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5 Tips for Supporting Your Child's Mental Health · 5–Minute Parenting: Tips to Help You Raise Competent, Godly Kids.

• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to another episode of Five Minute Parenting.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Today we have a special guest, Mel Tiveres.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: Mel holds a doctor of ministry and pastoral counseling.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: She is a board certified Master Health coach and a professional life coach.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: She's a wife, mother to seven adult children, and a grandma to 10.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: In her spare time, she writes devotionals, articles, Bible curriculum, and has written several books.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure that you check out her website in today's podcast notes.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Today, Mel will be sharing five tips for supporting your child's mental well-being.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome, Mel.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for having me, Sandra.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_01: I am excited to be here on the podcast today, talking with parents, and I speak to myself too.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: This is not, you know, me preaching to the choir.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: So I want to talk about an all-important topic of your child's mental well-being.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: It could be your child, it could be your grandchild, could be somebody that you're caregiving for, um, or maybe you're a teacher and you have kids in your classroom.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: So this is for you.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_01: So I want to talk about five tips as we launch into this new school year season, things to be aware of that will improve your child's mental well-being.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: And the reason I'm saying that is because they're living in a very tough time.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: It's a hard world that we're living in.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: And we have a lot of technology that is bombarding them even more.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: So, first and foremost, I would say be aware of their social media consumption.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: Be aware of who they're talking to, who they're not talking to, what kinds of things are being said.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, there are a lot of platforms that kids are on that you may not be aware of and you may not even know what their apps are.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: There are ways for them to hide that.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_01: So, um, to that point, there is a wonderful newsletter called PYE.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I can get those notes to Sandra and she can give that link to you.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: But um that will give you an idea of what is actually happening on social media, what the language is that kids are using that will be behind the scenes.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: So there is a lot of bullying that goes on.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_01: So to that point, I'm saying be aware of what their social media usage is, who they're talking to, because bullying is a very real thing and that totally impacts their mental well-being.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, there are a lot of comparisons that happen.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_01: Somebody is on social media and they're like, oh, they just got those new high-top Converse sneakers and they're all the rage right now, and I didn't get one, or oh, they get the new Jan Sport backpack and I didn't get that brand.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_01: And there's a lot of comparison that goes on, and it causes kids to go down some very um deep dark holes of beginning to feel like they're less than.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: You can uh tip number two, watch for the behavioral changes because as they consume social media um and begin comparing, or when they're sitting in the lunchroom at school or the classroom or whatever on the school bus, and these things are happening the bullying, the snide comments that happen and all of that, kids will begin to withdraw.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_01: They will withdraw, they may start engaging in some risky behaviors, they may a quiet child might start being overly talkative, a talkative child withdraws.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_01: You'll see some differences in their behavior.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_01: Don't don't just toss those aside.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: Make sure that you actually um consider that that is a red flag, that something's not quite okay with their mental health and well-being.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and then create that safe communications space.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: I would say that's tip number three.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_01: Create the safe space for them to be able to talk to you and know that you're a safe person for them to talk to, and they can talk about anything because a lot of parents just don't want to talk about things.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and then provide as much structure as you can.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_01: Tip number four: provide as much structure as you can within the school day because kids um need those boundaries and they need that structure as much as anybody else.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_01: They have structure during the day, but they need it when they're not in school.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_01: Also, they need to know, like what time dinner is, what your expectation is for them to come home, do this, this, and this, and then you know, finish their homework and then do their shower, whatever.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: That routine, whatever routine you establish, the fact that you have a routine is so helpful for them because it takes away stress and anxiety.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_01: It takes away some of the decision making that causes stress and anxiety.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_01: And then the last thing I'd say is you yourself take the time for you, because you modeling what positive mental health and well-being looks like will show them, you know, you see them seeing you relax, them seeing you take time for just to unwind and have some de stressing and recreation time, that will trigger them needing to do the same or wanting to do the same.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_01: So I would say those are five quick tips on how you, as a parent or caregiver, can help your child um maintain a good um positive mental health and outlook during this school year.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_01: So I hope that is helpful to you.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_01: You can reach out to me if you have any other questions.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Mel.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you really did touch a lot on the social media issue.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, recently, um, you know, Instagram, TikTok, and those platforms have been under attack because for their uh physiological psychological and emotional impacts on children, and I feel like they don't measure up.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: So there's just so much bullying, so much going on on social media.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: It's very important for parents to be aware of that.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: And I appreciate you sharing that.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_01: There really is, and I will say too that unfortunately there are a lot of predators on those same platforms, and they um kids are vulnerable.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_01: So parents just have to know what's going on.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: Well, thank you again, and we look forward to having you back after uh perhaps in the next year to share some more.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: Well, thank you for having me.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate it.