Simple Self-Care Strategies for Kids That You Can Teach Today

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- Samantha

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Stress from school, social pressure, and extracurricular activities can pile up on kids and teens fast. Those born in the Z generation and after are facing an epidemic of loneliness, anxiousness, and depression. As a parent, it is understandable to be concerned about your children’s mental and physical health.

One thing you can do- is to teach self-care strategies.

This will be beneficial in the long run. It will benefit them now and how they take care of themselves in the future, when you may not be there immediately to lean on- such as away at school, trips, work etc.

Building Self-Confidence

One little-considered aspect of self-care is building confidence. Children that are confident will likely have a more easy-going personality. Two areas to focus on: creativity and money management. Artwork Archive’s Dr. Yanina Gomez notes that budding artists can challenge themselves in ways that push them out of their comfort zone. For a teenager, this might mean entering an art contest or simply designing the layout of their room.

As for money management, children as young as 10 can learn about the correlation between work and money with an allowance agreement in exchange for chores. This shows your children how to earn and also teaches them how to calculate the value they bring to the table. Further, doing little jobs at home means they can make mistakes in a safe space, which will help them overcome snafus during adult life. For example, if they choose to waste all of their spending money on candy and toys and don’t have cash available when they really want something, they will learn about responsible spending.

Caring For Their Bodies

From an early age, children should also be taught to care for their bodies properly. A few ideas here include choosing their own natural skincare products, and teaching them how to build a healthy self-care routine. Check out Nature IS Health's Thyme for Olive soap and Honey Balm- both favourites among children.

Teaching personal hygiene means showcasing the importance of handwashing, regular bathing, teeth brushing, nail care, and sleep. These routines ingrained young will be second-nature as they grow-up.

Emotional Wellness

Emotional wellness is a bit trickier since no two children have the same personality or set of life experiences. However, a few universal ways to destress include exercising and socializing with positive influences.

Exercising, while doing the body good, it’s also good for the brain. Nemours Children’s Health touts the mental health benefits of exercise, citing that it can provide a sense of accomplishment and can even boost self-esteem and reduce depression. Walking, jogging, swimming, and playing sports are all excellent forms of exercise, with the latter also having a social element.

Socialization is crucial for children of all ages as it helps them learn to problem solve, forge new bonds, and ease separation anxiety. When children and teenagers have a network of trusted friends and family with whom to interact, they may feel more comfortable talking to these individuals about their personal problems and struggles. And, sometimes, a good cry fest with your best friend is all the self-care you need to pick yourself up and move past a bad situation, such as a failing grade on an exam or that first broken heart.

Self-care doesn’t have to mean things like massages and morning meditation. While these certainly have merit, things like this will come with time. Teaching your children the basics of self-confidence, hygiene, and emotional wellness will give them the tools to figure out what makes them feel their very best into adulthood.

Nature IS Health has a full line of products that you and your kids can use to promote wellness naturally.

Thank you for reading.