World Mental Health Day 2020 - How To Start A Conversation about Wellbeing
We have all kinds of hopes for our children, but first and foremost we want them to be happy - and since we’re all spending more time on screens than ever before, digital safety is a huge part of mental wellbeing whether we like it or not.
Since this Saturday (10th October) is World Mental Health Day, we thought this was the perfect time to talk about how parents and teachers start a conversation. Our website and platform have loads of different resources that you can use to get children thinking about their own mental health, both online and offline.
Downloadables
Our Resources page includes all kinds of handy materials on mental health. Parents can print them off at home, or teachers can blow them up and hang them in the classroom!
- Our Wellbeing Checklist includes some very simple steps that children can take every day to make themselves (and the people around them) feel good.
- Play is an essential part of growing up. It helps us to develop physically, socially and emotionally. It can also be a time for mindfulness, and these Top Tips for Mindful Play can help children get the most out of playtime!
- As we say in our online lessons, “It’s nice to be nice!” That’s why we created Acts of Kindness Tally Sheets, to challenge children to do something for others. There are two versions: one for the real world, and one for screen time.
Wellbeing Messages
Everybody needs a pick-me-up now and then, and if you follow us on social media you may have seen some of the motivational messages we’ve been using to brighten up your day. Teachers, keep your eyes peeled on your class hub’s news feed for similar messages from everyone on the Natterhub team!
Nattercalm
Sometimes, children need a moment to centre themselves at the end of a really stimulating activity. That’s why every lesson on Natterhub ends with a moment of Nattercalm: 60 seconds of soothing visuals, with a mindful message to sum up the themes of the lesson. Lovely.
Blogs
We’ve talked about mental health and wellbeing a lot on our blog. Here’s just a sampling of our posts on the subject:
- What To Do If You Think Your Child Is Being Cyberbullied
Like any form of bullying, cyberbullying can be horrible and hard to talk about. This blog offers parents some signs to watch out for, and advice on what to do if you think it’s happening to your child. - Give Yourself a Check-Up From The Neck Up!
Simple, child-friendly language to help people of all ages think about their own mental wellbeing. - How to Talk About Mental Health With Your Children
Being online is a huge part of our daily lives, and we should be all be aware of the issues that can come from spending time in a virtual space. - Do’s and Don’ts for Staying Safe Online
Follow these simple rules, and children will be able to stay safe and have all kinds of amazing adventures online! - Diary of a Screen Addict
Screen habits can have a huge impact on wellbeing. Our intern Rio gave us a sneak peek at his diary, along with some hints to help you kick the habit if you feel like a screen addict. - Can Social Media Be Good for Self-Esteem?
It’s easy to focus on the ways that social media can knock down our self-esteem, but used in the right way it can also build us up.
These days, mental health is something we’re all more aware of. It’s estimated that around three children in every classroom suffer from a diagnosable mental health problem, and the Department for Education has found that children with higher levels of emotional wellbeing are more engaged at school and do better academically.
Parents and teachers all do what they can at school and at home, but sometimes it’s hard to know exactly where to start when it comes to the relationship between children’s mental health and their screen time. Natterhub helps by giving pupils the skills and the confidence they need to explore the internet safely - creating a new generation of happier digital citizens.
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