Self-Care for Black children

By Michelle

Do you remember the last time you did something nice for yourself? If you have had a long week dealing with the bits of life that stress you out, make you anxious and make you tired, how do you try to recover from that?

Lately, self-care and its importance for adults has been encouraged and widely spoken about for its contribution to our wellbeing. It has been shared in its many forms – a mini spa-day, a nice meal, even spending time reading a good book. It is being accepted now that self-care is an important part of maintaining your well-being and helping your mental health. It is now becoming more accepted to set aside time in your routines for yourself.

Self-care refers to things that we do to look after ourselves and our mental health, and things we do to maintain our wellbeing. As important as it is for adults, it’s equally essential for children. Practising self-care is an essential life skill that helps child development. This essential life skill takes on a whole new level of importance when taught to Black children. As important as self-care is for everyone, it is particularly important for Black people, and Black children who are the focus of this blog post.

Self-care for children may provoke questions about why children would need self care, what children would need the rest and downtime for, and what from. When you consider that Black children are likely to experience situations that contribute to racial trauma, such as micro aggressions from classmates and teachers alike, it can be easier to understand that they need healthy outlets to process the moods and feelings that can arise as a result of that. Feelings of hurt, sadness, insecurity, and anxiety to name a few can be seen in Black children who experience racism. 

Self-care for Black children is essential, because it helps to equip them to navigate distressing situations and care for themselves in spite of those circumstances. When self-care becomes an established part of their routine, and they recognise that they have a toolkit of activities that can help them while they are facing some difficulties, they will be better equipped to face these incidents. Adults are a crucial part of introducing self-care to the Black children in their lives. They ultimately influence their reactions, exposure, and attitude to self-care, so it is important that this is done with care, empathy, and patience.

Self-care activities for younger Black children (primary-aged)

1. Cooking a traditional food with an adult. 

This activity serves as a way for Black children to develop their abilities in one of the most crucial life skills, a way for them to connect with their heritage, and as a bonding activity between child and adult. Teaching children to cook helps them to care for themselves and this is a skill they will carry into adulthood. 

When cooking these traditional foods from their culture with children, adults should be sure to give them age-appropriate tasks and encouragement. Adults should also give instructions backed up with explanations, so children will be more likely to remember steps! Cooking sometimes is associated with stress and speed, so adults are encouraged to be patient and go at a pace that children will be comfortable with. 

2. Doing a group physical activity with others. 

Physical activity is another useful way of dealing with a wide range of emotions that children experience – from restlessness, anxiety, sadness, and even excitement. Physical activity also helps to improve sleep quality, lift moods, and acts as a healthy outlet for emotions such as anger and sadness that children may be uncomfortable dealing with. It also greatly contributes to their self-confidence, self-esteem, and how they perceive themselves. Examples of physical activities that can be done with others include football, yoga, dance, and basketball. 

3. Watching cartoons with Black characters

This self-care activity can be enjoyed by everyone, children and adults alike! Watching cartoons with Black characters who are shown in a positive and uplifting light will help to affirm the identities of young Black children, since they will see positive representations of people who look like them. Positive representation in media that children consume contributes to their development and self-esteem. This, paired with the fact that cartoons are a great way for children to have some downtime, makes this an easy and effective self-care activity.

Self-care activities for older Black children (secondary-aged)

1. Journalling

Journaling is a great tool which can help us to process our emotions, as well as provide an outlet for our thoughts and feelings. For Black children, journalling can be a great way to express themselves in an honest manner and share their feelings. This can help them to process situations that may have been unpleasant or distressing, such as exposure to microaggressions, and celebrate joy and gratitude. Journaling can also go a long way in improving their writing and communication skills, as well as their ability to express themselves. A short paragraph is a good starting point.

Journal prompts that focus on reflection and expression can be useful. Examples of journal prompts are: “What is your favourite memory, and why is this special to you?” “What is one thing you really like about yourself?”

We also have a resource that you can access, drop us an email at youthracialwellness@blamuk.org

2) Doing a group physical activity with others. 

Physical activity is another useful way of dealing with a wide range of emotions that children experience – from restlessness, anxiety, sadness, and even excitement. Physical activity also helps to improve sleep quality, lift moods, and acts as a healthy outlet for emotions such as anger and sadness that children may be uncomfortable dealing with. It also greatly contributes to their self-confidence, self-esteem, and how they perceive themselves. Examples of physical activities that can be done with others include football, yoga, dance, and basketball. 

3) Reflecting 

Reflecting can be done in journaling, but can also be done with trusted adults in conversation. Adults should actively create an environment where the Black children in their lives feel comfortable sharing their feelings, thoughts, and questions with them. This can be done by encouraging them to talk about their feelings, when they are happy or when they are upset. In addition to this, asking them questions about how they feel, encouraging them to give details, and even going a step further brainstorming healthy ways to make them feel better is a good way to allow Black children to get comfortable sharing their feelings and processing their emotions. 

Which self care activities will you encourage the Black children in your life to try?