How to Talk about Mental Illness with your Children

Kids start learning from their bed time stories. From learning how to make friends to being aware about doctor visits, bed time tales and conversations is where kids pick up a lot of information. So bringing up foundational talks of mental health and illnesses with the use of children's books would be a good place to start.

Some good books to use to teach your kid about depression are "The Color Thief" by Andre Fusek Peters and Polly Peters, Blueloon by Juliacook, Sad Book by Michael Rosen and "The Princess and the Fog by Lloyd Jone's.

Mental Health conversations have never been easy irrespective of someone's age. Mental Illness for a kid can be quite confusing if they notice someone they love experience any kind of mental illness.

It is most probable that as a parent you would like to keep your parents away from the concept of mental illness. However, the healthy option would be to initiate honest age-appropriate conversations about mental illness with your children. This will help your child stay away from the stigmas around mental health and feel more secure about a situation. It will further improve your child's empathy.

Here are some ways in which you can initiate healthy conversations with your children about mental health.

Using children books to introduce

Kids start learning from their bed time stories. From learning how to make friends to being aware about doctor visits, bed time tales and conversations is where kids pick up a lot of information. So bringing up foundational talks of mental health and illnesses with the use of children's books would be a good place to start.

Some good books to use to teach your kid about depression are "The Color Thief" by Andre Fusek Peters and Polly Peters, Blueloon by Juliacook, Sad Book by Michael Rosen and "The Princess and the Fog by Lloyd Jone's.

When children will see and understand characters experience, even they will learn to open up, ask questions, and express themselves about things which they previously would not have done so.

Never brush off the issue

Many parents tend to ignore moments when their children are sad. Parents and caretakers tend to say things like, "She is just a little sad, there's nothing to worry about it," and "This is just one of his tantrums". They have this ideology that ignoring these moments are helping them simplify the situation.

This is where it goes all wrong. When they grow up and learn what they were going through, they will have this idea that it is not correct to talk about mental health problems, or even that mental health problems does not exist.

At the same-time only you will be aware of what is age-appropriate for your child. If a family member is going through some serious mental issues such as having suicidal thoughts, it is necessary to find a way to tell your child that there exists a certain kind of problem without mentioning about all the details.

Consider your child's questions as an opportunity

Always take your child's questions as an opportunity to introduce them to mental illnesses. A child asking questions like, "Is she going to be okay?""How can I help them?'', indicates that a child is sensitive towards others well being.

Use Metaphors with care

It is easier to teach and tell your child about mental illness by comparing to other medical conditions like cold or injuries. However, through this they might get this idea that mental illness is contagious and they need to avoid people who have them. Therefore, carefully explain to your child that mental health issues are not contagious and they don't have to run away from people who have them.

Always initiate follow-up questions

As a kid it is always hard to express feelings in front of others and put it into words. They need help. It is your responsibility to make sure that your child is not in the clutch of confusion when they are upset or frightened about anything. It is your responsibility to confirm that they are processing their feelings in a healthy way.

Your child's feelings can be validated by asking questions like, "Are You Okay?" instead of "Are you still angry about what happened?" or "Did that scare you?"

When a child is affected by the mental health problems of one of your family members, it is always hard for them to figure out how to deal with it. For example, if a bipolar disorder patient in your family spends time with your child and then suddenly stops, your child is likely to be affected by it. In such a case, it is necessary for your child to learn that it is okay to be hurt or upset by someone's symptoms, while also teaching them to be empathetic.

Also Read: Physiotherapy And Mental Health

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