Good Things Utah - Rebecca Dutson, president and CEO of The Children’s Center Utah tells us children’s mental health is influenced by several factors, such as exposure to adverse childhood experiences, violence in the home or community, emotional abuse or neglect, and economic hardship.

With the start of a new year, January is a good time to take a moment to check in on your children’s mental wellness, as well as your own.

Acknowledge body and emotional changes. Take a moment to notice that you’re experiencing some type of emotion. You don’t have to identify it right away.

Feel your feelings. Close your eyes and take a deep breath to help you identify your feelings.

Practice mindfulness. Being mindful can help you find emotional balance.

While reflecting, something to keep in mind is children are not immune to the mental impacts of the winter season. It’s important to remember that as the season changes, so too will your child’s daily schedule, habits and activities. Here are some simple things to help:

Make a list of cold-weather activities—hiking, sledding, skiing, walks, park visits, etc.

Commit to time outdoors, every day, when possible. Once you have a go-to list of fun and games, commit to spending time outside, even as the temperature drops.

Arrange for virtual connections. Sometimes it is too down right cold and yucky to head outside but virtual connections are now a common thing that we can capitalize on!

Keep a schedule. As the amount of daylight decreases, it’s important to keep a schedule that reinforces routines. Keeping wake time, bedtime and mealtime consistent helps children maintain their daily rhythm through winter.

The 2024 Jewelry Luncheon to support TCCU is happening on Thursday, March 7, 2024 from 11am – 1pm at the Grand America Hotel. https://childrenscenterutah.org/luncheon