We live in an age of pharmaceuticals. Classrooms are full of heavily medicated children. This isn’t always a bad thing. Some children need that type of help to function in their learning environment and live productive lives.
But we also live in a world where so much of what we do goes against the grain of what is natural. Humans were never built to sit still and listen for seven hours at a time. Certainly, we were not made to bathe in the blue glow of a screen for the rest of our waking hours.
Is it possible that there are holistic solutions to many of the issues that children experience at home and in the classroom?
By changing your child’s habits, you may be able to help them be more productive and less stressed. In this article, we take a look at habits and healthcare approaches that are effective and natural.
Note:
This is not at all meant to be an adversarial stance against traditional healthcare. If you discuss the concepts that we are about to describe with your child’s doctor or community health nurse they will probably be enthusiastically supportive.
The important thing is that you are setting your child up for success.
Screen Time Reduction
Screen time is such a buzzword now. We are told that it is bad. We are also told that all of our children need Chromebooks and tablets. Which is it?
For better or for worse, we live in a world where both things are true. Studies consistently show that excessive screen time can diminish your child’s ability to concentrate and, in extreme circumstances, contribute to feelings of anxiety and depression.
It’s also true that your child’s school will almost certainly require screen time to participate in lessons. Usually, there is not an opt-out option. Probably, there shouldn’t be. Your kid will eventually enter an adult world where they will be expected to know how to use these tools. They have to pick the skills up at some point.
Here’s the thing:
Most experts recommend 1-2 hours of screen time a day for children. That may sound like a reasonably high amount of wiggle room, but don’t forget that your kid will probably hit that number while they are still at school.
People reading this article may very well have grown up in an era where free time in school meant reading a book or figuring out a way to subtly talk with your friends.
Now, it means playing a game on your tablet or maybe sneaking a YouTube video.
By the time you get your child, they’ve already had plenty of screen time. Parking them in front of a television or tablet, even for half an hour, might put them over the limit.
Choosing alternative methods of relaxation can reduce their stress and anxiety and improve their sleep.
Spend Time Outside
Spending time outside is a proven way to help people cope with conditions like ADHD. It also reduces stress and anxiety while facilitating conditions that can contribute to weight loss. Often, while we are outside, we do at least moderate physical activities.
Go on family walks. Do scavenger hunts in the yard. Kick a soccer ball around, or try teaching your kid how to dribble a basketball through their legs. There are tons of ways to have fun and be active outside.
Mindfulness Activities
Mindfulness activities are a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. Teach your child how to focus on their breathing. Slow breaths in. Equally slow breathes out. This is a good calming strategy that can be easily integrated into the classroom environment once it is learned.
Sensory exploration is another great technique—and an enjoyable thing to do outside. Have your child focus on what they can see, smell, and feel. This will help center them in the moment while also building awareness.
United Front
Habits only work when they are habitual. To make sure that your child sticks to the program you are developing, it is important to make sure that everyone within your support system understands the expectations and will comply with them.
This is often much easier said than done. So many parents can relate to struggling with the well-meaning grandparent who spoils their child with television and unauthorized sweets. It’s always frustrating, but in the context of building new habits, it can be completely destructive. It won’t matter much when you cut their screen time out if they spend two hours watching Bluey at Grandma’s house before you pick them up after school.
The key is to be emphatic. Obviously, interact with your family in a way that is respectful and keeps the peace, but also don’t waver on issues that are important to you. This is your child. You need to be in the driver’s seat.
Is Holistic Always the Answer?
The tips we described in this article are not meant to be an alternative to professional medical advice. Your child’s doctor knows what they are doing. That said, they also only spend a few minutes with them a year. Those interactions can paint a very incomplete picture of what your child needs.
If you want to support your child’s development in a way that is natural and effective, try the tips we have described above. If those tips do not work? Well, then it may be time to think about supplementary support resources.
It’s fair to say that the advice described above will have some benefits. It’s simply that the extent to which they are helpful can vary from person to person. The good news, at least, is that most of this advice is free or affordable. Certainly, it is cheaper than even the copay on most recurring prescriptions.
If you are interested in going down this route, give it some time. At least a few months. Also, be sure to develop a system for monitoring progress. Is your child sleeping better after a week of no screen time? That is a small but important sign that the steps you are taking work.
Are they less fidgety after an hour outside after school each day? That’s another sign. Progress is always incremental, but it has a way of becoming dramatically apparent all at once—provided you are willing to put in all of the work that is required to make it happen.
Keep in mind that you can also incorporate holistic factors that are meaningful to you and your family. Faith-based practices. Activities that resonate with you. The important thing is to make a concerted effort to help your child meet expectations naturally.