Stories about children’s mental health appear in the news nearly every day, often highlighting rising rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide among youth. It’s no surprise that many parents and caregivers ask, “What can I do to help?”
It’s important to remember that supporting a child’s mental health doesn’t require special training or a perfect approach. Small, consistent actions by caring adults can have a meaningful impact.
For Parents and Caregivers
Spend quality time together.
Connection matters at every age. Children are more likely to feel supported and understood when adults regularly spend positive time with them. This can be conversations during car rides, shared meals or bedtime routines that create moments that feel calm and unhurried. Even 5 minutes per day of quality time away from screens and distractions can go a long way to helping your child feel seen and supported. These everyday interactions help build trust and can reduce the impact of stress and mental health challenges over time.
Keep the conversation going.
Open communication looks different as children grow. Younger children may respond best to simple, concrete questions like, “What was the best part of your day?” Older children and teens may share less, which is normal. Modeling openness by calmly sharing your own thoughts or feelings can encourage them to do the same. The goal is not to fix everything, but to listen with curiosity rather than judgment.
Be present, even when you can’t solve the problem.
Parents don’t always need to have the answers. Acknowledging your child’s feelings and letting them know you’re there can help them feel supported and understood. Especially with teens, you can validate what your child is experiencing and ask whether they need help (e.g., “I can see this is difficult for you, and I’m here. Do you want help solving the problem, or for me to just be with you?”).
Encourage emotional skills and model them.
Learning how to identify emotions, manage stress, and cope with disappointment is essential for healthy development. Demonstrating calm problem-solving, emotional awareness, and healthy coping strategies teaches children how to manage their own emotions.
Use positive reinforcement.
Children and adolescents learn something new every day. Encouragement and positive reinforcement go a long way in building them up and is much more effective than punishing negative behaviors.
Create routines, boundaries, and consistency.
Especially in early development, structure provides us with the tools to manage frustration. Which lets us know that the world is safe and predictable. In addition, maintaining consistency reinforces a sense of trust.
Provide appropriate supervision.
As children grow, balancing independence with supervision becomes more important. Staying involved in areas like school, friendships, and technology use helps caregivers recognize changes in behavior that may signal a child is struggling.
Promote healthy habits.
Regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and balanced nutrition support both physical and mental health. Healthy routines can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve overall well-being.
Practice self-care.
Taking care of your own mental health helps you be more present and patient, and shows children that self-care is an important part of staying healthy.
Build a strong support network.
Parents don’t have to do this alone. Collaborating with teachers, pediatricians, coaches, faith leaders and other trusted adults creates a stronger safety net for children.
Supporting Children Takes Community
Caring for children’s mental health is not just the responsibility of parents and caregivers — it’s something everyone can do.
Be a mentor or positive role model in your community.
Look out for children in your neighborhood and help create safe environments.
Show interest in the kids around you by learning their names and engaging in conversation.
Support family-friendly policies at work and in your community that promote balance and flexibility.
Advocate for children and families whenever possible.
Every supportive interaction matters. By showing up, listening and caring, adults can play a powerful role in protecting and promoting children’s mental health.
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