Self-care: What Does it Look Like for Kids, Teens, and Adults?
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by Taylor Herzer, CSW
Self-care is an essential part of everyday life. Children, teens, and adults can all benefit from participating in some form of self-care. Self-care can help you be the best you can be for the people around you. Without caring for your own needs, it can be really hard to show up and be present for the people around you.
What does self-care look like?
Self-care can be anything from meeting physical needs (eating balanced meals, exercising, & sleep) & mental needs (journaling, meditation, etc), to doing things you enjoy and boost your mood (a loved hobby, getting a massage, listening to music, etc)
Self-care for Kids
It is important for children to have their own self-care routine, which is not something that they can easily pinpoint on their own and without some guidance. Every child is different, and it's important to remember that one child’s self-care might not coincide with another child’s self-care. Encouraging children to do small tasks for themselves from a younger age can help to build confidence and independence for the future.
Some self-care activities for children are:
● Picking out their own outfit in the morning: giving them a sense of independence and control over how they dress can be an important aspect of self-care for the child. It also allows for self expression and individuality.
● Writing or drawing out their days/big emotions: Depending on age, developmental stage, and preferences, writing or drawing out big things that happened throughout the day, or big emotions they experienced can be beneficial not only for letting out some of their stresses, but learning to express themselves in the way they need.
● Taking a break: Sometimes children need a break after spending all day at school, and before they jump into homework and other household responsibilities. During these breaks the child should be encouraged to do something they enjoy (another self-care aspect) like playing outside, coloring/drawing, reading, spending time in their room, etc. This can help relieve some of the stress of their busy days.
It may take some time to figure out what self-care activities feel the best for each child. Sometimes helping children explore different activities/hobbies can help them pinpoint for themselves what they enjoy and what makes them feel reset.
Self-care for Teens
Teens are sometimes better able to identify what they like and don’t like when it comes to self-care. However, it is still important for parents to encourage teens to participate in their identified self-care activities. Being a teen is stressful. From figuring out who and what they want to be, to balancing home and social life. It is important for them to have a good self-care routine to set them up for success for the years to come.
Some self-care activities for teens can include:
● Going for a walk, or doing another activity outside: Outside time is beneficial at all ages. Going for a walk either solo or with friends/family can allow teens the time they need to reset in a positive way. Fresh air never hurts anyone.
● Creative expression: This can be anything from creating music, art, dancing, writing, etc. No matter the outlet, encouraging teens to use creative expression as a way to express themselves and their emotions can be an important part of their self-care routine.
Self-Care for Adults
Finally but certainly not least; the parents/adults who are most likely reading this blog. Your mental, physical needs are just as crucial as that of the children and loved ones in your life. Adulthood has a lot of built up stress, and without an outlet it can boil over and affect those closest to you. This is why making sure you are taking care of your needs/wants is so important.
Some self-care activities for adults:
● Set time aside for just you: This can be in the morning, evening, or whatever time you can find for yourself, but make sure to set time aside for yourself and your own needs. Some people enjoy reading before bed, starting their day off with a walk, doing some sort of exercise, or even just spending a little extra time on a skin care routine/taking a longer shower or bath. Whatever it is, make sure you are setting that time aside for yourself.
● Make sleep a priority: It can be hard to prioritize the sleep you get because so many other more important things come up. However, sleep is crucial to mental and physical health and should therefore, become a priority. Other things can wait.
Again, self-care can look different for everyone. Explore different things and figure out what works best for you and your lifestyle; and continue to make sure that you are making time for yourself.