Of Montessori teachings, emotional resilience and self-care for kids

Most of us would have heard of Montessori teachings and the need for kids to be resilient. But self-care for children? What does it mean and what’s the link?

Teach children to love and take care of themselves with self-care.

As adults, we all know it’s important to set aside some time and effort deliberately to take care of our emotional, mental and physical health. Whether it’s asking for help when you’re feeling bogged down or volunteering, self-care can keep us balanced, more resilient and happier.

Self-care is also an important habit for children to learn. It’s similar to the Montessori teaching of “help me to do it myself”, whereby we teach toddlers and preschoolers to be independent to promote positive self-esteem.

Empower them to be able to work through the difficulties and support them in their journey. Here are 3 easy ways to teach kids self-care.

Spend time connecting and playing with children to understand their cues before talking about their feelings.

1. Make it safe and easy for kids to talk about how they are feeling. Self-care starts when kids are aware of their emotions. Broaden their emotional vocabulary and encourage them to share by being a role mode – explain how you feel about things. Sit with them and do an activity together to connect before asking them about their emotions. Look out for cues and listen to what they are saying without jumping in.

2. Give them space. This could be a special corner in their room or in the living area. It’s where they can spend alone time, decompressing through drawing, colouring, reading or playing by themselves. Set up the space by placing a bean bag, some cushions and a mat there; have some of their favourite toys, books or crafts on hand. Keep that area a safe spot, so no barging in to scold them in there!

Give kids a special corner of their own, even in the living area so they are able to spend time away from the adults if they’d like to.

3. Create healthy habits as a family. Besides the golden rule of “routine, routine, routine” to create structure so kids always know what to expect, build in good family habits. Think shopping for fresh ingredients and cooking together or simply enjoying meal times as a family. Bring them outdoors for nature walks or scooting around the neighbourhood. Teach them the value of eating well and exercising for their health from young.