It’s Children’s Mental Health Week
This year’s theme is Know Yourself, Grow Yourself, with the aim to equip and empower children and young people across the UK to embrace self-awareness and explore what it means to them.
Here are x5 videos (less than 1 minute each) to share some fundamental ideas around how to help your children manage and articulate their emotions and nurture emotional intelligence.
Please feel free to share with friends, family and colleagues.
How can you support your child’s mental health?
🔹 50% of adults with mental health challenges had their conditions established by age 14, and 75% by age 24.
🔹 In the UK, 1 in 5 children experience mental health challenges.
🔹 Referrals for anxiety have more than doubled since Covid.
💡 Parents and carers play a crucial role in supporting children’s mental well-being.
When children feel heard and understood, they are more likely to express their emotions and develop resilience. It’s not just about addressing problems—it’s about creating an environment where they can thrive emotionally.
How to help a child with their emotions
It’s much easier to be there for your kids during the good times, when they are co-operative, easy and happy.
But how can you be there emotionally when it really counts and they are struggling?
Through empathy and understanding.
💜Empathy: Listen and understand – nothing more in the moment
💙Patience: Stay calm and don’t get drawn into their emotional storm
💛Support: Offer help and be a sounding board to problem solve
💚Love: Unconditional
In moments of meltdown, have you tried putting yourself in your child’s shoes and reflecting back how they may be feeling?
What is the message behind your child’s behaviour?
Here is a very common mistake adults make…when children are grappling with difficult emotions, we tend to react to their behaviour instead of connecting with the root cause.
When your child hits their sibling, ignores you, or gives you the silent treatment, they are sending a message.
Imagine a child overwhelmed with emotions.
The logical part of their brain has been hijacked and shuts down.
The emotional part takes over, catapulting them into fight, flight, freeze mode.
In the moment:
1️⃣ Recognise the Message:
Understand that their behaviour is a form of communication.
2️⃣ Slow Down and Get Curious:
Take a moment to figure out what they are trying to say.
3️⃣ Address the Emotion, Not the Behaviour:
Focus on articulating and validating their emotions first.
4️⃣ Help Them Feel Safe:
Create a safe, neutral space for them to express their feelings.
5️⃣ Guide Them Back to Neutral:
Once calm, help them understand and manage their emotions.
Remember, it’s not about the action but the emotion driving it. Have you ever tried slowing down and chasing the why before reacting?
How to stay calm when your child is triggered
One of the hardest things about helping your child to manage their emotions, is staying calm yourself.
Here are 3 steps (borrowed from one of my favourite parenting gurus – Dr Laura Markham)
1️⃣ Stop what you’re doing and observe your child.
2️⃣ Drop your own emotions and reactions.
3️⃣ Breathe deeply to signal your body to calm down.
Staying calm is more than keeping cool.
It’s a powerful way to:
→ teach
→ connect
→ nurture your child
What is your best strategy to calm the storm in your own mind?
How to respond to tantrums and meltdowns
One of the hardest things about helping your child to manage their emotions, is staying calm yourself.
Here are 3 steps (borrowed from one of my favourite parenting gurus – Dr Laura Markham)
1️⃣ Stop what you’re doing and observe your child.
2️⃣ Drop your own emotions and reactions.
3️⃣ Breathe deeply to signal your body to calm down.
Staying calm is more than keeping cool.
It’s a powerful way to:
→ teach
→ connect
→ nurture your child
What is your best strategy to calm the storm in your own mind?