lavendar
Did you know that lavender has natural stress-relieving qualities? It is known to relax the body and promote calm. That’s why you see it in so many old diffusers and lotions.
Our house is filled with lavender products! We have lavender lotion in my daughter’s room and when she is angry and tense, I give her a little massage with the lotion and it instantly relaxes her. Lavender candles are a great option too!
12 – Create a Safe Space
My daughter has a small walk-in closet and we created a safe space in there for her. It’s a place she can go where everyone will leave her alone when she needs it.
It’s really simple and has a square floor pillow and a regular pillow propped up against the wall in the corner. She goes in there and sits by herself when she needs to remove herself from things that are angering her.
Conclusion
When it comes to stress and anger, kids can have a really hard time regulating those emotions. Especially during times of stress like being stuck at home, or having a hard time at school.
This is when self-care for kids becomes especially important. And it’s up to you to teach them how self-care can really make an impact on their mood.
Helping them learn these habits now will help them stick to them when they become adults.
Make their mind and body feel calm and happy with some easy self-care activities for kids.
You can follow me on PINTEREST for more tips and tricks for raising kids.
You Might Also Be Interested In:
- Effective Ways To Teach Angry Kids To Calm Down
- How To Deal with Your Moody Tween
- How To Use Positive Parenting in Your Everyday Life
- 12 Factors That Influence a Childs Behavior
- 55 Conversation Starters For Kids
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