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6 Self-Care Habits for Girls

6 Self-Care Habits for Girls

april 18th, 2023

Children live in a hurry; over 70% of parents feel kids have less free time than they did growing up.

Additionally, over three-quarters of parents worry their children spend more time on screens than they would like, while 73% of parents schedule activities to keep kids away from devices.

If you're concerned your family's busy calendar is overwhelming your daughter, why not set aside time to support her body and mind and introduce self-care habits?

Self-care improves well-being, and introducing these habits early will increase your daughter's chances of maintaining them into adulthood.

So how can you introduce self-care?

Start with these self-care habits below and discover how to shape your routine to avoid them fading away.

What is Self-Care?

The Crisis and Trauma Institute says, “Self-care means doing all the things you do to take care of your well-being, in four key dimensions: your emotional, physical, psychological (the mind), and spiritual health.”

Self-care can help kids cope with stress, promote body and mind wellness and even strengthen relationships.

Prioritize your child's mental and physical health with self-care habits like these:

1) Teach Her the Basics

Teach your daughter to keep herself healthy by ensuring the basics are right; a nutritious diet, healthy sleep habits, and a hygiene routine.

By basics, we mean getting up by herself (teaching her how to use an alarm clock), brushing her teeth, or even getting snacks if she’s a preschooler.

Older girls can walk to school, prepare simple meals, do chores, or look after a family pet.

A 2021 study finds it takes 59 days to form a habit, so persevere until it feels like a natural part of your routine.

Also, research shows praising goes a long way to ensuring kids persist in brushing their teeth, so practice patience and praise to help your daughter form healthy habits.

2) Motivate Her to Get Moving

"Exercise is another fantastic self-care habit, especially when approached with the intention of taking care of the physical body and mind," says Ashleigh Louis, Ph.D., LMFT, a California-based psychotherapist and yoga instructor.

If you get your daughter involved in sports, she will reap many benefits. Four hours of exercise a week reduces a teenage girl's risk of breast cancer by 60%.

But exercise can do more:
  • Girls who play sports enjoy higher levels of confidence and self-esteem and have lower levels of depression.
  • It can help prevent obesity.
  • Physically active students are more likely to enjoy higher grades, cognitive performance, and school attendance.
So what kind of exercise should you aim for, and how can you keep your daughter motivated in the long run?

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention advises sixty minutes of physical activity daily for children six and older and kids between three and five to be active throughout the day.

Make exercise fun by enrolling your daughter in a sport or activity she's interested in. If your daughter is a reluctant athlete, read how to motivate her here. After all, self-care is about feeling good, not introducing more stress.

3) Embrace Nature

The National Wildlife Federation advocates spending time in nature to nurture kids' bodies, minds, and spirits.

Actively spending time outdoors may lead to:
  • Development of  active, healthy bodies and increased fitness
  • Improved  distance vision
  • Increased  levels of Vitamin D and protection from future health issues, like heart disease, brittle bone disease, and diabetes
  • Lower stress levels
  • Enhanced social interactions and relationships
However, the 4 to 7 minutes the average American Child spends outside daily is not enough to get your daughter her daily dose of Vitamin D.

Good news: a recent study indicates that spending only twenty minutes in a park will improve health and well-being.

For self-care, try to spend time in nature for a minimum of twenty minutes a day, and if possible, include a hiking session on the weekends.

Explore activities like these fun outdoor sports, and your daughter will happily leave the house.

4) Color

Coloring reduces stress because it allows the brain to relax—similar to meditation and mindfulness practices. While adults may be able to meditate quietly, it’s often a little harder for kids to sit still. That’s why coloring is a great choice for kids; it’s easy and comes quite naturally.

For relaxation, choose uplifting coloring books like ours, repetitive patterns like mandalas, or any coloring book your child enjoys.

5) Focus On Reading

Reading will feed your daughter's mind and help her relax.

If your child is younger than five, reading to her will give her a lifelong advantage; parents who read to their children for just one book a day will expose them to 290,000 more words than kids who were never read to.

The word count goes up per daily book. When parents read five books, they'll add 1.4 million more words to their child's vocabulary by the time they start kindergarten.

Beyond an extensive vocabulary, reading regularly can improve critical thinking and help reduce anxiety by promoting empathy.

If your daughter can read, allow her at least 20 minutes daily. Turn your daughter into a bookworm by picking up a book and reading together as part of your daughter's bedtime routine. For inspiration, check out these uplifting books.

6) Spend Quality Time Together

If you focus on your daughter's emotional well-being, you can help her handle life's stresses successfully and adjust to change.

Strengthening relationships is essential to emotional well-being, so spending quality time together is health-boosting for you and your daughter.

Find 30 minutes a day where you switch off devices and give your daughter your undivided attention by doing arts and crafts, coloring together, or just chatting.

If you're stuck for something to do, take a tip from the Dutch - ranked the 5th happiest country in the world- and practice Niksen - the art of doing nothing, relaxing, and letting your mind wander.

Self-care is hugely beneficial for kids. Even small everyday habits will help them care for themselves, decrease stress and strengthen relationships.

And, by starting early, she’s more likely to maintain them as part of her routine, even into adulthood.

6 Self-Care Habits for Girls

APRIL 18th, 2023

Children live in a hurry; over 70% of parents feel kids have less free time than they did growing up.

Additionally, over three-quarters of parents worry their children spend more time on screens than they would like, while 73% of parents schedule activities to keep kids away from devices.

If you're concerned your family's busy calendar is overwhelming your daughter, why not set aside time to support her body and mind and introduce self-care habits?

Self-care improves well-being, and introducing these habits early will increase your daughter's chances of maintaining them into adulthood.

So how can you introduce self-care?

Start with these self-care habits below and discover how to shape your routine to avoid them fading away.

What is Self-Care?

The Crisis and Trauma Institute says, “Self-care means doing all the things you do to take care of your well-being, in four key dimensions: your emotional, physical, psychological (the mind), and spiritual health.”

Self-care can help kids cope with stress, promote body and mind wellness and even strengthen relationships.

Prioritize your child's mental and physical health with self-care habits like these:

1) Teach Her the Basics

Teach your daughter to keep herself healthy by ensuring the basics are right; a nutritious diet, healthy sleep habits, and a hygiene routine.

By basics, we mean getting up by herself (teaching her how to use an alarm clock), brushing her teeth, or even getting snacks if she’s a preschooler.

Older girls can walk to school, prepare simple meals, do chores, or look after a family pet.

A 2021 study finds it takes 59 days to form a habit, so persevere until it feels like a natural part of your routine.

Also, research shows praising goes a long way to ensuring kids persist in brushing their teeth, so practice patience and praise to help your daughter form healthy habits.

2) Motivate Her to Get Moving

"Exercise is another fantastic self-care habit, especially when approached with the intention of taking care of the physical body and mind," says Ashleigh Louis, Ph.D., LMFT, a California-based psychotherapist and yoga instructor.

If you get your daughter involved in sports, she will reap many benefits. Four hours of exercise a week reduces a teenage girl's risk of breast cancer by 60%.

But exercise can do more:
  • Girls who play sports enjoy higher levels of confidence and self-esteem and have lower levels of depression.
  • It can help prevent obesity.
  • Physically active students are more likely to enjoy higher grades, cognitive performance, and school attendance.
So what kind of exercise should you aim for, and how can you keep your daughter motivated in the long run?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises sixty minutes of physical activity daily for children six and older and kids between three and five to be active throughout the day.

Make exercise fun by enrolling your daughter in a sport or activity she's interested in. If your daughter is a reluctant athlete, read how to motivate her here. After all, self-care is about feeling good, not introducing more stress.

3) Embrace Nature

The National Wildlife Federation advocates spending time in nature to nurture kids' bodies, minds, and spirits.

Actively spending time outdoors may lead to:
  • Development of active, healthy bodies and increased fitness
  • Improved distance vision
  • Increased levels of Vitamin D and protection from future health issues, like heart disease, brittle bone disease, and diabetes
  • Lower stress levels
  • Enhanced social interactions and relationships
However, the 4 to 7 minutes the average American Child spends outside daily is not enough to get your daughter her daily dose of Vitamin D.

Good news: a recent study indicates that spending only twenty minutes in a park will improve health and well-being.

For self-care, try to spend time in nature for a minimum of twenty minutes a day, and if possible, include a hiking session on the weekends.

Explore activities like these fun outdoor sports, and your daughter will happily leave the house.

4) Color

Coloring reduces stress because it allows the brain to relax—similar to meditation and mindfulness practices. While adults may be able to meditate quietly, it’s often a little harder for kids to sit still. That’s why coloring is a great choice for kids; it’s easy and comes quite naturally.

For relaxation, choose uplifting coloring books like ours, repetitive patterns like mandalas, or any coloring book your child enjoys.

5) Focus On Reading

Reading will feed your daughter's mind and help her relax.

If your child is younger than five, reading to her will give her a lifelong advantage; parents who read to their children for just one book a day will expose them to 290,000 more words than kids who were never read to.

The word count goes up per daily book. When parents read five books, they'll add 1.4 million more words to their child's vocabulary by the time they start kindergarten.

Beyond an extensive vocabulary, reading regularly can improve critical thinking and help reduce anxiety by promoting empathy.

If your daughter can read, allow her at least 20 minutes daily. Turn your daughter into a bookworm by picking up a book and reading together as part of your daughter's bedtime routine. For inspiration, check out these uplifting books.

6) Spend Quality Time Together

If you focus on your daughter's emotional well-being, you can help her handle life's stresses successfully and adjust to change.

Strengthening relationships is essential to emotional well-being, so spending quality time together is health-boosting for you and your daughter.

Find 30 minutes a day where you switch off devices and give your daughter your undivided attention by doing arts and crafts, coloring together, or just chatting.

If you're stuck for something to do, take a tip from the Dutch - ranked the 5th happiest country in the world- and practice Niksen - the art of doing nothing, relaxing, and letting your mind wander.

Self-care is hugely beneficial for kids. Even small everyday habits will help them care for themselves, decrease stress and strengthen relationships.

And, by starting early, she’s more likely to maintain them as part of her routine, even into adulthood.

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