As someone who has had an anxiety disorder for all her life, I take mental health very seriously. I parent my kids from the perspective that their mental health is as important as their physical health. To me, my kids’ mental health is more important than what grades they get or whether or not they have perfect attendance at school.
One of my sons tends to get very stressed out about schoolwork
This needs to change
Especially since the pandemic, kids are experiencing more mental health crises than ever, and they need to feel OK about taking a day off every now and then to regroup and take a breather.
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the news that the state of Illinois is making mental health a priority for kids by allowing up to five excused mental health days per year. What’s more, after the second mental health day that a child takes, they will have a school counselor get in touch with them, and help them find mental health services, if needed.
Apparently, Illinois isn’t the only state allowing excused mental health days. Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Virginia have similar regulations in place. But that’s not enough. This needs to be a thing everywhere.
Kids are overwhelmed. They need to step back from the grind of school sometimes. Not only that, but if schools are in the business of setting kids up for successful lives, teaching them to take their mental health seriously is one of the most important lessons of all.
