Being a first time mom is truly the hardest – and most rewarding – but definitely hardest job I have ever had. Since my baby can’t talk to me it is hard to know if I am doing a good job as a parent, and while most days we are winging it – I know the most important thing I can do is take care of my child.
It isn’t just about taking care of your child physically, but also taking care of their mental health. Here are some tips on how you can do just that.
Make sure that they attend regular healthcare checkups
One of the most important things as a parent is making sure your child stays up to date with healthcare checkups. In Canada we are very lucky to have regular checkups scheduled, but sometimes issues can come up out of the blue.
What if one day your child complains about a toothache? Well you can look for a dentist near me so that they can have their issue seen sooner rather than later. The sooner you take them to see someone about their oral health, the less likely they will experience further pain.
Limit their technology use
This one is one that I know will be hard but important. My job as a reporter and my passion as a writer means I spend a lot of time online but I know for my child it is important to find a balance.
Effective safeguarding measures should be put into place on technology. Although you might be fine with allowing your children to play with their devices and use the internet, finding a healthy balance is important because it can impact both a child’s physical and mental health. It limits their time spent outdoors being active and also what they consume online can impact how they think and behave. Hence, with limited use, they can be safer mentally.
This doesn’t mean completely eliminate technology from their lives – but maybe limit what devices they can have. A cell phone for emergencies instead of a gaming console. And on top of that maybe you set boundaries of how much time they can use their devices each week.
Another top tip for limiting technology use is to set safeguard limits for the internet. This will limit what they can search and see, which is for the benefit of their own good and mental health.
Talk to them and open them up
Speaking of mental health, it is crucial to take good care of your child’s mental health so that they can maintain positive well-being and happiness. Plus, good mental health can enhance physical health due to a lack of stress.
I know I was a little nervous about this when I found out we were having a boy because statistics show it can be harder for men to open up about mental health. So I want to make sure I create a safe environment from an early age where my son feels he can talk to me about anything.
Talking to your children and trying to open them up will be amazing for their mental health. Instead of them bottling up their emotions and issues, they can share them with you to attain a resolution and some support. It can be useful to open up to them first to show them the benefits.
Just know mommas you are doing a great job,
xo
Mia
