The question for parents is to decide when and how to use the option.

Mental Health Day is a response to children’s mental health crises, said Jill Cook, executive director of the American Association of School Counselors. she said. “And we also know that the pandemic has exacerbated some of that for many students.”

“The trick is to see if you really need to rest and recharge as opposed to avoiding school or avoiding tests or something more important that’s going on when mental health days aren’t the solution. That’s it.”

Mary Alvord, a clinical psychologist in Rockville, Maryland, agrees that mental health days can trigger school avoidance. We need to learn how to deal with it,” said Alvord, founder of Resilience Across Borders, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young people build resilience. increase. She recommends that mental health days be devoted to learning rather than running away from what’s bothering your child.

Do’s and don’ts when kids aren’t in school

“If a sick child complains of ear pain, you wouldn’t say, ‘Okay, stay home.’ You would say, ‘I need to go to the pediatrician,'” Alvord said. I was. Similarly, a mental health day should not be just a day to stay in your room and play video games. Whether it’s talking to a counselor or therapist, working on calming strategies, or challenging negative thoughts with other scenarios that are likely to occur, you need a plan of action.

How should parents decide?

Unfortunately, there is no thermometer to tell you when your child is stressed or anxious to go to school. Alvord said it’s important to “observe them closely, listen to them, and talk to them as much as they want.” He asks questions such as, “Why do you think or feel it would be helpful to take a day off?” Or, “Is something urgent going on?”

Cook said parents have to do a little detective work to see if their child is facing a test or not completing a project. “It is very important that parents and young people can talk to each other and have as open and honest conversations as possible. It may not be of any benefit to the student to use it.”

“I believe a lot of kids can say, ‘Look, I need a break,'” when they reach middle school and high school, said Nekeshia Hammond, a clinical psychologist in Brandon, Florida. And I think we have to really respect that. She noted that while she recognizes that some kids try to take advantage of mental health days, there will always be kids who try to game the system.

“The most important thing we have to think about is making sure our children learn how to take care of themselves,” Hammond said.

“Our mental state is directly related to how we behave in school. So if a really distressed or really depressed child can’t handle it, we don’t want to send them,” says Alvord. “But you have to do something. Be proactive.”

Once you’ve figured out what’s bothering your child or teen, create a coping plan together. If your child is upset about social interactions at school, you may plan to go see a school counselor with them. Consider letting it sit for a few hours. A mental health day doesn’t have to last all day.

On Mental Health Day, Hammond said it’s “really important to engage in any kind of calming activity” for your child. It’s helpful because it can help you process the experience.

Should children eat what you offer, or only what they want?

Parents can also introduce their children to mental health apps to help them control their emotions. Some suggestions are Three Good Things, Smileing Mind and Breathe2Relax.

Finally, parents should be aware that they may need to help their child “transition from this mental health day back into the academic arena.” If so, parents can work with their children to work on positive visualizations of being back at school. You can also do reframing.

A new approach to mental health

One of the benefits of the mental health day concept is that it encourages parents, teachers and children to talk openly about the issue.

“Saying ‘Hey, we care about your mental health’ is a really important statement for the state,” he said, hoping all states would eventually pass similar legislation. Hammond said, “My experience is that some schools focus too much on academics, completely ignoring the need for children to have positive mental health in order to work and perform academically.” I forgot to.”

She applauds the current disregard for full attendance. “If the goal is to make sure this child is emotionally safe and emotionally healthy, even if she misses a day or two of school, it will have such a horrifying effect on her academic performance. I am not going to give it.”

Parents also need to model emotionally healthy behavior for their children, says Hammond. “It’s okay to show your kids ‘I was really stressed out, but here’s what I do about it. I’m trying to take care of myself.'”

In some cases, parents may share why they are taking mental health days for themselves. “I needed a day to celebrate people,” she added. rice field.

The concept of Mental Health Day is, “It’s really positive that kids learn this early,” Hammond said. It’s a necessary skill, and we have the gift of teaching them to take care of themselves.”

In fact, Hammond says he believes parents should consider mental health leave as an option, even if they don’t live in a state that has passed laws allowing mental health leave. “I’m a big advocate of working for your child at the end of the day.”

Have a question about parenting? ask the post.