Just like adults, children experience things like fear, worry, scary thoughts, and more. However, if these feelings extend past the point of “normal” childhood behavior, it could be that your little one is struggling with their mental health. A lot of adults can look back on their childhood and pinpoint something that has contributed to how they are feeling today.
According to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), “1 in 5 children ages 13-18 have, or will have a serious mental illness.” Childhood is a crucial time for development physically and mentally, and so it’s incredibly important to prioritize taking care of mental health and illness in children.
Helpful Tips for Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health
- Create a routine. Children are often not able to have control over their own schedule, since their parents, teachers, nannies, or whoever else typically does it for them. Having a set routine or schedule that your child is aware of can help them feel like life is not as chaotic and that they have stability.
- Communicate well and often. It may be tough to have hard conversations with your child, but they’re going to have to happen sometime. Start by asking how your child is feeling and make sure they know that they can talk to you about anything, and you won’t make them feel silly for it. Your little one is much more likely to come to you in the future if you open a good line of communication early on.
- Make sure your child has access to mental health services and support. All schools should have a trained guidance counselor, but your child may need to see a specialized professional if they struggle with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism, trauma, grief, etc. It’s important to recognize if your child needs additional support and to be aware of the resources in your area.
- Promote healthy physical and mental activities. It’s especially important that your child is able to get outside and eat healthy while they are growing and developing. Too much time indoors eating junk food and not sleeping will definitely contribute to poor mental health. Even if you go on a daily ten-minute walk or incorporate a side of veggies at dinner, every little thing helps.
- Educate yourself. You’re already doing this tip by reading this article. One of the best things you can do is learn about your child’s brain development and how you can best help them. If your little one has been diagnosed with a disorder, ask as many questions, and do as much research as you can. Do your best to step into your child’s shoes and learn about how they might be feeling. It might also help you feel more comfortable with your child’s behavior because their symptoms may be normal for the diagnosis. Additionally, depending on where your child goes to school or daycare, let the teachers know in advance so they interact with your child in an understanding way.
- Be patient. Just like you are patient and gentle with your adult family and friends’ mental health or illness, do the same with yourself and your child. It’s okay that you don’t do everything right all the time, no one expects you to. Take it one day at a time.
Children’s mental health cannot and should not be trivialized since it could have long term impact on them. Be proactive about keeping your child as mentally healthy as possible. Early intervention can be key to treating problems as effectively as possible. At Restore 360, our family therapy service is not limited to adults only. We also offer individual therapy and a range of other services to help improve mental health and wellness. Contact us online or call (484) 373-2710 to learn more about our Philadelphia mental health services.
