Our mental wellbeing is dynamic. It can change from moment to moment, day to day, month to month or year to year.
If you have good mental wellbeing you are able to:
- feel relatively confident in yourself and have positive self-esteem
- feel and express a range of emotions
- build and maintain good relationships with others
- feel engaged with the world around you
- live and work productively
- cope with the stresses of daily life
- adapt and manage in times of change and uncertainty
This page covers some ideas to stay mentally well and develop your ability to cope with the up and downs of life:
SSS Learning have produced some free Safeguarding Children 10 Top Tips Parent Resource. This resource is designed to offer advice on how parents can safeguard their child/ren's mental health and promote their wellbeing and is available as a document and short video presentation. The link to both resources is here: https://ssscpd.co.uk/education/parentsandguardians/child-mental-health-10-tips-for-parents/-/pj==
For more information please clink on this link: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/wellbeing/wellbeing/
Kent Educational Psychology Service
Supporting children with resilience: https://kentresiliencehub.org.uk/resources/resilience-webinar-for-parents/
Sleep
Child Friendly Resources
Staying healthy physically can help you stay healthy emotionally too. If you're eating the right food and keeping fit, your body will be strong and help you to cope with stress and also fight illness.
Eating well and exercising often will also help you stay in good health later in life.
Getting regular sleep is another really important way to stay healthy. Having late nights can leave you feeling tired the next day. It can be difficult, but try to have at least 8 hours sleep each night.
Eating and drinking the right things
It can be hard to keep a healthy diet. Especially when there's a temptation to eat sweets and junk food. But it's important to get a balance in your diet of the right amount of each food group.
A balanced diet also includes drinks. Your body needs to stay hydrated to keep healthy. But think about what you drink. Caffeine and sugary drinks:
- can cause mood swings
- affect your energy levels, feeling full of energy before a "sugar low" where you may feel tired and grumpy
- can make you put on weight if you have too much sugar
- can give you trouble sleeping if you have them at night.
It's best to drink water and natural juices which don't have loads of sugar.
One portion should include:
- carbohydrates - like potatoes, pasta, rice and bread. A portion should be about the size of a fist.
- protein from non dairy sources - like meat, fish, beans, soya and tofu. A portion should be about the size of a deck of cards.
- dairy- like milk and cheese. A portion should be about a 200ml of milk, a matchbox size piece of cheese or an average pot (125ml) of yoghurt.
- fruit and vegetables - at least five portions of per day. For fresh fruit and vegetables, a portion should be about a cupped hand. For dried fruit, a portion should be about half a cupped hand.
NHS website has more info about balanced diets.
For more information on how you can keep fit and healthy please follow this link:https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/you-your-body/my-body/staying-healthy/
Are you experiencing domestic abuse?
Refuge: 24-hours National Domestic Abuse Helpline
We are here to help. For further information and guidance please follow this link: https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/
In an emergancy call 999.
Directory of DA Services
Grief & Bereavement
Dealing with the loss of a member of your school community must be one of the hardest things schools have to deal with. Managing the range of emotions, differing opinions and official protocols can be incredibly challenging for any school leader.Remember you are not alone in this. Journeying together through difficult times can make us stronger and more understanding of each other.
The hope of this pack is to give some guidance to leaders, an understanding of what grief might look like and practical support for those journeying alongside and journeying in grief. Please be assured of the support of the
Canterbury Diocesan Education team and wider Diocesan family.
Invisible Strings is for primary age children and is about loss and separation. No matter where you are or how far away from your loved ones you are - you are always connected and never alone. It seems really apt to the current pandemic.
