For many of us, talking to kids about mental health — especially in regards to mental illness — is difficult. Some parents may feel as if they’re protecting their kids and their innocence by not talking about depression or anxiety or mental health in general, but thanks to the pandemic, there has been an increase in mental health issues for kids.
As our children head back to school, we can introduce them to the concept of mental health in ways that are nonthreatening and not scary. Read on for some tips on how to explain mental health to your child.
The pandemic and its effect on kids’ mental health
How to talk with your kids about their mental health
Of course, it’s one thing to know that it’s a good thing to talk to our kids about their mental health. It’s another thing entirely to do it. For parents of teens, keep in mind that they’re in a tricky developmental stage where they’re separating from their parents and forging their own identities. “As a parent begins to engage regarding mental health, teens may push for privacy,” cautioned Coveleski.
If you’re stuck for how you can discuss your kids’ mental health in the same way they would talk about their physical ailments, here are a few tips:
Use celebrities and current events
When Disney Channel's Cameron Boyce died, Allen realized she needed to discuss current events with her girls and how they were emotionally affected by grief, loss, anxiety, and depression. “Now, we discuss current events routinely and give them the space to express themselves authentically without censorship,” she added.
Be open and transparent
When counselor Katherine Shorter mentored teens, she said being open and honest always worked best. “Let them know that mental health issues are nothing for which they should be ashamed,” she told Mom.com. “Help them develop coping mechanisms and positive mantras, recognize triggers, and refer out to a psychiatrists for medications, if need be.”
Model behavior
Kids can smell a fraud a mile away. One of the best ways you can engage your children in the ongoing conversation of mental health is to show them how to take care of your minds and feelings.
“My children have seen me cry and admit when I am having a bad day, which made them feel it was OK to verbalize and share with me how they were feeling,” editor Jeannette Kaplun told Mom.com. Now that her kids are teens, whenever Kaplun sees them stressed out or moody, she will remind them that asking for help is never a sign of weakness, but of strength. “I have shared my own struggles to help them understand it’s part of our life and that we can learn to manage our mental health,” she said.
