Simple Ways Your Child Can Learn Self-Care
The term “self-care” can be challenging to explain to children, especially since its meaning tends to evolve. At the most basic level, however, self-care refers to activities that help foster their physical, mental, and emotional health. Therefore, it’s easy to see why we, as parents, would want to instill healthy self-care habits in our children at a young age.
If you’re not sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place! Hudson Valley Figure Skating Club has provided these practical tips for teaching your child about self-care!
Being a Role Model
Teaching your child self-care begins with you practicing it in your own life. Try to eat a nutritious diet each day, and find an exercise routine that you can do at least four days a week.
Also, if you are not getting at least seven hours of restful sleep each night, figure out how to adjust your bedtime routine and find relaxing activities you can do to help yourself unwind. And, of course, as you go about daily life, try to demonstrate discipline, persistence, and patience.
Another way that you can be an excellent role model for your child is to manage the stress in your household. For instance, if you work from home with kids around, be sure to establish a schedule and ground rules that each person in your family can understand. Creating structure in your home will do wonders for keeping stress and anxiety at bay.
Regular Exercise
Your child must get plenty of movement each week. Ideally, they will have some strenuous activity every day. If you are not sure how to get your child interested in fitness, take time to research the web, as there are endless resources where you can find affordable workout plans or videos tailored specifically for kids. Whether running, skipping, yoga, climbing, swimming, ice skating, or any other type of movement, your child will benefit from being physically active.
If you live near an ice rink that hosts an organization like the Hudson Valley Figure Skating Club, take advantage and see if your child becomes interested in ice skating. Becoming a member at a skating club comes with tons of perks; along with the natural benefits of being physically active, your child can get discounted apparel, access to club events, and much more.
Spending Time Outdoors
Spending time in nature is beneficial for people of all ages. If your child can develop a love of fresh air and an interest in exploring new places, it can benefit them for the rest of their life. As much as you can, encourage outdoor play, plan weekend getaways to go hiking, camping, and nature walking, or do any number of activities in the great outdoors.
Getting Rest
It’s also critical that your child learns the importance of rest. Try to get your child into a healthy bedtime routine. Along with going to the bathroom and brushing their teeth, try to establish activities that you do together each night.
This might include reading a book or singing a song together, cuddling, rocking, or conversing about the day. Moreover, introduce your child to activities that can help them relax during the day, such as painting, reading, jumping exercises, and spending time in a quiet place like a nook or a tent.
Learning to Calm Down
Lastly, emotions run high for children, and learning to control them can be tricky. Find some ways that your child can help calm themselves down.
For instance, you might teach them to go to their special nook when they become overwhelmed, or maybe they could focus on their mindfulness jar or lava lamp. Another idea is to give your child a weighted blanket, which is known to help reduce stress and anxiety.
As with adults, self-care is critical for children. Along with being a role model your child can follow, find ways to instill healthy habits in your children to aid them well into adulthood. Consider the ideas above and keep researching other ways to guide your child in fostering their health and well-being.
Would you like to read more helpful content or learn about how our organization supports skaters of all ages and levels? Visit hvfsc.com today!
Special thanks to Sheila Olson of fitsheila.com | info@fitsheila.com for writing an article for us!
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