How to speak to your child about wellbeing

How you can speak to your children about Mental Health

In assemblies, pupils have been learning about well-being.It has been explained to them that we all have mental health, and that like our body, we can do things to keep our minds’ healthy’.

If your child asks about their mental health, you can tell them that it is about our feelings, our thinking, emotions and our moods. Explain to them that looking after our mental health is important.

Tell them that we all have small feelings every day; these can sometimes feel strong and overwhelming, whether happy or

sad, but they go away before too long. Sometimes we experience big feelings; these feel strong and can feel overwhelming.

Tips for talking to your child about their Mental Health
1. Make conversations about mental health a normal part of life: Anywhere is a good place to talk - in the car, walking the dog or cooking together. Model everyday talk about feelings such as by talking about a TV character’s feelings.
2. Give your full attention: We all know it’s not helpful to be half listened to. Keep eye contact, focus on the child and ignore distractions.
3. Check your body language: Try to keep it open and relaxed and make sure you come down to the child’s level.
4. Take it seriously: Don’t downplay what the child is saying or tell them they’re “just being silly”. Resist the urge to ‘brush off’ their concerns, or to instantly reassure them that everything is fine without discussion.
5. Ask open questions: Such as “How did your day go today?” This will help to extend the conversation.
6. Calmly stay with the feelings that arise: It can be our automatic reaction to steer away from difficult emotions.
7. Offer empathy rather than solutions: Show that you accept what they are telling you but don’t try to solve the problem.

8. Remember we are all different: Respect and value the child’s feelings, even though they may be different to yours.
9. Look for clues about feelings: Listen to the child’s words, tone of voice and body language.

10. Some ways to start a conversation about feelings might be: “How are you feeling at the moment?” “You don’t seem your usual self. Do you want to talk about it?” “Do you fancy a chat?” “I’m happy to listen if you need a chat. Let them know that
it’s okay to feel however they feel, 8. Remember we are all different:
Respect and value the child’s feelings, even though they may be different to yours.
9. Look for clues about feelings:
Listen to the child’s words, tone of voice and body language.
10. Some ways to start a conversation about feelings might be: “How are you feeling at the moment?” “You don’t seem your usual self. Do you want to talk about it?” “Do you fancy a chat?” “I’m happy to listen if you need a chat.
Let them know that it’s okay to feel however they feel, whether that’s sad, angry, worried or something else, and that you can work together to finding new ways of managing these feelings.whether that’s sad, angry, worried or something else, and that you can work together to find new ways of managing these feelings.