Ways to Help Protect Your Child’s Mental Health
Love your child unconditionally
Encourage your children to talk about their feelings and validate their feelings
Listen first, then talk
Allow plenty of time for play and fun activities
Discipline with respect and teaching, not shame
Ask your child about their day
Teach good sleep habits
Encourage healthy foods
Model positive self-care
Let children be independent, when possible
When sharing information, be honest with your children (at an age-appropriate level)
Assist children with problem-solving
Make time daily to talk with your children


Talking to Your Child about Mental Health
The first and most important step is to talk to children about mental health.

Model positive sharing about emotions and challenges. Many children, especially when young, will model the behavior of their caregivers. By being consistently open about the importance of mental health, you can lead by example. The best way to show a child it’s okay to acknowledge feelings is by talking about your own

According to Dr. Alexandra Hamlet, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist in the Mood Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute, “Part of the stigma around mental health can be broken by us about being more matter of fact about it.” Dr. Hamlet recommends that we talk to children about mental illness, just as we talk about our physical illnesses.

When discussing mental health with your child, keep these tips in mind:

Ask questions even when nothing is wrong.
Communicate in a straightforward manner. Talking about mental health can be stressful, but be mindful of your emotions and body language – this will help the child to stay calm and feel more comfortable.
Share information about your day when starting conversations.
Observe your child’s reactions during the conversation.
Remove any distractions so the child knows you are actively listening and not distracted.
Emojis can really help younger kids communicate. Using a chart that shows emoji faces for children to point to can be helpful when your child is still learning how to verbally express their emotions.
If a child is not comfortable talking to you, enlist help from someone else who you and your child trust.
Communicate at a level that is appropriate to your child’s age and level of development.