Catechists Urged to Understand Children’s Mental Health, for Emotional Development
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Members of Kenya’s Military Ordinariate who facilitate the process of faith formation have been urged to be keen on understanding the mental health of children who are the future of the Church so as to assist in their emotional development.
Addressing dozens of the military ordinariate catechists on children mental health and critical thinking, Sr. Consolata Aloo the main facilitator for the day’s training, stressed on understanding children’s need for good mental health, understanding how to communicate effectively with children and to nurture their mental health and eventually identifying children’s problem in critical thinking.
According to the member of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Anna congregation, for children to have good mental health, “They need to feel a sense of safety both emotionally and physically, they need to be loves and have a sense of belonging and eventually know ways on how to manage their emotions.”
She identified five dimensions which children need for their entire development saying “Children need physical development, cognitive development, interpersonal development, emotional development and environmental development.”
Reflecting on Pope Francis’ message on how society concentrates on the well-being of children and forget about their spiritual wounds, Sr. Aloo raised a concern to the catechists saying, “We speak a lot about behavioral problems, mental health, the wellbeing of children, the anxiety of parents and the children but do we know what a wound of the soul is?
The Kenyan nun highlighted during his training with the catechists from the military ordinariate on Wednesday, January 25, that a person’s soul can be wounded in various ways including “Injustices, rejection, negative criticism, un-forgiveness, betrayal, false accusation, divorce, separation by death, sexual harassment, family conflicts, unfaithfulness, and infidelity among others.
In this case she told the catechists, “You have been called to mould breaking families, to help heal the wounded souls, of both children and of their parents.”
She further added that children need for the catechists to be keen on the interpersonal development of the children encouraging them to look into the Communication Skills of the children, their effective way of listening as well as “strengthening health boundaries including healthy relationships, increasing self-esteem and reducing stress, anxiety and depression.”
“Children feel empowered when they can solve their own problems,” Sr. Aloo said and urged the participants, “Teach them (children) how to set smart goals.”
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