Building stronger family relationships

SALT LAKE CITY – There is no such thing as a perfect family. Every family goes through challenges, whether it has to do with parenting stress or children’s mental health. Fortunately, building stronger family relationships is possible.

In the latest Let’s Get Moving with Maria podcast episode, Maria Shilaos spoke with Cheryl Cardall, Mental Health Educator, Parenting Coach, and Host of the Fight Like a Mother podcast, to learn how families can grow closer by tackling some of the tougher conversations with children, managing parental expectations and more.

“One of the biggest challenges that most families are facing is the mental health of their kids … So many kids have anxiety, whether it’s clinical or situational with the world we live in, so I think a lot of parents are anxious themselves and don’t know how to deal with that,” Cardall said.

From all the recent school shootings to the huge pandemic that took over the world, the children growing up in this generation have gone through so many challenges. Is there any way for parents to help tackle these stressors?

Every family is different and faces different situations, but one piece of advice that Cardall gave was for parents to educate themselves on what mental health looks like for their kids and when to get help.

“If your child is struggling, they need extra support,” she said. “Sometimes we aren’t enough support as parents, and that’s okay.”

Another key reminder she wants to give parents is to focus on the relationship first. Both kids and parents make mistakes, so it’s important to understand and accept that.

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