![]() ![]() Positive emotions not only feel nice, but a review of the research suggests that they build capital that kids can draw on to deal with future hardships, says Doan. Make it your job to be available, giving, pleasant, and never imposing, she advises. For them, focus on creating the possibility of connection, whether or not they take you up on it. While young kids tend to be open to parental overtures, teenagers can be trickier, Doan acknowledges. ![]() RELATED: Could You Be Addicted to the Internet? In a review of 13 studies on “technoference” (when digital devices habitually interrupt time together), having parents glued to their phones and other devices was linked to increased depression and anxiety in adolescents. When children don’t get the regular quality time they crave, their well-being suffers. Even five phone-free minutes before bed each day can help nurture their emotional health, she says. “Kids are very social, and one of the most valuable things you can give them is your full-on attention,” says Doan. RELATED: Childhood Verbal Abuse Could Still Be Impacting Your Emotional and Mental Health 3. Research also suggests that when parents habitually dismiss how kids feel, their kids are more prone to emotional health problems and difficulty managing and expressing feelings. That can lead to trouble, like second-guessing their feeling that a party is getting out of control and it’s time to leave. Youth who are taught to doubt themselves may become teens who don’t trust their gut, says Hershberg. We just ate lunch, so we’re not going to have snacks right now,” suggests Hershberg. We just ate lunch,” try saying, “I know you’re telling me you’re hungry. Instead of saying, “You couldn’t possibly be hungry. Hershberg says.įor example, if your kid insists they’re hungry right after lunch, you can validate their experience without letting it run the show. You can do this by accepting what kids say about their internal world and not telling them how to feel - even when setting limits on behavior, Dr. Starting at an early age, help your child learn that they’re the experts in themselves and that no one knows how they’re feeling better than they do, says Rebecca Hershberg, PhD, clinical psychologist and parenting coach in Dobbs Ferry, New York. ![]() Of course, individual kids will have unique abilities and needs that vary based on their cultural context, personal developmental trajectory, and other factors, she notes. You can learn the broad strokes from a used child development textbook or free resources on milestones for ages 0 to 17 from the CDC, Doan says. “For early infancy, being touched and held is a fundamental need,” she explains. For example, some caregivers worry they’ll spoil their babies by picking them up when they cry, but Doan says that concern is misplaced. Knowledge of development (what kids may need and be able to do given their age) helps parents have realistic expectations, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “I think it’s really important to educate yourself,” Doan says. While you don’t need a PhD in child development to parent, it pays to brush up on the basics. Learn a Little About Social and Emotional Development ![]() RELATED: How to Help Your Child Overcome an Inferiority Complex 1. Here are seven tips suggested by experts. The science even suggests practical strategies for raising emotionally healthy kids that are doable during already busy days. Some are quite broad and difficult to change, like your neighborhood conditions and access to healthcare, she notes.īut nurturing from caregivers is important, too, says Doan, who studies how relationships support healthy child development. Many factors can influence a child’s emotional health, says Dr. Who wouldn’t want that for the kids they love? When kids are mentally healthy (a term often used interchangeably with emotionally healthy), they reach milestones in social and emotional development have strong social skills cope well with problems function at home, school, and in their communities and have a positive quality of life, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That’s according to Stacey Doan, PhD, professor of psychological science at Claremont McKenna College in California and coauthor of Nature Meets Nurture: Science-Based Strategies for Raising Resilient Kids. Emotionally healthy kids don’t just survive. ![]()
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