Did you know…

Evidence shows there are ways to protect our children from struggling with their mental wellbeing.  

Children who:

1. Have dinner together with the family 5+ times per week,
2. Engage in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day,
3. Find it easy to talk to their parents about things that bother them,
4. Have a high level of communication with their parents,
5. Feel their parents trust them,
6. Feel their parents expect a lot from them,
7. Are involved in at least 1 club or organization,
8. Feel they can count on the friends when things go wrong,
9. Have friends that share their joys and sorrows,
10. Have a high level of perceived support,
11. Who feel like they belong at their school
12. Who feel they can trust people in the area they live,
13. Who feel their neighbourhood is a place neighbours help each other.

Easy ways to set your family up for success:

• Get your child involved in at least 1 club.  There are many low or no cost organizations that provide great programming for children around Chatham Kent.
• Get to know the teachers at your children’s school by volunteering in classrooms, joining Parent Council and attending Parent Nights.
• Get to know the neighbours so your child knows and understands that neighbours help each other, they live in a place where they can feel safe and secure.
• Use public places your family has access to like recreation centres, parks, shopping centres and spend free time in the area you live.
• Allow your children to have their friends over so you can get to know who they’re hanging out with. Getting to know their parents can have many benefits as well.