Once again we are going to lean on our friends from India for some wisdom. In the states we hear plenty about China, on and on sometimes. Right next store is one of the oldest countries in the world and one of our most important allies. It’s prudent to take the best practices you can from any source you have. India, while not perfect is working to address stress and anxiety in their society. We could learn a thing or two from them.
I found an interesting article here that talks about managing stress and the importance of parents in the mini cultures of each of our homes.
From the article: “It is essential that parents have a healthy mental life as they are a direct influence on their child. With everyone confined to their houses, it is essential to take the necessary steps to make sure that your mental health is in good shape. Parents usually tend to focus more on their child’s health than themselves, but sometimes, their state might have a drastic effect on the child. Keeping yourself healthy- physically and mentally, as a parent, is critical now more than ever.”
Great words of wisdom. Kids look to their parents or immediate relatives first for guidance on how to act. They emulate the adults close to them, they don’t know what else to do. They haven’t been alive long enough to develop their own unique coping mechanisms so they look to adults for guidance. The article is an excellent piece on the impact of family life and stress.
The emphasis in the article is on the importance of everyone accepting and recognizing the importance of mental health within the family unit. Its not imperative to be emotional outwardly, meaning we don’t need to have daily discussions on why someone feels bad. That said its important for the family leaders, normally the parents to be aware of how their mood affects everyone in the house. Mental health is a challenge for all of us, it doesn’t care where you live, what gods you worship etc.
We need to have honest discussions about mental health, that starts at home with the immediate family. Sterotypes often hinder this process. Men especially are prone to feeling shame over stress and anxiety due to social stigmas. This isn’t to say women don’t face this as well but in nearly every culture I have been exposed to in my travels women often are able to confide in one another with intimate details of their internal thoughts and feelings. Men simply don’t have this in most societies.
That said, this article does a good job of pulling the family unit together as the primary support system for all involved. Children look to adults to see how to act and how to cope with adversity. It’s important, regardless of your role in the home or gender that you work to understand your own anxiety so that you may be better equipped to help your children. It’s okay to ask for help, it’s okay to not be perfect, it’s okay to struggle. You are doing great, one day at a time.
Interested in more posts like this? Check out my post here.
I love your advice. As a parent I can vouch. If you need to take 5, 10, 20 mins to mediate you should do so and not feel guilty about it. Equally if you are feeling depressed or overly anxious, one should never hesitate to ask for professional help. You cannot look after others if you don’t first look after yourself. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and the article!
And thank you for coming by and supporting my blog. You are most welcome here. Take care.