Raising Children - Raising Emotionally Healthy Kids

Raising Children	Fostering Independance	Discipline
The Right Toys	Emotionally Healthy Kids	Music

Raising Emotionally Healthy Children includes giving your kids the confidence and tools to be able to make good decisions, to break down formidable tasks into smaller, workable tasks, to organize themselves, and to have the ability to overcome challenges and set-backs while leading a happy productive life. Here are some suggestions to help mold your child into an emotionally healthy person:

Take time daily to talk and listen to your child and express your love to him/her.

Have clear rules and high expectations within a warm, loving and supportive home.

Evening rituals can be fun! Try the following:

1. "Rock-Me-Time": rock and sing to your child for 5 minutes just before tucking into bed.
2. "Moments of Mush": just before bedtime, have everyone say something nice about each member of the family including themselves.
3. "My Best Day!": while tucking into bed, ask your child to share the best thing that happened to him/her that day.

The key to raising an emotionally healthy child is establishing and maintaining a personal relationship with him/her. You can do this by implementing:

1. Monthly Date Nights (with child and parents or parent)
2. Weekly Family Night (write a family mission statement, motto, cheer, or song; play games and sports activities; paint or draw pictures together, read together, etc.)
3. Weekly Personal Interviews: (20 minutes/week. To strengthen relationship with child. Listen to concerns, feelings, worries, how school is going, their friendships, and take the time to teach, counsel, and set goals.)

Turn these ideas into lasting traditions in your home by starting early and by being consistent. Remember, to a child it's:
"Don't tell me how much you know until you show me how much you care!"