The Department for Education is celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month this October by releasing tips to help parents and carers support their children’s mental health.
The Department said its team of Student Wellbeing Leaders provided some easily achievable advice for parents to help support their children at home.
It said the five tips focused on how to: Model and teach self-care; Support children to learn positive behaviours; Use quality time; Build support networks; and Create safe boundaries and routines.
“Balance is essential for positive mental health,” the Department said.
“Having technology-free times, going to bed at a reasonable time, incorporating some activity, and treating yourself occasionally is a great way to instil healthy habits in your children.”
It said children learned from experimenting and sometimes their behaviours would be inappropriate.
“Adults need to support them to understand the consequences of their behaviours and help them to make better choices,” the Department said.
It said it was important to spend at least 15 minutes of quality time listening to children each day, with the key being that no technology was present during the conversation.
“Often children don’t want solutions, they want to feel heard and empathised with,” it said.
The Department said children would benefit from having a range of support networks they could lean on.
“At times children want to talk with someone who isn’t their parent, especially as they become adolescents,” it said.
The Department said parents should negotiate with children and establish clear boundaries and routines as doing so provided clarity and a sense of safety.
Further resources on mental health and education for children and teenagers can be accessed at this PS News link and on the Raising Children Network’s Australian Parenting Website at this link.
