How to Raise Your Children to be Emotionally Healthy

Raising kids to be well-adjusted adults means raising them to be emotionally and psychologically healthy, or at least as healthy as they can be. This is a skill a lot of parents struggle with, since parents may not be emotionally and/or psychologically healthy themselves. Recognizing what steps you need to take to help yourself and your children be healthy requires all of the following.

Spend Time Each Day Finding out How Your Kids Are Feeling and Talking About Things That Bother Them

Kids think they have to bottle things up or hide what they feel because they don’t feel comfortable talking about things that make them feel scared, angry, or vulnerable. If you hide your feelings and don’t talk about them either, then your kids learn to do the same. This is not healthy, and it requires a change in mindset.

Instead, spend some time every day talking to your kids, finding out if there’s anything bothering them, letting them know it’s okay for them to talk to you if there is something bothering them, and that talking to you provides them with judgment-free safe zone. If they get really emotional, let them get emotional. Don’t stop them from crying, getting angry and loud, or just busting loose. Listen and be supportive. This helps establish a bond with your children and a sense of trust that will help them come to you later on when something really wrong happens to them.

Don’t Ignore Them and Spend Quality Time With Them

Psychologists warn against being distracted while you spend time with your kids. Kids want your attention and they want you to be there in the moment with them. If you are taking calls, checking messages and emails, trying to do work, or are otherwise distracted, they feel that.

They perceive you are placing everything else ahead of being there with them, and they will act out. Over time, this constant acting out to get your attention is negatively reinforced, creating a lifelong pattern of behavior that isn’t healthy. Put everything down and away and be present for at least thirty minutes a day with them. If you can, an hour or two a day is even better.