Student Wellbeing
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Dr. Ovid, pediatrician neurologist, warning of a silent tragedy that is growing today in our homes.
There is a silent tragedy that is growing today in our homes, and is about our most beautiful jewelry: our children. Our children are in a devastating emotional state! Over the past 15 years, researchers have given us increasingly alarming stats on a steady and acute increase in childhood mental illness now reaching epidemic proportions:
Stats don't lie:
• 1 out of 5 children have mental health issues
• A 43 % increase was seen in ADHD
• A 37 % increase in adolescent depression has been observed
• A 200 % increase in the suicide rate among children aged 10 to 14 years has been observed.
What is going on and what are we doing wrong?
Today's children are over-stimulated and over-donated with material items, but they are deprived of the foundations of a healthy childhood, such as:
• Emotionally available parents
• clearly defined limits
• responsibilities
• Balanced nutrition and adequate sleep
• Movement in general but especially outdoors
• Creative game, social interaction, informal gaming opportunities and spaces for boredom
Instead, these last few years have been filled to the children of:
• Digitally distracted parents
• Indulgent and permissive parents who let children ′′ rule the world ′′ and be the ones who put the rules
• A sense of law, to deserve everything without winning it or being responsible for getting it
• Inappropriate sleep and unbalanced nutrition
• A sedentary lifestyle
• Endless stimulation, tech nannies, instant gratification and no boring moments
What to do?
If we want our children to be happy and healthy individuals, we need to wake up and get back to basics. It's still possible! Many families are seeing immediate improvements after weeks of following recommendations:
• Set boundaries and remember you are the captain of the boat. Your children will feel safer knowing you are in control of the rudder.
• Give children a balanced lifestyle filled with what children need, not just what they want. Don't be afraid to say ′′ no ′′ to your kids if what they want isn't what they need.
• Provide nutritious food and limit junk food.
• Spend at least an hour a day outdoors doing activities like: Cycling, hiking, fishing, bird / bug watching
• Enjoy a daily family dinner without smartphones or technology that distracts them.
• Play family board games or if kids are too small for board games, get carried away by your interests and let them be them sending in the game
• Involve your children in a home stain or task depending on their age (folding clothes, order toys, hanging clothes, unpacking supplies, setting table, feeding dogs etc. The whole world
• Implement a consistent sleep routine to make sure your child sleeps long enough. Hours will be even more important for school age children.
• Teaching responsibility and independence. Don't protect them too much from frustration or error. Being wrong will help them develop resilience and learn how to overcome life's challenges,
• Don't load your kids backpack, don't carry your backpacks, don't take the stain they forgot, don't peel their bananas oranges if they can do it from themselves same (4-5 years). Instead of giving them the fish, show them to fish.
• Teach them how to wait and delay gratuity.
• Provide opportunities for ′′ boredom ", because boredom is the moment creativity wakes up. Don't feel responsible for always keeping kids entertaining.
• Don't use technology as a cure for boredom, nor offer it at the first second of inactivity.
• Avoid using technology during meals, in cars, restaurants, shopping centers. Use these moments as opportunities to socialize by thus training the brains to function when they are in mode: ′′ boredom ′′
• Help them create a ' Bottle of Boredom ' with activity ideas for when they're bored.
• Be emotionally available to connect with children and teach them self-regulation and social skills:
• Turn off phones at night when kids need to go to bed to avoid digital distraction.
• Become an emotional regulator or coach of your children. Teach them to recognize and deal with their own frustrations and anger.
• Show them to salute, take tricks, share without staying without anything, say thank you and please recognize the mistake and apologize (don't force them), be model of all these values he has instilled.
• Connect emotionally - smile, kiss, kiss, tickled, read, dance, jump, play or gate with them.
Article written by Dr. Luis Rojas Marcos, psychiatrist.
http://palermonline.com.ar/wordpress/?p=65783
Challenging Behaviour
As parents and carers, we can feel ‘lost’ when trying to respond to and deal with our child when they display ‘challenging’ behaviours. This resource explains how we can shift the focus from addressing the need rather than the behaviour we may be encountering with our child. Check it out for some tips:
https://www.circleofsecurityinternational.com/resources-for-parents/
Wellbeing Team