Mental health is an important aspect of our well-being. Sadly, there are still a lot of misconceptions about it. We take it for granted and it isn’t as widely discussed as our physical health. A good mental well-being is essential for us to function properly. Concerning issues surrounding our mental health can greatly affect how we work, how we make decisions, and how we interact with others. As parents, it’s important to have mental health awareness, especially around our kids. Mental health concerns are for all ages!

Let’s address the elephant in the room: what a lot of parents don’t realise is that they sometimes dismiss their kids’ mental well-being. Parenting is directly tied to your child’s psychological development. It’s important that we don’t neglect such things. Doing so may disrupt momentum, which can affect your child’s daily routines. For instance, anxiety is fairly common amongst children and adults. I bet this feeling isn’t something new to you. A healthy amount of anxiety is normal! The thing is, we don’t want this kind of emotion to linger. It’s not pleasant and definitely not ideal! Especially when it comes to our kids.

Anxiety may be caused by many different reasons.

Now, children can possibly feel anxious about many things. Their anxiety may be caused by different reasons. One of the most prominent reasons is school. School is a stressful environment. Most traditional schools put students in rigorous programmes. It’s effective, but at the cost of your child hating every minute of school and learning. This is why our unique approach here at UK Virtual School dismantles this problematic angle. We have to impart unto them the love of learning, and not make them feel like they just have to finish school because it’s what society dictates them to do. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be anxious from time to time.

Another possible reason is bullying. Bullying has always been a prevalent problem despite the number of schools implementing a zero-tolerance policy. It is definitely worrisome when the environment around our children becomes unsafe. The most concerning aspect about it is that it can happen anywhere and anytime. Even online. In fact, it was even more amplified through the Internet. 

Some schools provide an amazing support system to assist students facing anxiety or situations that cause it. There are schools that don’t put the burden on kids in resolving unwelcome situations. One parent from our Facebook group, Maddy, shared that an incident in school involving her son was professionally handled. To address the situation, the school called for a meeting including the student, the guardian, the BMS teacher, BMS manager, support worker, and safeguarding officer. They made the student feel that they’re all there to help him, not to reprimand. It’s crucial in situations like this not to make the child feel like they’re being cornered. This is the kind of growth mindset that we want to impart as well.

There are a variety of ways that you can do, as a parent, to help ease this unwanted feeling. Belle, one of our students, has reached out to UK Virtual School and shared her personal experience in dealing with anxiety. Read her simple tips below!

Journaling

It’s healthy to unload and write your feelings down. There are many benefits to journaling, and that includes providing a safe space for yourself. We have a blog about it that you can read!

Go for a walk

Take a breather and go see the world outside! If you’re ever feeling that things are a little bit overwhelming, a walk outside can clear your mind. Walk your dog, go for a jog, or take a quick trip to the community park.

Put on some music

Music puts you in a good mood. Move to the rhythm without judgement and be free! Music releases dopamine, the hormone that makes us feel good. Even a 3-minute song can make your day feel better!

Work out

Our physical body is also tied to our mental well-being. Exercising and working out is also healthy for the brain as these activities flood us with endorphins.

Eat balanced meals regularly

A combination of an empty stomach and an unhealthy diet causes us to lose energy and reduces our performance drastically. Without a healthy diet, our brain wouldn’t be at its full capacity!

Anxiety 101 with Innovation!

We should always remember to value our family’s mental well-being. As mentioned above, a proportional occurence of anxiety is normal. As parents, it’s important to not take this for granted. We have to help them manage it. Why not use our downloadable mood cards to interpret feelings in a creative way?

 Remember, a child who feels happy about school is a child eager to learn. And a child eager to learn is a child equipped with the right skills to prepare them for the future.

How do you deal with your child’s anxiety? Tell us about your experiences in the comments!

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