The Importance of Talking about Mental Health with Children

Mental health is a topic that many struggle to talk about due to the stigma attached to it. However, talking about mental health is crucial, especially with children, as they often struggle to understand and manage their emotions. Learn some tips on how to start the conversation and learn about the importance of talking about mental health by reading this article that Stretch-n-Grow has for you.

Combating Mental Health Stigma

Despite the growing focus on mental health in recent years, many people avoid talking about it due to its stigma. This stigma prevents individuals from sharing their experiences and leads them to avoid looking for professional assistance. Talking about mental health with your child can enable them to have a positive view about sharing their feelings and feeling comfortable with asking for help.

Feeling Heard

When children don't feel heard or understood, they tend to keep their thought and feelings to themselves. Encouraging your child to share how they feel and having patience when they share allows them to feel more and more conformable with expressing themselves. This is crucial as your child will be more likely to reach out for help if they find themselves struggling with negative emotions.

How to Talk about Mental Health

There are simple tips that you can follow that can help you talk about mental health with your child:

• Create the right environment. Ensure that you and your child are in a safe and comfortable space when talking about mental health.
• Help your child learn how to identify their emotions and give them tools to learn to identify what triggers different emotions in their day to day.
• If your child doesn't feel ready to talk, have them write down or draw something that represents how they feel. Make sure to give them space and allow them to go at their own pace.

Physical exercise is known to help release dopamine, which plays a huge role in our happiness and wellbeing. Along with learning about the importance of talking about mental health with your child, learn about exceptional children's exercise classes and children's fitness programs in Winston-Salem. For more information, talk to a friendly professional at Stretch-n-Grow by calling (336) 287-1193.