Well-being: The Crucial Role Schools in Nurturing Student Mental and Emotional Health

Mental well-being is feeling, thinking, and interacting in ways that help us to enjoy life. It is also associated with spiritual and emotional wellness. It means how a person respects a culture, how to cope with real-life situations, how to manage emotions, and how to respond to others. All these things together are essential for mental wellness. 

However, many school-going children face various challenges that affect their mental health, such as low self-esteem, depression, stress, fear, negligence, frustration, anger, bullying, and sleeping problems.  

In this article, I will discuss how schools can play a vital role in promoting mental well-being among students by adopting a holistic and comprehensive approach to education. 

According to the World Health Organization, about 10–20% of children and adolescents experience mental health problems, and half of mental health issues develop before the age of 14. 

Some factors harm children’s health, education, and social development. The reasons are discussed below: 

1. Low Self-esteem: This is the main factor in the mental and physical well-being of the child. Children who have low self-esteem may feel insecure, unworthy, inferior, or unloved. In addition, they may also have difficulty interacting with their friends in the school. It affects a lot on their performance. 

2. Childhood depression: Loss of any parent or divorce of parents may lead the child to depression. It makes him sad, lonely, and irritating. Moreover, it interferes with a child’s school performance, self-esteem, social skills, and physical health. In short, this hinders the physical and mental growth of the child.  

According to CDC 4.4 percent children aged 3-17 years (approximately 2.7 million) have found depression in 2016-2019 

3. Stress of studies: Those students who have the pressure of gaining a high percentage from their parents. They cultivate the habit of anxiousness for their future life.   

According to CDC 9.4 percent children aged 3-17 years(approximately 5.8 million) have diagnosed anxiety in 2016-2019 

4. Childhood fear: Some wards have various fears, such as going in the dark, taking exams, facing dogs, sleeping alone, etc. These fears of the child should not be ignored by their guardians. These fears are directly associated with depression. Parents should use some techniques for helping their children to lessen their Ward’s fear. It improves the emotional health of their child. For example, listening to the child’s emotions, setting their daily routine, guiding them in facing difficulties, etc. 

5. Negligence of the parents: If guardians do not give attention to their child. The latter feels neglected and hesitates to share his feelings with his friends. It affects his psychological health. 

6. Negative aura of the home: The dejected environment of the house increases the stress level of the child. This effect gradually shows in his studies and behavior. 

7. Frustration or anger: Children who have short tempers and anguish. They are not considered emotionally fit. They can outburst their anger at any time or while interacting with other students when they don’t like the behavior of others. 

8. Ragging or Bullying in school: In some schools, new students feel isolated because of the ragging of them by other students. It drastically affects students’ mental health. 

9. Sleeping problems: Sleeping disorders affect the academic performance of teenagers. Insomnia can also lead them to other mental disorders. 

What activities can schools conduct to manage the emotional and mental health of the students? 

1. Promote Mindful eating: Mindfulness is a popular concept these days. It means living in the present and enjoying life properly. Mindful eating plays a vital role in children’s mental and physical health. 

Teachers should teach the children about eating the food lunch silently and meditatively.  

Parents also should not give any mobile or turn on the TV while eating by their wards. As discipline comes from top to down, parents should not use mobiles while eating, children will follow the same. To read more about mindful eating https://abmedia.co.in/mindful-eating-nurture-a-healthy-connection-with-you 

2. Encourage positive body image: School can also discourage the trends of teenagers, such as making hairstyles weight gain or weight loss due to fashion. They should promote a healthy body and mind. 

3. Teach stress management skills: Schools can promote a few mental-related activities in their curriculum where real situations will be given to students. In this way, they learn how to cope with their difficulties. 

4. Fostering emotional and social learning: The teacher should instill the habits of sharing, understanding, and trusting others and teamwork during the foundation years of the student through various activities and books. 

For Example, A teacher can read any story based on how friends and family are essential for a person’s life. She can suggest some books for the parents of the students, such as ‘Can You Be a Friend’ by Nita Everly or ‘Fox Makes Friends’ by Adam Relf. 

The teacher should act as a facilitator in front of her students. She can hold some activities in the class where students can productively share their feelings. 

5. Arranging School trips: Schools should promote trips for the students. It has a positive impact on the mental and emotional health of the child. Moreover, they will also learn how to spend the money wisely. 

6. Encourage meditation in school: Meditation should be promoted in big organizations. In many places, there is a one-minute alarm after every hour when people must relax from work. The executives of the organization feel that it enhances the productivity of their employees. 

In the same way, schools should teach students how to relax and think slowly through meditation techniques. It will increase the productivity and creativity of students. 

7. Promote social, emotional, and behavioral learning: Classroom instructions should focus on building social skills and emotional development. Various activities, such as roleplay and group discussion, should be conducted in class. Through these activities, students will learn the way of interacting with others and placing their matters in front of others. 

8. Get support from the parents: The school can organize various school group activities for the students as well as their parents where both can participate. It helps to strengthen the child-parent relationship. Moreover, teachers can take the help of the child’s guardians to know the weaknesses and strengths of their students. 

I hope the above tips are useful for parents and teachers to improve the cognitive and emotional health of their children.