Maintaining good health, prioritizing emotional wellness, minimizing stress and promoting relaxation all fall under the umbrella of self-care, and they’re all essential elements of a happy life. Despite the importance of self-care, it’s often overlooked. However, you can break this chain by prioritizing self-care at home. To get started, take a look at these five ways you can teach kids how to practice self-care:

1. Talk About Emotions

Helping your kids to understand their emotions is one of the basic tenets of self-care. Similarly, you’ll want to encourage youngsters to talk about their feelings, so have regular check-ins and be available if they want to share their worries with you.

2. Model Healthy Behavior

When you practice self-care, your kids will emulate your behavior and learn that it’s good to prioritize wellness. From teaching teens how to notice red flags in relationships to modeling constructive conflict resolution, there are numerous ways you can incorporate self-care into family life. By scheduling downtime, for example, and letting your kids know that you need to relax, you can highlight how important it is to let your mind and body unwind.

3. Stay Active

Being active is an essential element of optimal health, so it’s vital to make this a part of your day-to-day itinerary. From playing e-sports on games consoles to going on a nature walk, there are a myriad of activities you can do to ensure your family remains active. Remember – regular exercise isn’t just essential for optimal physical health; it also has a positive impact on your mental and emotional wellbeing.

4. Teach Stress Management

We all encounter stress in our lives, no matter what age we are. However, learning how to cope with stress in a healthy way is something that many kids miss out on. By teaching your kids how to process and manage stress from a young age, you’re teaching them how to protect their health. There are many meditation, yoga and mindfulness resources aimed at children, so try out different options to see what your kids enjoy the most.

5. Give Kids Time to Relax

Children often have busy schedules, which means they don’t have much opportunity to truly relax. If your child goes straight from school to a sports club every evening, for example, how much time do they get to unwind and ‘do nothing’? Although kids might complain of being bored, promoting relaxation activities will give kids a chance to unwind, as well as keeping them entertained. Listening to an audiobook, reading in bed or even watching a movie as a family can be effective ways for children to relax, so there are plenty of options to explore.

Prioritize Self-Care as a Family

When your family makes self-care a priority, it teaches your kids that taking care of their mind and body is always a top priority. By giving them the tools that they’ll need to maintain optimal health and wellbeing in the future, you can ensure your kids are well-equipped to deal with whatever life throws at them.