Kids are quick to laugh and easily find joy in everyday activities, so it’s easy for parents to forget that children can sometimes struggle with their mental health. Young kids don’t know how to handle issues like anger, grief or stress by themselves. These are eight ways you can support your child’s mental health so they always know how to take care of themselves.
1. Praise Good Behaviors
Parents are role models for their children, but you’re also their hero. They run to you when they wake up from nightmares and when they want to celebrate academic achievements. Your praise means everything to them, so praise their positive behaviors often. Kind words of encouragement will boost their self-esteem and form a solid foundation for a positive inner dialogue.
2. Give Them Independence
You want to make life easy and enjoyable for your kids, but give them independence whenever it’s appropriate. Kids should form trust in themselves to build confidence. Given that one in five children experience a mental disorder each year, every kid should have the confidence to carry them through uncertain or negative thoughts.
Let your kids do age-appropriate activities while supervising from a distance. They could pour their cereal in the morning or get ready for school on their own. When they continue to do these kinds of activities successfully, they’ll trust themselves and feel more proud of their abilities.
3. Visit a Playground
While you imagine ways you can support your child’s mental health, you may picture going to an expensive therapist or reading informative books. You can always do those things if you need to, but you can also do something as simple as visiting a playground.
Children who regularly visit playgrounds feel less stressed and more creative because the freestyle play. They can let their imaginations go wild while doing whatever they want. It’s easier to let go of whatever stresses them out and forget about the world while they focus on having fun with friends and family.
4. Teach Stress-Fighting Habits
People like to joke that kids have it easy, but that doesn’t mean they never feel stressed. They could become more anxious when worrying about their academic performance or upcoming social situations. Teach your children to fight stress with healthy habits like deep breathing exercises or yoga. They’ll become more aware of when their stress begins to build and handle it more effectively through adulthood.
5. Form a Healthy Inner Dialogue
When your child calls themselves dumb for spilling food or breaking a toy, correct them. Remind them that everyone makes mistakes, but they’re still smart enough to learn from them. Negative inner dialogue like name-calling can often become evident when your child talks about themselves. Correcting that language shapes a healthy internal dialogue that could help them fight future mental health battles like anxiety, depression, or even eating disorders.
6. Communicate Honestly and Openly
Have you ever told your child that you’ll explain something when they’re older? Even though some topics are inappropriate for young kids, shutting them out of something that affects them could influence their self-esteem and damage their mental health.
Communicate honestly and openly whenever possible. Explain world events that they’re afraid of or personal conflicts that they’re unsure how to deal with. They won’t feel alone and they’ll become more confident that they can always come to you with their problems. It could help them open up about mental health challenges later on that they’d otherwise internalize until those battles become severe.
7. Watch for Red Flags
Supporting your child’s mental health is an ongoing challenge. Helping them once or twice won’t ensure their long-term stability or happiness. Keep an eye out for concerning behaviors at any age, like:
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Withdrawing from social activities
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Experiences lasting temperament changes
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Remains angry even after conflict resolution
Children won’t always know how to express what’s going on in their minds. Parents should be on the lookout for behavioral changes so you can open the conversation to address their mental health even when they can’t ask for help.
8. Seek Professional Assistance
You want to be everything your child needs, but that's not always possible. They could struggle with something that you don't know how to handle. Don't be afraid to seek professional help for them. A therapist or counselor will identify what's troubling them and give them direct tools to manage it.
You can also ask them for advice. While therapists won't break client confidentiality, they can teach you how to create safe space for healthy discussions and support your child. Every effort makes your home a healthier place for your kid's wellbeing, no matter what they're dealing with.
Support Your Child’s Mental Health
Kids need to eat healthy food, go to school and make friends, but they also have to learn how to handle mental health challenges. Support your child while they confront stress, anxiety or deep sadness. You’ll model great behaviors and encourage healthy conversations that will help your family through their inner battles.
