Support for Children's Mental Health: The Value of Respect in OU Krume Kepeski - Kisela Voda

In a world where children face many challenges, learning respect and developing mutual understanding are key to their mental health. The second session of the HEALthyME project, which we realized at OU Krume Kepeski, was focused on exactly this topic - the value of respect.

At the beginning of the session, we told the children the story of "The Two Wolves," which carries a strong message about the inner struggle that everyone carries within themselves. The story introduced the children to the two wolves that live in each of us – one represents negative feelings such as anger and disrespect, while the other symbolizes love, respect and kindness. This metaphor helps them think about how their actions and thoughts have a direct impact on their well-being and on the people around them. The lesson is clear: the wolf we feed is the one who will win in our life.

As part of this interactive session, children learned about the power of mindful listening. They worked in pairs, focusing completely on what their partner was saying, without interrupting or planning their response. This exercise teaches them to be present in the moment, but also how to show respect through the attention they give to others. Through this experience, children discover how important good communication is and how respect can improve their mental health and bring them closer to their peers.

Of course, we didn't do without games and lots of fun! The children shared positive thoughts and their creativity was outstanding. Each student, through their diary, wrote down moments when they felt respect or disrespect and thought about which "wolf" fed them in those situations. This activity helped them understand the importance of their choices and how they affect their relationships with others.

Children's mental health is our priority, and through these mindfulness practices and carefully designed activities, we work on their personal well-being and awareness. Together with the teachers at the school, we decided that each next session will be with a different group of children, so that as many students as possible can experience this program and apply these values in their everyday life.

The joy of children, their interest and desire to learn something new is the biggest confirmation that we are on the right path. Mindfulness practices allow them not only to better understand their thoughts and emotions, but also to learn to control them, thereby strengthening their mental health and building calm and constructive communication skills.

We are looking forward to the new topics that we will explore together with them and the opportunity to continue with this important project in support of the youth in our society.

This project is supported by the Mind & Life Institute