5 Tips To Keep Your Child’s Mind Healthy This School Year

It’s that time of the month again here at b5media’s Health & Wellness Channel – Theme Day!

September’s theme is – appropriately – “back to school,” so I thought I’d share some tips with parents on how to help their children keep a sharp, healthy mind now that the swimming pools are drained and the book bags are full.

Tip #1: Make sure your child eats plenty of brain food. Food that’s good for our brains not only promote good brain function (and honestly, what kid couldn’t use that come test time?), but a healthy diet full of food that’s good for your brain is also good for your mental health. Check out WebMD’s Top 10 Brain Foods for Children to get ideas for your breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus.

Tip #2: Help your child get plenty of sleep. Exhausted minds certainly aren’t healthy minds. Even though your child may have gotten used to staying up later and sleeping in over the summer (and hey, didn’t I warn you about that back in June?), now is definitely the time to make sure he or she is getting to bed earlier in order to get up earlier and be well rested. It’s difficult to pay attention in class, make new friends, juggle homework and extra curricular activities when you’re nodding off every five minutes. Visit the National Sleep Foundation for information about the importance of sleep, tips on how to know whether your child is getting enough sleep, and ways to make sure your child is getting the best sleep possible.

Tip #3: Watch out for bullies. We all know bullies have problems of their own going on. A bully usually picks on other kids because he or she is angry, hurt, feeling neglected, abused at home, etc. It’s sad, but the only child you can immediately help is your own, so make sure you talk with your child about bullying behavior, why a bully may act the way he or she does, and how your child can appropriately respond to bullies. KidsHealth.org and SafeChild.org both offer some great information to get you started. And remember: It’s not all about fist-fights and taking your kid’s milk money anymore, so don’t forget to check out these resources to protect your children against cyberbullying.

Tip #4: Keep in touch with your child’s teachers. For the majority of the first part of every week day from now until, well, whenever your area’s school year ends, your child’s teachers will know him or her in ways you won’t. Teachers watch friendships blossom and fall apart, tests get aced or failed, and classes get attended or skipped. Form a relationship with your child’s teachers before potential problems arise so you can be informed as well as ready to jump in if your child seems to become overly stressed, anxious, sad, or even bullied. Too, check out Mental Health America’s list of warning signs that something may be wrong.

Tip #5: Talk with your child about mental health. This is kind of a no-brainer, but you must talk with your child about mental health in order for 1) your child to be educated about mental health, and 2) your child to know you’re available and ready to help should any mental health problems arise. If a child grows up in a household that represses feelings, promotes stigma, and believes depression, anxiety, and anger are for “the weak,” is it really feasible for us to expect that child to have a healthy mind? I don’t think so. There are plenty of resources out there to help you talk with your child about mental health. Get started with the SAMHSA Family Guide, Mental Health America’s Factsheet: Talking to Kids about Fear and Violence, and the UK’s NHS article on talking to children about their mental health. Oh, and if your child is a college or university student, don’t forget to check out
ULifeline: Online Mental Health Resources For College Students.

For more great theme day posts around the Health & Wellness Channel, check out the “Back-to-School Survival Guide” Grace Ibay created at Kids Health Notes to round ‘em all up!

Image: SXC