Essex charity shares wellbeing tips for Children's Mental Health Week
Mid and North East Essex Mind is asking parents and carers to help young people keep to a routine if they are not at school
It's Children's Mental Health Week and Mid and North East Essex Mind has shared tips on how we can help young people look after their wellbeing during the pandemic.
With many children unable to go to school due to Covid-19, they are missing out on social aspects of their life which are important for development.
The mental health charity has highlighted the steps parents, carers and older siblings can take to make sure their mental wellbeing is catered for.
That includes things like making sure they have fun tasks to look forward to throughout each week.
Sarah McGuinness, who's the team lead for the Clacton and Tendring mental health support team said: "Children are struggling with motivation, they're struggling to get up and get on with their day without that structure that school would provide.
"Younger children are really missing out on that early social development that you get in schools. In the first few years teaching them to read is really important, but teaching them to socialise and develop relationships and interpersonal skills is probably just as important as what they're learning.
"We are concerned about the impact it will have long term."
Sarah thinks keeping a routine at home will help them while they aren't attending school: "Keep to the sleep routines, just because they're not in school it doesn't mean they should be going to sleep later and getting up later. Eating routines too, still have breakfast, lunch and dinner because it's healthy to have that structure in our lives.
"It's also important to have a balance, so if a child has done really well in the morning getting their work done, then look for an enjoyable activity to do together, or help them call their grandparents and structure it across the week."
Sarah has suggested developing a timetable for families to stick to and include things that will be fun to look forward to.
For parents, juggling working at home and looking after children can be a lot to take on, and it's important the mental wellbeing of adults is looked after too, which can also help benefit children.
Sarah is encouraging parents and carers to make sure they look after themselves as children will be able to pick up on parental stress.
For tips and mental health support, visit Mid and North East Essex Mind's website.