- UNICEF advises parents to reassure children they are not alone in facing problems
- Parents should openly share that even adults need help sometimes to solve issues
- Encouraging emotional openness and acceptance is vital regardless of the child's gender
In today's era, people often forget to take care of their children due to workload, stress, family pressure, and other factors. This affects a child's mental well-being and continues as they grow, later influencing their day-to-day life.
To address this situation, UNICEF has introduced 10 ways to ensure a child's mental well-being.
"Nurturing and loving care build a strong foundation, helping your child develop the social and emotional skills they need to lead a happy, healthy and fulfilled life," said UNICEF in a notification.
Here are some tips for child's mental well being:
1. Make sure your child knows that they aren't alone. Reassure your child that you'll be there whenever your child needs any help or want to share any feeling or thought.
2. Tell them that even grown-ups have problems they can't solve independently. Point out that it's easier to ask for help when someone else is on your side.
3. Be emotionally open and accepting with your child regardless of gender.
4. Encourage your adolescent/teenager to share their feelings.
5. Look for ways to check in with your adolescent/teenager. Ask them how their day has been and what they have been doing.
6. Try to give your adolescent/teenager the appropriate time and space to be on their own.
7. Tell your child that it's normal for teens to worry, feel stressed, or sad.
8. Tell your child that it can be scary to talk about how they feel and what they think, but it's okay to share and the right thing to ask for help.
9. If your child doesn't want to talk to you, suggest other people they could talk to, like aunts or uncles, close family friends, a trusted sports coach or religious leader, an elder, or your doctor.
10. If your adolescent/teenager feels frustrated, work with them to brainstorm some solutions to their problems.
