23/10/2023
Children, just like adults, benefit greatly from
consistent and deliberate self-care activities. Even if they are not currently stressed or upset, teaching kids to regularly take care of themselves will help ensure that they have the skills to manage future stressors in healthy and effective ways. When taking part in self-care activities with your kids, they do not need to be expensive, time-consuming, or elaborate, but they do work best when practiced frequently and consistently.
One of the most important aspects of self-care is taking care of your physical health. You can exercise together in a lot of different, fun ways, like shooting some hoops at the park or playing catch in the backyard. You can also practice physical activities that help to de-stress, like deep breathing, meditation, going for a long walk, or doing stretches or yoga together.
Research suggests that laughter can help to lower stress levels. Play a funny game like Mad Libs, bake some cookies together, tackle a difficult puzzle, draw with sidewalk chalk, watch a comedy, or build a couch fort and have a pillow fight.
A change of environment can be calming and help you find a sense of balance. Go to the park, take a day hike, or complete homework together in the backyard. Take a few moments to lay in the grass and look up at the clouds and ask your kids what they see.
Teaching your kids the value of kindness is an important life lesson. Try volunteering at a local charity, ask your kids to pick old clothes of theirs to donate, or help at a homeless shelter. You can also teach your kids the importance of gratitude. Try writing thank you cards to family friends and relatives together.
We all need to learn how to take care of ourselves, and performing self-care activities with your children is an excellent way to do what you need for yourself and to model healthy lifestyle choices for your children. Plus, it provides opportunities to build rituals of connection and create a system of shared meaning that helps to keep your family bonded together. 💜
