How to support youth mental health?

How to support youth mental health: Whether you and your teen are having challenges, it is necessary to show that you love and support them, that you can help them navigate tough times, and let them know that you are always there for them. Here are a few tips on how to support youth mental health.

How to support youth mental health:

Encourage them to share their feelings

Look for different ways to check in with your child. Ask them how their day went and what they are doing. You can do it by inviting them to join you in a task, such as chopping veggies or washing clothes, so you can use the time to chat about their day. Remind them that you are always there for them, no matter what happens, and that you want to know how they are feeling and what they are believing. A simple word of motivation can make them feel comfortable communicating their feelings with you.

Support them

Work together on setting up new habits and daily attainable goals. You could fit in-home tasks around school work or set a mark like getting the task done before dinner. Try to give your child the appropriate time and space. Requiring space is a normal part of growing up. Find a few ways you can support and inspire your child to take breaks to do things they enjoy.

Be open and transparent with your child

You can let them know that you are experiencing extra stress. Showing them how you deal with your challenging feelings can help them know their feelings are okay. When there is conflict, take some time to reflect on how you and your child can fix it.

Also Read: How to deal with loneliness?

Work through battle together

Listen to your child’s views and try to sort out disputes calmly. Never discuss a problem while you are angry. Walk away, take a breath and calm down, you can talk with your child about it later.

Care for yourself

Guardians have a lot to handle. You also require care and support for yourself. Showing self-care is also a sound form of modeling the practice to your child. Do not wait to ask others for help if you are feeling devastated. It is okay to feel this way. Find a family member or someone you can talk to about your feelings. Try to find somebody that you can share feelings and experiences with.
Try various optimistic coping strategies that work for you. Some ideas include exercising, talking with buddies, making to-do lists or planning, routines and arrangements, reflecting on what you are grateful for, and doing things you enjoy like music, art, and keeping a journal.

Understand their emotions

It is essential to acknowledge and understand the emotions they might be experiencing, even if it feels uncomfortable. When they open up to you, you can respond positively. It can be effortless to notice the things your child is doing that you do not like. But also try to notice and praise them for something they are doing good. Even something simple like cleaning up.