How to Provide Emotional Support to School Going Kids

Have you ever laughed at the idea of providing emotional support to young school-going children?

The idea may look weird to some, but as parents, I am sure you know how difficult mood swings in children can be and how disheartening it can get. But, like adults, children, too, need emotional support.

Emotional health is the way children think, feel and express themselves and the surrounding world. It commonly affects how children learn to face challenges and stress later in life.

Many school-going children struggle with emotional and mental health challenges affecting their academic performance. At the same time, these challenges are often misunderstood as tantrums and crankiness, leading to behaviors inconsistent with school and family expectations.

You must never forget that your bond with your child is the secret sauce that binds you together and sets children up for bigger challenges. So make sure you strengthen your relationship with your kid at every opportunity you get to connect with your children.

Why is Emotional Well-Being Important for School-Going Children?

Schools are essential as they support kids in understanding the effects of lifestyle choices on their health and overall well-being. The social skills, emotional well-being knowledge, and behaviors that young children learn in the community help them regulate their emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Schools help children build intellectual skills to reflect on their actions and choices.

At the same time, there is a direct link between the kids’ emotional well-being and academic achievement. On the other hand, physical activity is associated with the ability to learn and concentrate.

Firm, supportive relationships and attachments provide students with the emotional resources which help them come out of their comfort zone, explore new ideas and thoughts, and bring about overall development and growth, which is essential for good educational performance.

Let’s discuss the signs and symptoms of emotionally healthy children.

Signs of Emotional Well-Being in Children

Children with good emotional and mental health usually-

• feel happy and positive about themselves
• are kind to themselves during tough times or situations
• enjoy things around them
• learn and adapt to things quickly
• easily get along with family and friends
• can manage sadness and anger
• Are always ready to try new things and take up challenges,

Be ready to step forward if your child changes appetite, for example, suddenly eating sugary desserts and carbs more. Change in their circadian cycle or the sleep cycle.

They tend to be aggressive and irritable, with frequent thoughts about disconnecting from people. Statements like I don’t want to be here, I want to do something else, etc.

Many children also tend to be more controlling, stressed, and repetitive, with explosive emotional outbursts frequently. These are all signs of emotional disturbance in children; watch out for them to detect and diagnose the problem early.

How to Provide Emotional Support to Children?

We as parents must create the best conditions and environment for the healthy growth of our children and their overall development. To achieve that, there are many things parents and caregivers can and do at different ages.

Children are susceptible; they hear, see, and feel. They can sense safety, love, and affection, as well as fear, depression, anxiety, and violence from their surrounding environment. As such, make sure that-

• Home should be a calm, happy place to be. A lot of yelling, shouting, noise, and loud music can be too much for young children.
• Children love, need, and benefit from healthy interactions with their parents and caregivers. Give your child the time they need. Hold your kids, hug them, smile, and talk with them regularly. Keep your stress and aggressive feelings when you are with your children.
• Kids are tiny, but their emotional needs are just as important as yours. Lend them the ear ad support they want and need from you. Talk to them, hear them out, and know their concerns.
• They may not be able to express how they feel, but you need to put extra effort into understanding and to respond to meet your kids’ needs. You will strengthen the bond, improve your baby’s communication skills, and help them learn how to express their feelings and thoughts.
• A positive and healthy bond with parents and caregivers directly affects your child’s mental and emotional health.
• Community support is essential for the emotional strengthening of children. Encourage your children to connect with others. For example, waving and chatting with neighbors, attending to guests, going out shopping, etc. can help them observe and reset their mental framework. This helps your child learn how to relate to different people and regulate and control their feelings in a social setting.
• Children imbibe what they see. Be a role model for them. Tell them about emotions and how to act and react to something. Talk to them in a calm and supportive way. Encourage them if something does not happen the way they planned it out. Make sure you practice what you preach, and things get easier done this way.
• Help your children set realistic goals suitable for their age and abilities. Encourage them and help them to work towards achieving them, be it a lengthy homework project, a math problem, riding bike without assisting tires to, or playing flute. Encourage and help them through it. When they manage to achieve their goals praise and appreciate their effort and even reward them with something they like.
• As parents, problem-solving skills should be under your radar. Help your child learn develop the skills to solve problems. Brainstorm for possible solutions, and help them decide what to do in what situation.

Children are like wet soil. The way they are shaped makes way for their future too. So help them be an asset to society and self-sufficient, independent, and confident as they grow up.

How do children respond to stress?

Children usually respond to stress and emotional abuse in many different ways. Some have –

• Difficulty in sleeping
• Bedwetting
• Stomach ache or headache
• Anxiety
• Being withdrawn
• Angry
• Clingy or afraid of being left alone.

Some tips to deal with a situation-

Given below are some tips to support children in coping with their emotional well-being:

1. Respond to kid’s expressions, actions, and choices in a supportive way

2. Explain to them that they are not acting weird and that some situations require different reactions.

3. Listen to and understand their issues and concerns and give them your time, comfort them and love them unconditionally

4. Reassurance is something kids thrive on, do that often. Please provide them with a safe and affectionate home environment, and ensure they do not feel judged.

5. Appreciating and Praising children works wonders to boost their confidence. Try it often.

6. Play with your kids, engage in physical activities, and relax.

7. A regular routine can help kids absorb and reflect on things.

8. Explain things to them in age-appropriate terms and facts, so they do not feel disconnected.

9. Make them aware of their actions and choices reassuringly so they understand and adapt to responsibility and accountability.

These tips will help you reinsure your children’s emotional health and empower them with a sense of security and love, which is crucial for the overall holistic growth of children.

Why is managing screen time crucial for children’s emotional maturity and growth?

Since children nowadays use the screen for school and social interactions, there is a considerable problem managing screen time for parents at home. The truth of the matter is instead of worrying and panicking about how much time kids sit in front of a screen. Instead, watching out for what they consume on the screen is essential.

Here are some tips and hacks-

• The content children watch affects their mental makeup a great deal. Children should watch only age-appropriate content, which can help promote mindfulness.
• At the same time, parents and caregivers must reduce exposure to aggressive or violent video games and other content, leading to irritable behavior in kids.
• Encouraging hands-on activities throughout the day for your children to help them learn through experience is also a great way to get them engaged.
• Since kids may not always express their feelings, paying attention to their words and actions is essential.
• At the same time, exercise, physical activity, engagement in some hobby, stress management strategies, cognitive and behavioral activities, and medication, all separately or combined, can help a great deal in ensuring the better emotional and mental health of children at a young age.

Children are characterized by yearning, exploring, and playing.

As a parent, be attentive and watch out for changes in your child’s behavior. If these changes persist, affecting their everyday functioning, please seek expert help and professional support.

Teachers can help a great deal. However, seeking professional guidance can be a game changer. Refer the children to primary care physicians or mental health counselors for better and quick recovery.

Provide your kids unconditional support and love, help them learn, and guide them. Make sure you help them feel secure by reassuring them and when necessary, go slower if your kid is facing difficulties pacing up.

Encourage Sports and Interaction with Other Kids

In many countries, children must follow strict physical distance and other protocols. They are not even allowed to use playgrounds and other public spaces to play and interact with other children. This has caused children to feel restricted and has negatively affected their mental and emotional makeup. You can ensure that your children have many opportunities to socialize, play and interact with friends.

You can get your children to enroll your children in sports clubs, self-defense classes, music, art, or anything they fancy where they end up using their physical ability as well as social skills to interact and socialize with others.

Good physical and mental health is essential for emotional balance

Good physical health is essential for kids’ overall development and emotional needs. Regular physical activities help children -

• Stay active and energetic all day.
• Feel confident and self-assured
• Manage stress and anxiety
• Sleep well and wake up in a good mood

Here is what you can do to help your child be physically fit-

• Children turn cranky and fidgety when they lack proper nutrition. Offer them healthy foods, snacks, and beverages. Encourage healthy eating habits in your family, as children tend to follow you in everything you do. Avoid processed food, as studies show it dramatically affects one’s moods and feelings, and excessive consumption can lead to depressive thoughts.
• Encourage your children to participate in plenty of different sports and physical activities. The raised energy level is linked with happy hormones in the body. This way children feel good overall, develop new skills, learn to manage their time, and reduce confusion.
• Sleep is crucial for kids especially. Make sure your children get a full night’s sleep and, whenever necessary, allow them a nap during the day. Lack of sleep makes kids irritable and anxious. Quality sleep on the other hand will help your child manage stress while tackling school life.

I hope this helps, and if you need further help, you can contact the Child Health Counsellor at Ghaf Private School, the best British school in Dubai, Jebel Ali Village, near JLT and Dubai Marina. GPS is the community school where each student is celebrated and cared for on every level of upbringing. Parents and teachers work together as a partner for a brighter future. Let me know what other topics you would like covered on the blog. If you need help

Happy Parenting.