You will enjoy these 5 Thoughtful Ways to Boost Your Mental Health.
As a parent, you wish your child would always be happy, but that won’t always be the case. It’s a bit easier to communicate when something is getting them down at older ages, but toddlers are likely just starting to form sentences at 2 or 3 years old. Getting them to talk about — or even understand — their mental health can be a bit more challenging.
If you notice increasingly negative moods in your toddler, they may be struggling with an issue they don’t know how to express. The best thing you can do is to be there and show them how much you love them. Here are five thoughtful ways to boost your toddler’s mental health.
1. Be Patient
Everyone can get a little moody from time to time — especially when something’s frustrating or upsetting them and they can’t convey it. Irritability is one of the signs of depression and anxiety, so your toddler may be grumpy because they’re not feeling well mentally.
The vital thing to remember is to be patient with them. This is the first time your child is experiencing a mental health struggle and they need kindness, even when they’re not acting their best. Try explaining why their behavior is unacceptable instead of yelling. By communicating with them, you can let them know you still love them, gently guide their behavior and avoid making them feel shame for their emotions.
2. Validate Their Feelings
Yes, it may seem like your toddler is crying or angry for no reason for the 100th time. But there may be something much deeper going on you simply can’t see. Rather than reprimand them for being upset, let them know it’s OK to feel how they feel and talk about it.
Kids learn early if they can or can’t come to you about what’s bothering them. Even if it does end up being something silly, tell them it’s perfectly normal to be upset, but everything will still be fine. Being frustrated or sad about trivial things happens to most people, so make sure you tell your toddler their feelings are valid and teach them how to manage them.
3. Spend Time With Them
Some people want alone time when they’re feeling negative and your toddler may also be this way. However, they likely still want to be with you a lot at this age. Even when they don’t need a little extra care, spending quality time with them can reinforce your bond and make them feel happy.
At three, they may be ready to do puzzles and crafts, build things, play some age-appropriate games or even spend a day out with you. Playing with your toddler is an excellent way to support their development and communication skills. When you notice them feeling more upset than usual, try doing an activity, reading together or just cuddling. Even if they don’t end up talking about what’s bothering them, they may appreciate simply spending time with you.
4. Provide a Safe Environment
Physical and emotional safety go hand in hand — and your toddler requires both to be happy and healthy. If they’re feeling unsafe, those worries could leak into their mood. Young kids should be playing and learning, not worrying about what could harm them.
If someone or something could be frightening your child, talk to them about it and teach them ways to stay safe. Removing any negative presences from their life can help them learn boundaries and feel more secure. You should also ensure they feel safe and loved at home. Talk to them about why you love them, give them your full attention when they speak to you and display their artwork proudly.
5. Give Them Tools
At such a young age, toddlers likely have fewer ideas of how to express what’s going on in their minds. You may also have a hard time understanding the ways they do figure out how to talk about it. If you want to boost their mental health effectively, you have to start getting at what’s bothering them.
Teaching them ways to communicate their feelings is invaluable. If you have similar struggles, explain how you feel in a kid-friendly way and how you like to deal with it. It may take a few tries, but they’ll likely learn from the behavior you model. Additionally, you could download a workbook to help start a conversation with them about their emotions and identify their feelings.
Foster Your Toddler’s Mental Health
It’s common for people to stigmatize mood disorders and mental health issues. Start breaking this cycle in your family by using these thoughtful ways to boost your toddler’s mental health. Talking with a pediatric therapist can also be vital if you suspect they’re experiencing something in need of attention.
Give your child the love they need to encourage a healthy relationship with you and their minds. When you work with them through their struggles, they can find constructive coping mechanisms and learn they can talk to you about their mental health.
Ava Roman (she/her) (Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest) is the Managing Editor of Revivalist, a women’s lifestyle magazine that empowers women to live their most authentic life. When Ava is not writing you’ll find her in a yoga class, advocating for body positivity, whipping up something delicious in the kitchen, or smashing the patriarchy.
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