Despite their youth, children face challenges every day that can wear them down if they don’t receive enough breaks. Between school, extracurricular activities, and social pressures, a child’s life is not as simple as you may recall. Here is why you should give your kids mental health days.
Emotional Reset
A survey conducted by Verywell Mind and Parents found that 35% of parents feel that their children show signs of emotional distress at least once a week. Mental health days allow your children to take their minds off their daily pressures and ultimately relax. In fact, 12 U.S. states recognize mental health days as legitimate absences from school.
Teaching Them Self-Care
When you allow your kid to take a mental health day, you allow your child to see how they can practice self-care as they grow up. You could also use the mental health day to teach your child coping mechanisms in addition to enjoying their break.
What to do on Mental Health Days
If low energy is an issue, then there’s nothing wrong with allowing your child to stay home for a while. You could also consider doing sports or arts and crafts such as painting to allow your kid’s creative juices to flow or even catch up on some sleep. There’s also the option of talking about your child’s feelings to help them to release their emotions.