FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- October 10 is World Mental Health Day. It's a time to bring awareness to ongoing mental health issues around the world.
It's also a reminder for families to take a step back and have some mindful moments. The news we see every day can be a lot to take in, from the southeastern U.S.
to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and even election season. It can be overwhelming, especially for kids. It can also be hard for people to make sense of what's going on.
"One of the things to come and think about is the way children respond," said Rolando Valero, a licensed family and marriage therapist and a behavioral health manager at Kaiser Permanente in Fresno. "Anxiety, irritability changes in sleep or appetite, difficulty concentrating. Younger children may regress.
" Valero explains that it's important for kids to have healthy coping skills when it comes to stress. "Modeling healthy coping skills," said Valero. "It's very important to show children how to manage stress and anxiety, such as taking breaks.
" Valero says practicing mindfulness at home can help create a calming environment. Taking a break from social media can also help ease stress and anxieties within kids. "Limiting news consumption to avoid unnecessary stress and filter content could be very de-stressing," said Valero.
"It's important to really limit that. But then we also got to explain why we're doing this." Adults should also be aware of any signs of stress within themselves.
Valero tells A.
