While you can’t control every place your child will be in, you can actively take steps to make your own home a safe space for them. A safe space is a place where one&nbsp; feels shielded from harm and free to express themselves – a sanctuary that allows everyone to feel truly themselves and not fear any judgment.&nbsp;Feeling secure amid life’s difficulties can significantly help our wellness. A home should offer refuge from daily stress – not add more strain. A safe haven allows us to recharge and restore our emotions, and ultimately gain clarity during the inevitable difficult times. When we feel at peace within ourselves, we can address life’s challenges from a balanced perspective, and pursue our own well-being with more energy and lucidity. This article aims to share ways to develop a safe space within our own homes.<h2>Promoting Relaxation and Reducing Stress in Safe Spaces</h2>Creating a safe space and finding ways to make your home stress free is important – both for your family and for yourself. Some self care ideas include making relaxation a priority through daily wellness routines like deep breathing, yoga or meditation, and ensuring self-care. By prioritizing self-care strategies yourself, you are setting an example for your family that it is not just ok but crucial for them to take care of themselves as well.Exposure to technology can be a great way to relax here and there, but too much can be detrimental to true relaxation. Blue light from devices can overstimulate our brains, which prevents us from being able to truly wind down. One way to address this would be to establish device-free zones and technology curfews. Choose focused relaxation (ie. no screens 1-2 hours before bedtime) without distraction over constant minor stimulation.Even healthy habits can help promote a stress-free home. Keep healthy snacks and meals prepared and ready to grab to support proper hydration and balanced energy . Ensure comfort through cleaning and organization – a tidy space can hugely help everyone in the house feel calm. Communicating this to your family can get you all on the same page, and creating safe spaces.<h2>Creating a Safe Space for Mental Health</h2>Encouraging relaxation and stress relief is important for everyday wellness, no matter where you are. However, explicitly prioritizing mental health to your family is particularly key when the goal is to creating a safe space at home.&nbsp;Regular check-ins with loved ones can truly provide them with the crucial support they may need. Schedule time to connect over meals or activities. Listen fully without judgment and reassure the value of open communication. Foster trust that home is a safe place for honest and open expression.Lead by example in prioritizing mental health without stigma. This could simply look like talking about your own personal struggles and ways you have received help in the past. Explain coping techniques you have experimented with to show that you are making active steps toward mental health help. In doing this, communicating that this is a safe space and a safe space for mental health specifically.Here are some additional tips on how to create a safe space:<ul><li>Clearly communicate how to get help if help is needed</li><li>Ask each family member to note what they are grateful for – this is scientifically proven to boost mental health!</li><li>Create consistent nighttime routines without screens -it can help with better sleep and overall better mental wellness</li><li>Practice active listening by paying attention to what your family is saying – we have a whole article about how to have tough conversations, you can find it here!</li></ul><h2>Setting Boundaries</h2>Learning how to set healthy boundaries is one of the most essential life skills one can develop. Communicating your needs for alone time sets an example for your other family members to ask for it as well. Make it acceptable to ask for alone time without the need to apologize, and celebrate each other for taking your own time and space.&nbsp;Physical space is just as important as mental space. Try to respectfully designate ownership of spaces within your house. Define bedrooms as individually focused areas, versus social areas, so thateveryone feels a clear right to their own area. Respect occupied signals in designated sections, and refrain from interruptions whenever possible.Here are some other practical tips on how to set boundaries and find peace in your home:<ul><li>Knock and wait for a response before entering someone’s bedroom or private space.</li><li>Respect noise levels and silence – be aware of whether someone needs quiet time for working, sleeping or alone time.</li><li>Respect privacy of personal items and information. Ask permission before borrowing or accessing others’ belongings.</li><li>Communicate needs clearly – don’t be afraid to say when you need space for self-care, vs when you are open to sharing spaces and company.</li><li>Respect physical space – be aware of others’ personal bubbles during conversations or activities.</li><li>Compromise on sharing communal space – take turns choosing music orshows, and discuss how to share fairly.</li><li>Ask before discussing sensitive topics or information someone disclosed in confidence.</li></ul>Uphold each others’ boundaries with compassion and understanding. Consistently reinforcing this among the entire family cultivates comfort and trust within a supportive and safe home. It is hard to say exactly what your child is experiencing outside the home – but it is possible and absolutely important to take steps to create a safer space when it comes to your own home.<h2>Safe Spaces as a Priority</h2>Prioritizing relaxation and mental health, reducing potentially stressful content or interactions, and upholding each other’s boundaries are all very powerful tools when it comes to creating a safe space at home. Most importantly, openly sharing coping strategies with loved ones helps normalize the strength in vulnerability, and shows your kids that we are not alone in facing the hard times in life.&nbsp;You can try different wellness techniques to discover what works best for yourself as well as for them individually. By reading this article and learning about what it takes to make your family feel seen and supported, you are taking a very important step in making a difference in all of your lives on a daily basis. A safe space is important for everyone – yourself included – so trust the process and make sure the boundaries you set for your family are conducive to your safe space as well. You got this.

Kim Newell Green

Making Your Home a Safe Space for your Kid

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Making Your Home a Safe Space for your Kid

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