Healthy habits, by our definition, are routines that support your wellbeing. These habits look different for everyone, even your children. We’ve put together a list to help you in navigating this space.

Creating regular healthy and happy routines will provide skills such as:

• self and emotional regulation
• a happier mindset
• a ‘life foundation’
• happy hormones, more often

Self and emotional regulation

All humans go through emotional ups and downs. It’s what makes us human. When we can honour the process instead of resisting it, it can open up a whole new world.

Self-regulation is similar to emotional regulation in the sense that it’s about knowing who you are so that you can move through life experiences. It is the way that we process feelings. Therefore, creating habits to support our wellbeing include the kinds of tool kits we have.

When we have big emotions where we feel overwhelmed or out of control, our bodies are in stress mode. Which means we operate from a fight-or-flight mode. Our decision-making skills are low, and we often will make decisions that don’t support our wellbeing. Self-regulation tools aim to bring us back to a calmer place so that we can make better decisions.

How you get back to this place is different for every person, but it’s a great thing to discover. It may look like this for children:

• music
• meditation
• talking it out
• understanding the spectrum of emotions
• having a safe space to be while the emotions pass
• exercising or spending time outside

A happier mindset

Mental wellbeing is unique to each person because it’s about personality, interests, and how they connect to themselves. It is essentially about what fills your cup. Do you enjoy being outside or being creative? Maybe it’s spending time with others. Knowing what fills your cup will help you talk to your children about this concept too. The more you do the things that make you happy, the happier your mind and body will feel.

A ‘life foundation’

Think about the pillars in your life that create support in your world—family, friends, exercise or creativity. It’s the foundation to a happier mind and body. What we focus on expands, so if you have the foundations in place, it’s easier to stay true to yourself.

Ask your children what brings them the most happiness, and if they did more of that, how would it make them feel? Showing them how to create their foundations is great for nurturing emotionally happy children.

Happy hormones, more often

We produce hormones such as oxytocin when we do things that support our wellbeing. Making the time and space to do these activities will often allow our minds and bodies to feel good more often. It’s everything we listed above and also movement.

Inspire your children to create their version of healthy habits. It will promote better self and emotional regulation. Which, allows them to feel happier and more content within their world.