Mental health issues are as common as you might think with 1 in 5 young people experiencing it at some point in their lives. It concerns a person’s psychological and emotional wellbeing which can affect their day-to-day life. It’s worth mentioning that mental health is like a spectrum and doesn’t stay the same throughout one’s life. Those that suffer from a mental health condition can be relatively unaffected at one point in their life while difficult events can throw everything out of balance.
We have paired up with a prep school in Sevenoaks to share some advice on supporting children with their mental health.
Be a Good Role Model
It all starts with you mom and dad. By showing your child that you’re taking care of your mental health, you can encourage them to do the same. You might take time out to carry out self-care, exercise mindfulness and talk to others about your feelings.
Be Supportive
Make time to listen to your child. This might be about their concerns or feelings that they can’t make sense of. By talking to your child, you can help make sense of why they may be feeling a certain way. By getting to the root, you can challenge these problems together as a team by using a ‘fact checking’ approach often taught in CBT. This can help your child to determine whether they are facing an actual threat or are overthinking which the brain tends to do.
Be Non-Judgemental
It’s important to remember that not everyone’s the same and to acknowledge how your child’s mental health condition affects them. By showing empathy, your child is more likely to open up to you which can allow you to help them. Reassure them of how much you love them and their support network to show them that they’re not alone.