Our Children's Mental Health

Mummying and Thriving

In this episode, we discussed our children's wellness and mental well-being. We explored how we get them to speak up if they are stressed or are going through a tough time. What the signs are and what to look out for that will indicate when there is an issue. How do we resolve a crisis?

We had the pleasure of having Naomi. Naomi is a qualified counsellor and social worker with over 10 years of experience. She has helped adults and now works with children with serious mental health difficulties in her 9 to 5 job. For the last 3 years, Naomi has been using this powerful knowledge and skills to benefit the BAME community who may experience barriers in looking after their mental health through TWP, which is celebrating being registered as a community interest company.
We started with a question posted anonymously by a parent who says her daughter has anxiety and is refusing to go to school. Naomi defined what mental health is.
Based on the definition, we explored different scenarios and explained whether we could classify certain things, such as bullying, as a social or mental health concern.

According to the mental health of America’s website, these are some of the core ingredients for building a solid foundation for stable mental health for our children.

• Unconditional love from family
• Self-confidence and high self-esteem
• The opportunity to play with other children
• Encouraging teachers and supportive caretakers
• Safe and secure surroundings
• Appropriate guidance and discipline

However, we know that life happens we aren't always able to achieve the list above. Naomi mentions that just as physical scars heal, we also have mental scars. It is important to know our children will also have mental scars. But form a good relationship with them so they can speak to you if there are in a crisis. If communication is a problem, seek a mental health practitioner or a child therapist to help resolve the issue.
Bear in mind mitigating mental health issues isn't a sprint; it is a marathon. Patience will be needed, and open lines of communication between all parties involved.

Below is a list of things to do to build our children's confidence and improve their mental wellness.

• Be Honest - Do not hide your failures from your children. They need to know that we all make mistakes. It can be very reassuring to know that adults are not perfect.
• Avoid Sarcastic Remarks - If a child loses a game or fails a test, find out how he or she feels about the situation. Children may get discouraged and need a pep talk. Later, when they are ready, talk and offer assurance.
• Apologise when you offend them: It doesn't make you weak or make them weak on the contrary, it makes them stronger and more emotionally intelligent.
• Encourage children - To not only strive to do their best but also to enjoy the process. Trying new activities teaches children about teamwork, self-esteem and new skill.
• Get knowledge and equip yourself. There are a lot of free parenting courses and mental health courses. From autism awareness to managing anger issues etc.
• Speak to a qualified mental health practitioner if applicable.
• Keep open lines of communication with teachers, school counsellors and all involved in your child's care.

Links to Parenting courses on Brit Safe Mental Health First Aid Course
https://www.britsafe.org
Free Mental Health Courses
https://mentalhealthcourses.org.uk/
Free Parenting Courses-
https://theaimgroup.co.uk/courses
Most UK local authorities run parenting and mental health courses

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