Five Top Tips To Support Children's Emotional/Psychological Well-Being

10th, Feb 2023

This week is Children's Mental Health Week, so we spoke to Dr Kerry Sweeney, Clinical Psychologist here at Kingsbridge Private Hospital on how you can support your child's emotional and psychological well-being.

Connect and regulate

Children are most receptive to emotional, social & educational development when safe and supported at home, school and all environments they are in. Support your child by co-regulating hard feelings such as worry, sadness and shame. Stay close, cuddle and teach your child to breath deeply to manage those big feelings in their body. Blowing bubbles together can help to regulate breathing and body feelings.

Your relationship with your child

Development occurs in the safety of healthy relationships. A parenting attitude of PACE- playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy can be so helpful in relationship development. Try to help your child figure out how to make sense of what they have experienced and how it impacts on them using acceptance, curiosity and empathy. Make feelings chat a regular habit, let your child know you're interested in all of them.

Fun, regulating activities to enhance emotional wellbeing

Children can concentrate better, form friendships and show more settled behaviour at home and school if they are emotionally regulated. Simple day to day regulating activities can help to emotionally regulate your child. Supporting emotional regulation doesn’t need to be difficult. Taking time to play and be playful at home, will help you and your child feel calmer and more connected. Encouraging your child to go outdoors to explore, play and take part in a range of activities can reduce anxiety and improve emotional well-being and social interaction. Encourage and support your child to have the bravery to try new things.

Family focus

Ensuring you plan plenty of family time is important. Those meals around the kitchen table allow for connection and communication. Routines and consistency help us all feel better regulated and in control. Consistent routines around mealtimes, bedtimes and family time help with children’s emotional safety and regulation.

Take care of yourself and expectations of yourself as a parent!

It is so important parents take care of themselves emotionally as this the foundation for responsive parenting. We have stress buckets too! We need to think carefully about how we take care of ourselves and support our own emotionally regulation. Develop a self-care plan & try to stick to it!

Get in touch!

At Kingsbridge we have a number of child and adolescent mental health services available. To find out more information, visit kingsbridgeprivatehospital.com or text HELLO to 66777

Dr Kerry Sweeney BSc (Hons), DClinPsy, CPsychol

Consultant Clinical Psychologist (BPS Chartered and HCPC Registered)

Certified DDP Practitioner