Children’s Mental Health Week, from 5-11 February 2024
- Kim
- Feb 4, 2024
- 1 min read
Updated: May 22
Help to give a voice to children and young people (https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk)
Many of us feel enormous pressure to understand and analyse everything our children talk about, yet most of the time they just want us to listen. Giving a child space to speak aloud when they are feeling intense feelings enables them to figure out for themselves if something is a threat and work out a response to it.
Learning to recognise and name feelings can reduce the emotional response over time so your child will become less stressed by things that bother them. Children learn best from role modelling, so challenge yourself to name how you feel and what you might need in front of your children.
Less intense ways of talking with children
Walk and talk
Take a drive
Baking
Kick about
Colouring
Doing a puzzle
Kite flying
Further reading:
Emotional Hijacking, 2009 by Marlene Schneider Potter
Lieberman MD, Eisenberger NI, Crockett MJ, Tom SM, Pfeifer JH, Way BM. Putting feelings into words: affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli. Psychol Sci. 2007 May;18(5):421-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01916.x. PMID: 17576282.
One common theme in counselling is the power of small, consistent actions for emotional healing. Sharing a Good morning prayer message for love works wonders in strengthening personal relationships while encouraging optimism. This practice reflects the therapeutic idea of grounding daily life in positivity. Mental health is best nurtured with both professional support and daily encouragement, making morning prayers an excellent complement to therapy sessions.
Moral stories are an effective tool in counseling because they provide examples children can relate to. Reading stories creates curiosity and encourages children to analyze characters’ choices. Parents and therapists can work together by introducing children to meaningful storytelling. A great resource is Short Stories in English with Moral Lessons for Kids, offering simple yet impactful tales designed to guide children’s thinking toward positive values and responsible behavior.
Therapists acknowledge that children require consistent reminders to learn positive behaviors. Storytelling offers reinforcement in a fun, non-stressful manner. It creates opportunities to discuss real-life choices in simple language. Parents and teachers should include moral stories in daily routines. A recommended source is Short Stories in English with Moral Lessons for Kids. This site features engaging content designed to teach valuable lessons through simple, short stories that children enjoy reading.