Positive Wellbeing for Parents

Parents, your mental wellbeing is equally as important as your child's because in order to look after children, you need to take care of yourself. We've asked our art therapists to provide some guidance and have highlighted important things to remember:

• Share worries and seek out support from friends and family
• Live a healthy lifestyle 
• Do things that make you happy 
• Make time for you to relax
• Try mindfulness, yoga, or meditation
• Take up a creative hobby that you can use to express yourself
• Give yourself the time out you are encouraging your child to have
• Keep informed about topics that concern your children
• Never stop talking and listening through good and bad

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Art Therapist Tips on Supporting Your Child

Your child’s feelings have an impact on their daily functioning including their behaviour, productivity and creative expression. Our therapists have passed along some very helpful tips and reminders when interacting with your child to promote their positive wellbeing.  

• Self-expression: Try using art as a way to help express and process thoughts and feelings that might be difficult for a young child, and those who’ve experienced trauma, to articulate verbally.
• Communication: Listening and talking to your child is an effective way of helping them to deal with their emotions. Make it clear that you understand them and offer support when needed. 
• Self-Awareness - Help your child to feel more in control of what’s happening to them and to cope better with the effects of their condition.
• Peer interactions: Forming connections can have a positive impact on the way we feel. Help your child to share experiences with others whether that is through art or play. Building relationships with others increases our sense of self-worth and belonging as we share experiences and learn to provide support to others.
  
• Coping strategies: Support your child's development of healthy coping strategies. We have a range of therapeutic art activities on our website to support your child. It is important for your child to build up resilience through effective methods that they can turn to when things don't go right. 
• Be a role model: Your child will look up to you and take cues on how to act. Try to remember the basics unconditional love, kindness, honesty, respect, tolerance and fairness. 

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Helpful Apps for Your Wellbeing

There are so many apps to explore, but here are a few relaxation oriented apps that may help you get to your zen place. 

1. One of our favourites is Relax Melodies. From sounds of the ocean to the wind in the trees, these ambient sounds can help you slow down and relax. Choose from background noises to relaxation techniques and tips for better sleep. Find a quiet place and use these soothing sounds to help you reach mental calmness. Learn more or download via Google or Apple.

2. Moodfit, which was voted the best overall mental health app of 2019, is a good overall tracker to provide insight into your mood. It offers a variety of features including calming breathing techniques, medication tracking, and reminders to form healthy habits. Check it out on Google or Apple. 

3. Headspace is another excellent app to help you practice mindfulness in your everyday life and promises to help you stress less, move more, and sleep soundly. Learn more on Google or Apple. 

*Each app has its own terms and conditions. Please ensure you check age requirements and details before using.