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Mental Health for Kids - Empowering Kids to Choose Healthy ThoughtsExcellent mental health for kids is not only possible but an important aspect of health education for kids. Good childrens mental health takes training. Part of the training involves kids learning to choose which thoughts they feed and which thoughts they starve. However, if your child has been diagnosed with a chemical imbalance or has a mental disorder, the mental health for kids information on this page probably won't help. Other kids and children without the above-mentioned health challenges can definitely benefit. Childrens mental health, as I see it, is children having the ability and skills to use their minds in healthy ways. Childrens mental health means children learn that they are responsible for the thoughts they pay attention to. This may be a new concept for you, i.e., that each of us is responsible for the thoughts we
Although no one knows exactly how thoughts arise in our minds, it's estimated each of us has between 50,000 to 80,000 thoughts each day. For kids to enjoy life and experience good mental health for kids, more thoughts must be
When kids have more thoughts that are For kids to learn that they are responsible for their thoughts takes training. But, you can make it fun and a game. Kids love to think of themselves as strong, powerful, invincible, able to do anything. Your job, with my help, is to teach them to become what I call Thought Warriors , instead of Thought Wimps. Although the following list was designed with adults in mind, many of the characteristics are applicable to children. Introduce them when appropriate.They are building blocks to excellent mental health for kids and adults. Thought Warriors
I coined these terms when I taught a monthly workshop called Reality of Thoughts for probationers in El Paso, TX. I was their last hope before they returned to jail or prison for violating probation by using drugs or alcohol. I taught these men and women, some barely out of their teens, to look at and examine their thoughts. I taught them they had to be as vigilant as soaring hawks searching for prey hundreds of yards below. If hawks take their eyes off the ground even for a second, lunch for loved ones is zero, zilch, nada. (Remember, hawks don't have refrigerators and cabinets to store their next meals.) With a few exercises, I demonstrated to probationers how powerful our minds are. I taught them that each of us has the ability to choose empowering thoughts or to dung heap dumpster thoughts. Whatever thoughts we focus on grow. The more the focus is on empowering thoughts, the better is mental health for kids. Focusing on dung heap thoughts creates dung heap mental health for kids. It's this simple. The probationers learned to recognize
In the exact moment they chose to get drunk or stoned, they were valuing booze or drugs more than their kids. A few probationers shed tears of remorse when they understood what they were valuing. Your kids can learn that excellent mental health for kids begins with them. They can learn that excellent mental health for kids leads to excellent mental health as adults. Most children, and adults, must feel empowered before they can achieve a high level of mental health. And they must love themselves enough to want excellent mental health. Kids who train themselves to monitor their thoughts are kids who feel good about themselves. As described on kids health education, kids who love and value themselves begin to adapt healthy living habits. How Stress in Kids Affects Mental Health for KidsKids who experience high levels of mental health are able to handle daily stresses. Stress is a natural part of life and a component of mental health. Only when excessive stress is present do problems arise. Here's info about stress in kids, childrens anxiety and a
Return to Home Page The information found on Mental Health for Kids is the property of Childrens Educational Books. Treat us as you would treat family and friends. Gratefully, Harvey
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