Emotional wellbeing describes how we think and feel. It is the realisation of one's abilities to cope with the stresses of daily life and be able to balance positive and negative feelings. Your emotional wellbeing affects how you see yourself and the world. It is just as important as your physical and social health. Emotional wellbeing is more than having or not having a mental disorder. It is important to bring awareness that caring for one's mental health is just as important as recovering from a broken arm and just because someone does not have a properly diagnosed mental disorder, does not mean they are 'overreacting' and are not mentally struggling.
Awareness in children's emotional wellbeing for parents is quite important as it is often overlooked but could possibly affect their health as adults. According to Cure Kids NZ, 1 in 4 kids in New Zealand will experience a mental health issue before the age of 18 and 50% of mental health issues will start before the age of 12. There are many factors which may affect their emotional wellbeing but it should also be understood that some children might be growing in the best environment, but can still have mental issues.
The UNCRC is an international agreement that sets out the civil, political, social, health and cultural rights of every child (0 to 18 years of age) regardless of gender, race, religion, etc.
Article 19: states that a child has the right to be protected from being hurt and mistreated, both in body or mind.
Article 24: states that a child has access to the highest standard of health care possible.
Article 27: states that a child has the right to have a standard of living (a safe place to live, food, clothes, etc) as part of their physical, mental, moral and social development.
Article 29: states that a child has the right to an education that helps them develop their talents, personality, mental and physical abilities to the fullest extent.