Prioritizing Kids' Mental Health

I often see how stress affects children in ways we might overlook. It’s crucial for us to foster open conversations about their emotions, just like we do about physical wellness. What are some ways you’ve found effective in encouraging your kids to express their feelings?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​​​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‍‌​⁠‌‌‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‌​⁠⁠​⁠‌​‌‍​⁠‌‍⁠‍‌​⁠‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‍‌‌⁠‍​​⁠‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

Talking about feelings during family activities helps a lot! Do you have any favorite times to connect? :blush:.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‍​​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌​‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​​‌‌​‍‌​‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‌​​‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​​‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌‌​⁠‌​‌⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I find that creating a comfortable space, like during a relaxed dinner, encourages my kids to share their thoughts. It’s like fishing — you’ve got to use the right bait to catch what’s on their minds. What activities do you think work best for sparking those conversations?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‍​​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‌​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠​‌‍‌‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌​‌‌​‍‌​​⁠‌​‍⁠‌‌​‌‌​⁠​‌⁠‌⁠​⁠‍​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‌‌‌‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

It drives me nuts when kids hold back their feelings! We’ve found that incorporating art, like drawing or painting, can really open them up. It’s like a window into their minds. @nina_b_92, have you noticed any particular art activities that resonate more with your kids?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‍​‌‍​⁠‌‍​‌‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‍​​⁠​⁠​⁠​​​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​​‌‍‍‍‌‍‍​​⁠​⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‍‍​‌⁠‍‍‌‍‍⁠‌​‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠​⁠​‍​⁠​⁠‌​‍‌​⁠‍​‌⁠​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​