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How to take care of children’s physical and mental health

Written by Colégio Aurum | Jan 13, 2023 12:53:15 PM

Every child needs to spend energy and make new discoveries through games and activities, but did you know that this is also a way of taking care of the mental and physical health?

For full development, children need to exercise in different ways, whether at home or at school.

To understand how important this care is and to know how to pay due attention to your children in this regard, keep reading!

Check it out in this content:

How to take care of children’s mental health?

Do you know how to take care of children's mental and emotional health?

Just like adults, stressful situations can affect the mental health of little ones at different levels.

Situations such as bullying, emotional distancing from parents, fights and arguments, among others, are examples of moments that can cause discomfort.

When not properly assisted, they can trigger more serious situations in children with prolonged impacts.

To ensure mental health care above all you need to be mindful of children's behavior and emotions. Not everything is tantrum!

Some signs can be:

  • more aggressive behavior;
  • demonstration of fear and/or disinterest;
  • stop doing activities and become less involved with other people.

According to the recommendations of the Abrinq Foundation for the Rights of Children and Adolescents, some basic measures to be applied for child mental health involve:

  • Provide a space for dialogue;
  • Provide a healthy family environment;
  • Take care to regulate sleep;
  • Seek help from professionals when necessary;
  • Teach and practice children's emotional intelligence;
  • Create a balanced routine between homework, rest and fun.

Also check:

Relationship between food and mental health

Mental health is linked to several external and internal factors. Food is one of them.

Já é sabido que uma dieta nutritiva é sempre a melhor escolha, mas vale ressaltar que nosso cérebro encontra nos alimentos adequados o que precisa para um balanço bioquímico adequado.

It is already known that a nutritious and healthy diet is always the best choice, but it is worth mentioning that our brain finds in the right foods what it needs for a proper biochemical balance.

Fruits, greens, vegetables and white meats are always very welcome to provide a healthy development of children.

This concern should not only happen at home, but also be extended to school life. For this, many schools already have nutritionists to create varied and balanced menus within the educational institution.

What are the benefits of physical activity for mental health?

The practice of sports is essential for the development of children and young people. Do you know the benefits of physical activity for mental health? Check it out!

Improved social interaction

Different activities and games provide children with a diverse environment to encourage socialization.

These moments are valuable so that they can express themselves and create bonds that make their routine happier and stress-free.

Calmer nights for sleep

Sleep is a great ally for children’s healthy development.

The regular practice of physical exercises also favors more restful and restorative nights of sleep.

When children do not have the appropriate quality and quantity of sleep hours, the tendency is for them to be more irritable, drowsy, slow in reasoning, among other factors that make it difficult for them to interact and learn throughout the day.

Less Stress

For many adults, the practice of sports such as football, running and swimming are excellent ways to unwind, relax and reduce the stress of everyday life.

With children, the effect is the same. All this due to the release of hormones related to well-being such as endorphins, adrenaline and serotonin.

While taking care of mental health, children still develop social and cognitive skills.

Post-pandemic mental health

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the population's mental and emotional health was impacted by fear of contagion and by restrictions and limitations aimed at containing the spread of the virus.

Children were also negatively affected in the period by the lack of interaction with other children, the lack of physical exercise and the loss of loved ones.

In order to take care of children’s post-pandemic mental health it is necessary to stay aware and seek to understand whether adapting to school and the new routine has worked and whether it is necessary to seek new stimuli for these children who spent several months limited to TV screens and cell phones.

A lot of this adaptation is done at school, along with classmates and teachers.

Conclusion

For children to be able to develop in a healthy way, both physically and mentally, it is necessary to offer adequate environments and activities that motivate them.

Away from screens, it's important to provide play options and physical activities so they can have fun while moving.

In addition, parents and guardians should always be aware of the behaviors and emotional signs of the little ones, taking care to maintain a balanced sleep and eating routine.

To learn more about the topic, check out our post: “Encouraging healthy eating among children in a playful way”.