How to Create an Emotionally Healthy Home

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Emotionally Healthy Home

As parents, our top priority all the time is making sure that our kids are healthy. Ever since they were in the womb of their mothers, we’ve been looking after their health. When they get very sick or acquire a serious injury, it feels as if our worst nightmare has come to life. Unfortunately, it’s common for us parents to overlook another aspect of their health. And that is an emotionally Healthy Home. Our kids may be as physically healthy as they could be. But that doesn’t mean that they’re handling their emotions well.

Childhood is a very turbulent experience in a person’s life. They’re processing change, negative feelings, and other emotionally-heavy experiences differently. For all we know, they may not be expressing their emotions in a healthy way.

Luckily, as parents, we could help with that. One of the ways is to ensure that our home is an emotionally healthy one. Here are a few key changes we could do.

Create a Space for Play

Play is an integral part of childhood. We, as parents, all know this. But, unfortunately, many of us tend to forget. Our kids should be able to maintain a balance between work and play. Maintaining a genuinely happy disposition is a way for them to develop their emotional health. So, if we can, we should create a proper space for them to play in.

If we have ample outdoor space, then we could dedicate it to play. Let’s revamp our backyard and install swings and slides. We could also bring in a sandbox so they could hone the initial skills for constructing something with their hands. Let’s improve our deck with concrete resurfacing systems so that it would look and feel new and inviting for kids.

If we have an extra room at home, we could develop that as a playroom. That way, they have a specific room where they could freely enjoy their toys and other knickknacks.

Choose the Right Paint Colors

Colors are an important part of creating an emotionally healthy home. By having bright and fresh colors on our walls or furniture, we can evoke positive emotions in our children in a subtle way. It’s common for kids to be attracted to colors that pop and capture their interest. Researchers even conducted a study on this. Published in the Journal of Genetic Psychology, the researchers proved that bright colors such as blue, red, and yellow spark positive emotions in children. Dark colors such as gray and black have the opposite effect. Children develop negative emotions from them.

If we have kids, we should take into consideration their emotions when we pick the colors of our walls. We might be attracted to a minimalist look with shades of gray and black. But our kids may perpetually feel down because of the colors of their home.

Designate a Space for Opening Up Feelings

In kindergarten classrooms, it’s common for the teachers to conduct “feelings hour” with their students. During this time, all of the kids engage in deep conversations about their emotions. Whether they’re positive or negative, children are encouraged to share them. We can do the same at home by designating a space where they could open up and express their emotions.

We could have a room or a corner at home where they could go if they need some time alone or need to open up to us about whatever they were feeling. By imprinting in their minds that they have this kind of refuge at home, they’ll be less inclined to bottle up their feelings in an unhealthy way.

Assign a Space for Art and Other Creations

The thing about art is that they’re a form of emotional expression. Sometimes, even designating a space for opening up is not enough for children to actually open up. They may not express their emotions by talking or crying. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t have emotions to release. So what we can do is encourage them to express themselves in a nonverbal way.

Let’s assign a space or room where they could freely create whatever they want. They could draw or paint to their heart’s desire. If they’re feeling down, they could create drawings that would evoke such emotions. In a way, they’re releasing them.

Creating an emotionally healthy home should be a crucial part of parenting. It’s our way of properly connecting with our kids. By making sure that they have spaces at home where they express themselves freely, they’ll view their home as their refuge. Whenever they feel troubled, they could come to us and express themselves without any fear of judgments.

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