Key Points
- Mental health in children is reflected in how they grow, adapt, and meet key developmental milestones at their own pace, learning healthy social skills, and building resilience to navigate life’s challenges
- Emotional wellbeing is not about constant happiness but about developing the capacity to experience, express, and manage the full range of human emotions
- The quality of relationships and environments where children grow up fundamentally shapes their mental health, with safe, stable, and nurturing connections providing the strongest foundation
- Early recognition of mental health challenges and timely access to appropriate support can significantly improve outcomes for children and families
- Parents do not need to be experts to support their child’s emotional development consistent, attuned care and emotional safety matter more than perfection
Understanding the Foundation: What Mental Health Means in Childhood
Mental health in childhood represents far more than the absence of diagnosable conditions. It reflects a child’s capacity to develop according to their unique trajectory, form meaningful connections, learn from their environment, and gradually build skills to navigate both everyday stressors and significant challenges.
Children experiencing positive mental health demonstrate a quality of life that allows them to function effectively at home with family, in school with peers and teachers, and within their communities. This functioning depends not on perfection or constant contentment, but on developing age-appropriate abilities to understand emotions, express needs, recover from difficulties, and maintain relationships even during stressful periods.
The Multiple Factors That Shape Mental Health
The foundations of mental health are established through the interplay of several key factors:
- Individual characteristics: Temperament and neurobiological development
- Relationship quality: Consistency of primary relationships with caregivers
- Environmental safety: Predictability and security of their surroundings
- Access to opportunities: Chances for growth, learning, and mastery
- Broader circumstances: Social and economic factors shaping daily experiences
Understanding these factors helps parents recognize that while they have tremendous influence over their child’s mental health, they cannot control every aspect that shapes it. This perspective reduces unnecessary parental guilt while highlighting where parents can make the most meaningful difference.
The Architecture of Emotional Development
Emotional development unfolds as a progressive process beginning in the earliest days of life and continuing through adolescence. This development emerges through the dynamic interaction between a child’s maturing brain and the relational experiences that shape how neural pathways form and strengthen.
Infancy: Building the Foundation (0-2 years)
In infancy, emotional life centers on fundamental states comfort and distress, connection and disconnection. Babies are entirely dependent on caregivers to help them return to calm states when overwhelmed.
The importance of co-regulation:
Co-regulation is the early process where parents respond to infant distress with soothing presence. When you pick up your crying baby, speak softly, rock them gently, or feed them when hungry, their nervous system learns patterns of moving from dysregulation back to equilibrium. These patterns become internalized over time, forming the foundation for eventual self-regulation.
What this looks like in practice:
Your six-month-old wakes up crying in the middle of the night. Instead of leaving them to “self-soothe,” you go to them, pick them up, and calmly reassure them. Your calm presence helps their nervous system settle. Over hundreds of these interactions, they learn that distress can be managed and that help is available.
Toddler and Preschool Years: Expanding Emotional Range (2-5 years)
During these years, children’s emotional world expands dramatically. They begin to experience and express joy, anger, fear, sadness, frustration, pride, and shame. However, the prefrontal cortex regions responsible for emotional regulation remain immature.
Why “control” is neurobiologically impossible:
Young children genuinely cannot “control themselves” the way adults expect. What appears as defiance is typically a child overwhelmed by emotions they lack the neural infrastructure to manage independently. This is not willful misbehavior, it’s developmental reality.
What this looks like in practice:
Lets say your three-year-old has a complete meltdown in the grocery store because you won’t buy the candy they want. They’re screaming, crying, possibly even hitting or kicking. This isn’t manipulation, their brain literally cannot process the disappointment and regulate the intense emotions it creates. They need your calm presence to help them regulate, not punishment for being unable to do something their brain can’t yet accomplish.
Effective responses during meltdowns:
- Stay calm yourself (even if you’re embarrassed) to model healthy emotional regulation for your child and adolescent.
- Get down to their level
- Use simple language: “You’re really upset. I know you wanted that candy”
- Offer comfort when they’re ready to accept it
- Set the boundary: “We’re not buying candy today”
- Help them recover: “Let’s take some deep breaths together”
School-Age Years: Developing Sophistication (6-12 years)
Children in this stage develop increasingly sophisticated emotional awareness and vocabulary. They begin to understand that others have different perspectives and feelings, enabling empathy to emerge. The capacity for self-regulation strengthens, though it remains vulnerable to disruption by stress, fatigue, or intense emotions.
Peer relationships become more central, bringing new emotional challenges social comparison, fear of exclusion, performance anxiety, and more complex friendship dynamics.
What this looks like in practice:
Your eight-year-old comes home devastated because they weren’t invited to a classmate’s birthday party. They understand enough to know this might mean they’re not as popular as they thought. They can articulate their sadness but still need help processing these feelings and gaining perspective.
Effective responses:
“That really hurts. It’s disappointing when we’re left out. I remember feeling that way too when I was your age. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you sometimes people have small parties or their parents limit numbers. You have friends who care about you, like [mention friends name]. Would it help to plan something fun with one of them this weekend to alleviate any anxiety disorders they might be experiencing?
Adolescence: Intensity and Transformation (13+ years)
Adolescence brings another period of rapid neurobiological change. The hormonal shifts of puberty amplify emotional intensity, while ongoing development in the prefrontal cortex gradually enhances capacities for perspective-taking, future planning, and emotional modulation. However, this development is uneven teenagers can demonstrate remarkable emotional insight one moment and be overwhelmed by relatively minor disappointments the next.
Understanding the inconsistency:
This variability reflects ongoing maturation, not willful behavior. The adolescent brain is undergoing massive reconstruction, particularly in areas governing emotional regulation and impulse control.
What this looks like in practice:
Your fifteen-year-old has an incredibly mature conversation with you about global politics, showing nuanced thinking and emotional intelligence. Two hours later, they have a complete breakdown because their favorite jeans are in the wash. Both responses are genuine their brain is capable of both and is still learning to consistently access the more regulated response.
Effective responses:
Don’t mock or minimize: “I know those are your favorite jeans and you really wanted to wear them tonight. You’re really frustrated.” Then, when they’re calmer: “I noticed you got pretty upset about the jeans earlier. What was going on there?” This opens conversation without judgment.
The Non-Linear Nature of Development
Emotional development doesn’t proceed in a straight line. Common patterns include progression (moving forward with new skills), plateau (periods of consolidation), and temporary regression (previously mastered behaviors reemerging during stress).
Understanding regressions:
Your seven-year-old has been sleeping independently for years, but suddenly wants you to stay in their room until they fall asleep. This might coincide with starting a new school, a family change, or even something you’re unaware of. The regression typically represents their system conserving resources for adaptation, not a fundamental problem.
Effective responses:
Provide the support they need temporarily: “I can see you need some extra comfort right now. I’ll sit with you for a bit.” Don’t shame them for the regression or worry excessively. Most regressions resolve naturally once the stress passes.
Recognizing Healthy Emotional Wellbeing
Healthy emotional wellbeing is not perpetual cheerfulness or the absence of negative emotions. It’s a growing capacity to experience the full spectrum of human feelings and develop increasingly effective ways to navigate emotional experiences.
Key Signs of Developing Emotional Health
Emotional Expression Without Shame
Children can identify and express feelings, even difficult ones like anger, sadness, or fear, without overwhelming shame about having those emotions.
What this looks like:
Your child says, “I’m really mad at you right now” rather than sulking silently or acting out. They trust that expressing anger won’t damage the relationship or result in punishment for the feeling itself.
Seeking Support When Needed
Children reach out to trusted adults when distressed. They’ve internalized that help is available and their needs matter to others.
What this looks like:
After a hard day at school, your child finds you and says, “Can we talk? Something happened today that’s bothering me.” They trust you’ll listen and help them process the experience.
Contrast with concerning pattern:
A child who consistently withdraws when upset, refuses comfort, or seems unable to ask for help may be struggling. This could indicate they don’t feel safe expressing needs or have learned their emotions aren’t welcome.
Resilience After Setbacks
Children can recover from disappointments with appropriate support. They learn from difficult experiences rather than being defined by them.
What this looks like:
Your child tries out for the school play and doesn’t get the part they wanted. They’re disappointed and cry about it. With your support validating their disappointment, helping them gain perspective, encouraging them to try again next year they recover within a few days and remain engaged in school activities.
Contrast with concerning pattern:
A child who experiences one setback and concludes “I’m terrible at everything” or “I should never try new things” may be developing concerning patterns of thinking that could benefit from support.
Emerging Empathy
Children show awareness of others’ emotional states, can recognize when a peer seems sad or upset, and understand their behavior affects others. This develops gradually and remains limited by developmental stage.
What this looks like:
Your six-year-old notices their younger sibling is crying and brings them a favorite toy to cheer them up. Or your ten-year-old says, “I think Emma was sad today at recess. She was sitting by herself.”
Security in Relationships
Children feel confident that caregivers will remain available and responsive even when they make mistakes or express difficult emotions.
What this looks like:
Your child tells you they broke something or made a mistake at school, even though they know you might be disappointed. They trust that your love and support aren’t conditional on perfect behavior.
The Critical Distinction
Children with good emotional wellbeing still experience anger, anxiety, sadness, frustration, disappointment, and fear. The difference is they feel safe enough to express these emotions and supported enough to work through them.
Common Mental Health Challenges in Childhood
Understanding common challenges helps parents recognize when difficulties may benefit from additional support and respond with informed compassion rather than alarm.
Anxiety in Childhood
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges across childhood and adolescence. It can manifest as excessive worry, specific fears, social anxiety, or separation anxiety.
When Anxiety Is Normal vs. Concerning
Developmentally normal anxiety:
- Young toddlers showing stranger anxiety (8-18 months)
- Four-year-olds worried about monsters or the dark
- School-age children nervous about tests or performances
- Adolescents self-conscious in social situations
These are typical developmental phases that usually resolve with time and supportive responses.
Anxiety becomes concerning when it:
- Persists beyond typical developmental windows
- Significantly interferes with daily functioning
- Causes substantial distress to the child
- Prevents participation in age-appropriate activities
Warning signs requiring evaluation:
Your seven-year-old cannot attend school due to overwhelming anxiety. They complain of stomachaches every morning, cry and cling to you, and panic when you try to leave. This has been happening for three weeks. This pattern suggests anxiety that warrants professional evaluation.
Or your ten-year-old lies awake for hours every night worrying about things that might go wrong their parents dying, natural disasters, illness. The worries seem excessive and uncontrollable, and they’re exhausted during the day.
Or your teenager cannot attend social events due to panic. They want to go but the anxiety is so overwhelming they have panic attacks at the thought of it.
How Parents Can Help or Hinder
Responses that strengthen anxiety:
- Accommodating anxiety by allowing extensive avoidance: “Okay, you don’t have to go to school today” (repeatedly)
- Removing all challenges or uncomfortable experiences
- Becoming anxious about the child’s anxiety
- Providing excessive reassurance that becomes a compulsion
What this looks like:
Your child is anxious about sleeping at a friend’s house, which may indicate underlying anxiety disorders that need attention. Instead of helping them work through it, you always say they don’t have to go. Short-term, this reduces everyone’s stress. Long-term, it teaches them they cannot handle anxiety and must avoid anything that creates it. The anxiety typically grows stronger.
Responses that help anxiety improve:
- Validating feelings while gently supporting graduated exposure
- Teaching that anxiety is tolerable and diminishes with experience
- Remaining calm and confident yourself
- Breaking feared situations into manageable steps
What this looks like:
Your child is anxious about sleeping at a friend’s house. You say: “I understand you’re nervous. New situations often feel scary at first. Remember how nervous you were about swimming lessons? And then you ended up loving them. How about we start small maybe have your friend over here first, then you try sleeping there for one night. I’ll be available by phone the whole time if you need me.”
Practical Strategies for Managing Childhood Anxiety
Young children:
- Maintain predictable routines that provide security
- Read books about managing fears
- Practice “worry time” a designated 10 minutes to talk about worries, then moving on
- Teach simple breathing exercises using bubbles or pinwheels
- Create a “bravery ladder” with small steps toward feared situations
School-age children:
- Help them understand what anxiety is and how it works in the body
- Teach the difference between real danger and anxiety “false alarms”
- Practice progressive muscle relaxation
- Use a worry journal to externalize concerns
- Gradually face fears in supported, manageable doses
Teenagers:
- Validate that anxiety feels real and intense even when the feared outcome is unlikely
- Teach cognitive strategies for challenging anxious thoughts
- Encourage continued participation in activities despite anxiety
- Model your own healthy anxiety management
- Know when to seek professional help (CBT is highly effective for teen anxiety)
Stress and Emotional Overload
Children experience stress from multiple sources academic pressures, social challenges, family discord or transitions, overscheduling, insufficient rest, and constant stimulation.
How Stress Shows Up Differently in Children
Rather than saying “I’m stressed,” children often show stress through behavioral changes, physical complaints, and pattern disruptions.
Behavioral changes:
- Your typically cheerful eight-year-old becomes irritable and snaps at everyone
- Your teen withdraws to their room and stops engaging with the family
- Your five-year-old starts having accidents again after being fully potty-trained
- Your ten-year-old cannot concentrate on homework that used to be manageable
Physical complaints:
Your child frequently complains of stomachaches or headaches, especially at certain times (Sunday nights, Monday mornings). Medical evaluation finds nothing wrong. These are often manifestations of emotional stress.
Changes in patterns:
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Nightmares increasing in frequency
- Appetite changes (eating much more or much less)
- Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
Understanding Toxic vs. Manageable Stress
Not all stress is harmful. Manageable stress when temporary, appropriate to developmental level, and occurring with caregiver support actually builds resilience. Toxic stress severe, prolonged, and without adequate buffering relationships can alter brain architecture and affect lifelong health.
Manageable stress example:
Your child is nervous about their piano recital. They practice, feel butterflies before performing, but have your support throughout. Afterward, they feel proud of facing their fear. This builds confidence and resilience.
Toxic stress example:
Your child lives in a home with constant parental conflict and violence. They never know what will happen when they come home. They’re chronically anxious, have difficulty sleeping, and struggle to focus at school. Without intervention and supportive relationships to buffer this stress, it becomes toxic.
Addressing Stress in Children
Reducing unnecessary stressors:
Take an honest look at your family’s schedule. If your child has activities every day after school plus weekends, they may have no downtime. Consider reducing commitments to allow rest and free play.
Example conversation:
“I’ve noticed you seem really tired and cranky lately. I’m wondering if we’re doing too much. What if we picked your two favorite activities and took a break from the others for now?”
Strengthening protective factors:
- Maintain predictable routines: Same bedtime, regular family meals, consistent morning routine
- Ensure adequate sleep: This is non-negotiable for stress management
- Protect time for unstructured play and rest
- Create space to process experiences through conversation, play, or creative expression
When a stressful event is unavoidable:
If your family is moving, divorcing, or experiencing loss, you cannot eliminate the stress. But you can buffer it:
- Maintain as much routine as possible during the transition
- Talk openly about what’s happening in age-appropriate ways
- Validate their feelings: “This is hard. It’s okay to feel sad/scared/angry about it”
- Ensure they have extra support and attention during the transition
- Watch for signs they’re struggling and get help if needed
Self-Esteem and Developing Identity
A child’s sense of self develops through countless interactions with caregivers, peers, teachers, and their broader environment. This developing self-concept profoundly influences mental health.
What Damages Self-Esteem
Persistent criticism:
“Why can’t you be more like your sister?” “You always mess everything up.” “What’s wrong with you?” These messages, repeated over time, become internalized as core beliefs about unworthiness.
Frequent unfavorable comparisons:
Constantly comparing your child to siblings, peers, or an idealized standard teaches them they’re not measuring up. They develop a sense of fundamental inadequacy.
Unrealistic expectations:
Setting the bar impossibly high ensures regular experiences of failure. A child who can never meet expectations learns they’re not capable or good enough.
How Low Self-Esteem Manifests
Avoidance patterns:
Your nine-year-old refuses to try new activities. When you suggest joining a sports team or club, they immediately say “I’d be terrible at that” without even trying. They’ve developed a belief that they’ll fail, so why attempt anything new?
Harsh self-criticism:
Your child makes a small mistake and says, “I’m so stupid” or “I can’t do anything right.” One bad grade becomes evidence of fundamental inadequacy rather than a single setback or area needing work.
Excessive reassurance-seeking:
Your child constantly asks “Is this okay?” “Did I do good?” “Do you still love me?” They cannot access internal confidence and depend entirely on external validation for any sense of worth.
Building Healthy Self-Esteem
Focus on effort and process, not outcomes:
❌ “You’re so smart!” (After good grade)
✅ “You worked really hard studying for that test. Your effort paid off.”
❌ “You’re a natural athlete!” (After scoring goal)
✅ “I noticed how much you’ve improved your shooting technique with practice.”
The first approach teaches that ability is fixed and about being “smart” or “talented.” The second teaches that effort leads to improvement a growth mindset.
Allow manageable challenges:
Your child is struggling to build a complicated LEGO set. Your instinct is to help immediately. Instead, resist:
“This is tricky, isn’t it? What have you tried so far? What else might work?” Offer guidance without taking over. When they eventually succeed, the pride and confidence are genuine because they accomplished it themselves.
Offer specific, authentic praise:
❌ “Great job!” (Generic, unclear what was good)
✅ “I really appreciated how you helped your brother when he was struggling with his puzzle. That was kind.”
❌ “You’re amazing!” (Empty flattery)
✅ “You kept trying even when that was really frustrating. That takes a lot of perseverance.”
Provide unconditional positive regard:
Your child brings home a report card with disappointing grades. You’re frustrated, but your response matters enormously:
❌ “I’m so disappointed in you. You’re better than this.”
✅ “These grades aren’t what we hoped for. I love you just as much as always, and we’ll figure out together what’s getting in the way and how to help you.”
The first makes love feel conditional. The second separates the behavior from the child’s inherent worth.
Emotional Dysregulation
Emotional dysregulation difficulty managing the intensity, duration, or expression of emotional responses manifests as frequent intense meltdowns, aggressive outbursts, extreme withdrawal, or emotional shutdown.
Understanding Regulation as a Developmental Skill
Emotional regulation is a learned skill, not an inherent personality trait. Regulation capacities depend on prefrontal cortex development, which continues into the mid-twenties. Young children are neurobiologically incapable of adult-level self-regulation.
What co-regulation looks like in practice:
Your four-year-old is having a complete meltdown because their tower of blocks fell down. They’re screaming, crying, throwing blocks.
Your response: You sit down nearby, stay calm, and use a soothing voice: “You’re really upset. That tower was important to you and it fell down. I’m right here.” You don’t lecture, punish, or demand they stop. Your calm presence helps their nervous system begin to regulate. When they’re ready, they might climb into your lap for comfort. Then: “Let’s take some deep breaths together. Should we try building it again, or would you like to do something else?”
This is co-regulation. Your calm helps them find calm.
What happens over time:
Through hundreds of these experiences, your child gradually internalizes your soothing voice and regulatory strategies. Eventually, they’ll be able to calm themselves when disappointed. But this takes years of co-regulation first.
What Contributes to Dysregulation
Temperamental predispositions:
Some children are born with more intense emotional reactivity. They feel everything more strongly both positive and negative emotions. This isn’t a flaw; it’s their temperament. These children need extra support developing regulation skills.
Early adversity or trauma:
Children who experienced early trauma, neglect, or inconsistent caregiving often have dysregulated stress response systems. Their brains developed in an environment of threat, making them more reactive and less able to self-soothe.
Sensory processing differences:
Some children find ordinary stimulation overwhelming tags in clothing, certain textures, loud noises, bright lights. Being constantly overstimulated exhausts their regulatory capacity.
Undiagnosed difficulties:
A child with an undiagnosed learning disability experiences chronic frustration that exceeds their regulatory capacity. A child with ADHD may have neurological differences that make regulation harder.
Supporting Children with Dysregulation
During moments of distress:
- Prioritize safety: If they’re in danger of hurting themselves or others, intervene calmly to ensure safety
- Stay calm yourself: Your dysregulation will escalate theirs
- Use minimal words to communicate effectively, especially when discussing mental disorders with children. “I’m here. You’re safe.” Long explanations or lectures don’t help during dysregulation
- Offer comfort when ready: Some children want physical comfort; others need space. Learn your child’s pattern
- Wait to teach: The middle of a meltdown is not the time for lessons. Process what happened later
After they’ve regulated:
“That was really hard. What were you feeling?” Help them develop emotional vocabulary and understanding. “What could we try next time you feel that way?” Problem-solve together about strategies.
Building capacity over time:
- Teach calming strategies during calm moments (deep breathing, counting, using words)
- Recognize their triggers and help them anticipate and prepare
- Celebrate small improvements in self-regulation
- Maintain consistent, calm responses so they can predict what will happen
- Seek professional help if dysregulation is severe or not improving, especially if it relates to mental health problems.
The Influence of Parenting and Family Environment
The emotional climate within the family represents perhaps the most significant influence on child mental health. While parenting style isn’t the sole determinant child temperament, genetics, and broader circumstances also matter the quality of parent-child relationships shapes children’s mental health fundamentally.
Parenting Characteristics That Support Mental Health
Warmth and Responsiveness
This means being emotionally available and attuned to your child’s needs, providing the foundation for secure attachment and emotional security.
What this looks like:
Your toddler falls and scrapes their knee. You stop what you’re doing, go to them, acknowledge their pain, and offer comfort. You’re responsive to their need.
Your teenager comes home upset about something. Instead of dismissing it or being too busy, you set aside time to listen. You’re emotionally available.
Consistency and Predictability
Consistent expectations and responses help children develop trust and a sense of safety. They know what to expect from you.
What this looks like:
Bedtime is 8:00 on school nights. You maintain this boundary consistently, not varying widely based on your mood or convenience. Your child knows what to expect and can prepare for it.
When your child breaks a rule, your response is consistent not harsh one day and permissive the next based on how tired you are.
Appropriate Boundaries and Structure
Clear expectations and limits give children a framework for developing self-control and understanding what behaviors are acceptable.
What this looks like:
You have clear family rules: We treat each other with respect. We use indoor voices inside. We don’t hurt each other physically. When these rules are broken, there are consistent, reasonable consequences that teach rather than punish harshly.
Respect for Individuality
Seeing your child as an individual with their own feelings, thoughts, and perspectives supports healthy identity development and self-worth.
What this looks like:
Your child is more introverted than you hoped. Instead of forcing them into constant social situations, you respect their temperament: “I know big parties aren’t your favorite. How about we invite just one friend over instead?”
Your child is passionate about art but not interested in sports. You support their interests rather than pushing them toward yours.
Parenting Patterns That Increase Risk
Harsh, Punitive Responses
Shaming children for emotions or behaviors undermines self-esteem and can increase behavioral difficulties.
What this looks like:
Your child expresses anger and you respond: “Stop being such a brat! You’re so ungrateful. Go to your room until you can be pleasant.” This teaches that anger is unacceptable and shameful, that their feelings don’t matter, and that they should hide emotions to be loved.
A better approach:
“You’re really angry right now. It’s okay to be angry. It’s not okay to yell at me. Let’s both take a few minutes to calm down, then we can talk about what’s bothering you.”
Inconsistent or Unpredictable Parenting
When children cannot predict what will happen, they develop anxiety and insecurity.
What this looks like:
Sometimes cursing at the dinner table results in a severe punishment. Other times, when you’re in a good mood, you laugh about it. Your child never knows which reaction they’ll get, so they’re constantly anxious and testing to see where the boundaries are.
Dismissing or Minimizing Emotions
This teaches children their internal experiences don’t matter or aren’t valid.
What this looks like:
Your child is crying about being excluded by friends. You say: “That’s silly,” but understanding the mental health needs of every child is essential for their emotional development. You’re being too sensitive. Stop crying about it.” Your child learns their feelings are wrong and they should hide them from you.
A better approach:
“That really hurts. Being left out is painful. Tell me what happened.” You validate the feeling and create space to process it together.
Intrusive or Overly Controlling Parenting
This interferes with development of autonomy and self-efficacy. You micromanage every aspect of your teenager’s life their schedule, friendships, clothing choices, activities. Read their private journal. Make all their decisions for them. They never learn to trust their own judgment or develop independence.
The Importance of “Good Enough” Parenting
No parent responds optimally in every interaction. Moments of impatience, frustration, and misattunement are universal. What matters is the overall pattern of interactions and your capacity to repair when ruptures occur.
What repair looks like:
You lost your temper and yelled at your child unfairly. Later, when you’ve calmed down:
“I’m sorry I yelled at you earlier. I was frustrated about work and I took it out on you. That wasn’t fair. You didn’t deserve that. I’m working on managing my stress better.”
This models:
- Accountability for mistakes
- That emotions are normal but we’re responsible for managing them
- That relationships can withstand conflict
- How to apologize sincerely
- That adults aren’t perfect and that’s okay
Your child learns more from this repair than they would from a parent who never makes mistakes (impossible anyway).
The Broader Family Emotional Environment
High-Risk Family Environments
Children raised in homes with chronic conflict, violence, parental mental health difficulties, or substance use problems experience increased risk for mental health challenges. These represent adverse childhood experiences that can become toxic stress without supportive relationships to buffer the impact.
Protective Family Environments
Families that create emotional safety share these characteristics:
All feelings are acceptable (even if all behaviors aren’t):
In your home, children can say “I’m angry” or “I hate this” without being punished for the feeling. The message is clear: your emotions are welcome here.
Mistakes are learning opportunities:
When your child spills milk, the response isn’t anger and criticism but: “Oops, that happens. Let’s get a towel and clean it up together. What could help you remember to keep your cup away from the edge next time?”
Everyone’s needs matter:
Family decisions consider everyone’s perspectives. A young child’s voice matters as much as parents’, even if parents make final decisions. “What does everyone want for dinner?” “How does everyone feel about this vacation plan?”
Practical Approaches to Supporting Emotional Wellbeing
Parents need not be mental health professionals to effectively support their child’s emotional development. Several evidence-based approaches are accessible to all caregivers.
Attuned Listening and Validation
True listening means attending not just to words but to the emotions underlying them, communicating that your child’s internal experience matters.
Examples of Attuned vs. Dismissive Responses
When your child says they’re anxious about school:
❌ Dismissive: “There’s nothing to worry about. You’re fine.” ✅ Attuned: “You’re feeling really worried about tomorrow. Tell me what feels hardest.”
When your child is upset about a friendship conflict:
❌ Dismissive: “You’re overreacting. It’s not that big a deal.” ✅ Attuned: “This is really bothering you. That friendship is important to you. What happened?”
When your teenager is stressed about college applications:
❌ Dismissive: “Everyone deals with this. Just get it done.” ✅ Attuned: “This process is really overwhelming. It makes sense you’re stressed. What feels most overwhelming right now?”
Understanding Validation
Validation communicates: “Your feelings make sense. I understand why you feel this way. Your emotions are acceptable.”
Validation is NOT:
- Agreement with your child’s perspective
- Removing boundaries or consequences
- Fixing the problem immediately
Example: Utilizing mental health services can provide support for every child struggling with emotional challenges.
Your child is angry about having to leave the playground. You validate: “I know you’re angry. You were having so much fun and it’s hard to stop. It’s still time to go.” The feeling is validated; the boundary remains.
Emotional Coaching Across Ages
Emotional coaching involves explicit guidance in understanding and managing emotions, including developing emotional vocabulary, understanding physical sensations, and learning coping strategies.
With young children (ages 2-5):
Your three-year-old is frustrated because the blocks keep falling:
“You’re feeling frustrated because the blocks keep falling down. Frustration is that hot, angry feeling in your body. It makes us want to yell or throw things. Let’s take some deep breaths together. [Breathe together] Now, should we try building it differently, or do you want to do something else for now?”
This names the emotion, connects it to its cause and physical experience, models a coping strategy, and offers choices.
With school-age children (ages 6-12):
Your eight-year-old is worried about a test:
“You’re worried about the test tomorrow. That’s normal a little worry can actually help us focus and prepare. But if the worry feels too big, we can use some strategies. Want to practice some breathing techniques? And maybe we can quiz you on the material so you feel more prepared?”
This normalizes the feeling, provides perspective, teaches practical skills, and offers support.
With teenagers (ages 13+):
Your fifteen-year-old is devastated about not making the varsity team:
“You’re really hurt and disappointed. You worked so hard for this. I remember how intense these feelings are when you want something badly and it doesn’t work out, it really does hurt. It’s okay to be upset about it. Do you want to talk through what you’re feeling, or would you rather have some space right now?”
This validates intensity, shows empathy without minimizing, normalizes the feeling, and respects their autonomy about how to process.
Modeling Emotional Health
Children learn more from observation than instruction. Model healthy emotional expression and coping.
Specific Ways to Model
Narrate your own emotional regulation to demonstrate effective strategies for managing mental health needs.
“I’m feeling really frustrated right now about this work situation. I’m going to take a walk to clear my head before dinner.”
Your child sees: Emotions are normal, we can name them, and we have strategies to manage them.
Demonstrate repair:
“I was stressed earlier and I snapped at you when you asked a simple question. That wasn’t fair. I’m sorry. I should have said, ‘I’m stressed right now and need a few minutes before we talk.'”
Your child learns: Adults make mistakes, mistakes can be repaired, and relationships survive ruptures.
Show appropriate vulnerability:
“I’m nervous about my presentation at work tomorrow. Public speaking makes me anxious even though I’ve done it many times. I’m going to prepare well and remind myself that some nervousness is normal.”
Your child learns: Adults have feelings too, anxiety is normal, and we can cope with it.
Maintaining Boundaries with Empathy
Set boundaries that acknowledge emotion while maintaining limits, then offer acceptable alternatives.
Practical Examples
Hitting:
“I understand you’re angry at your sister. It’s okay to feel angry. It’s not okay to hit. You can tell her you’re angry with words, or you can come talk to me about it.”
Refusing bedtime:
“I know you want to keep playing. It’s hard to stop when you’re having fun. Bedtime is still at 8:00. You can choose one more book or one more song.”
Yelling:
“You’re really frustrated right now. I can see that. You may not yell at me. You can say ‘I’m frustrated’ in a regular voice, or you can take some space to calm down.”
Screen time limits:
“I know you want to keep watching. Screens are fun and it’s hard to turn them off. Screen time is done for today. You can choose between reading or playing outside.”
Not wanting to do homework:
“I understand homework isn’t fun. You’d rather play. Homework still needs to get done. You can choose to do it now before dinner, or after dinner before screen time. Which would you prefer?”
Each example: Validates the feeling, states the boundary clearly, offers acceptable alternatives or choices within the boundary.
Creating Predictability and Routine
Consistent routines provide a scaffold for developing emotional regulation and reduce stress about what comes next.
Key Areas for Routine
Morning routine:
- Same wake-up time
- Consistent sequence: toilet, wash, dress, breakfast
- Predictable departure process
After-school routine:
- Snack and downtime
- Homework time
- Free play
- Dinner at consistent time
Bedtime routine:
- Same time every night
- Consistent sequence: bath, pajamas, teeth, story, bed
- Calming activities, no screens
- Predictable closing: hugs, “I love you,” night light on
Why This Matters
Your child knows what to expect. This predictability reduces anxiety, supports emotional regulation, and allows them to focus mental energy on learning and growth rather than constant vigilance about what might happen next.
During stressful periods:
When you’re moving to a new house, keep bedtime and meal routines as consistent as possible. These familiar anchors provide security when everything else feels uncertain.
Teaching Foundational Emotional Skills
Beyond responding in the moment, actively teach skills that support lifelong mental health.
Building Emotional Vocabulary
Children benefit from developing increasingly sophisticated understanding of their emotional landscape.
Practical Ways to Build Emotional Awareness
Read books that depict emotions:
After reading a story: “How do you think the character felt when that happened? Why do you think they felt that way? Have you ever felt like that?”
Talk about emotions in everyday situations:
- “You seem disappointed that we can’t go to the park today”
- “I notice you look excited about your friend coming over”
- “You seem worried about something. Want to talk about it?”
Help children notice physical sensations:
- “Where do you feel that anger in your body?”
- “What does anxiety feel like for you? Does your stomach feel tight? Heart beat fast?”
- “How does your body feel different when you’re calm versus worried?”
Create feelings charts:
For younger children, create a simple chart with facial expressions showing different emotions. Throughout the day: “How are you feeling right now? Can you point to the face?”
Building a Coping Toolkit
Children can learn multiple strategies for managing difficult emotions and stressful situations.
Essential Coping Strategies With Examples
Deep breathing:
For young children: “Let’s smell the flower (breathe in), now blow out the candle (breathe out).” Or blow bubbles together the slow exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
For older children: Teach 4-7-8 breathing: Breathe in for 4, hold for 7, out for 8. Practice when calm so it’s available when stressed.
Physical activity:
“I notice you’re feeling really angry. Want to go shoot some baskets?” or “Let’s go for a quick walk around the block.”
Physical movement helps discharge stress hormones and regulate mood.
Creative expression:
“Sometimes drawing how we feel helps. Want to draw what angry looks like?” or “Would it help to write about what happened?”
Problem-solving:
“This situation is frustrating. Let’s think about what options you have. What are some different things you could try?”
Sensory strategies:
- Listening to calming music
- Taking a warm bath
- Cuddling a soft blanket or stuffed animal
- Going outside and noticing nature
- Using a fidget toy
Helping Children Find What Works
Different strategies work for different children. Your highly physical child might need movement to regulate; your creative child might prefer drawing. Experiment together to build their personal toolkit.
Teaching Problem-Solving and Flexibility
When your child faces a challenge:
❌ Don’t: Immediately solve it for them
✅ Do: “That’s a tough situation. What are some things you might try?”
The problem-solving process:
- Identify the problem: “So the challenge is that you and Emma both want to play different games at recess?”
- Brainstorm solutions: “What are different things you could try? Even silly ideas just brainstorm.”
- Evaluate options: “If you tried that, what might happen? How about the other idea?”
- Choose and act: “Which one do you want to try first?”
- Reflect on results: “How did that work? What would you try next time?”
Building flexibility:
When plans change unexpectedly: “I know you were really looking forward to the zoo today. It’s disappointing that it’s raining. That’s a normal feeling. What’s something else we could do that would be fun?”
This acknowledges disappointment while modeling adaptation and finding alternatives.
Mental Health Across Developmental Stages
Infancy and Toddlerhood (0-3 years)
Mental health in the earliest years centers on attachment security and foundations of emotional regulation.
What supports mental health:
- Responsive caregiving: attending to cues, providing comfort when distressed
- Warm, engaged interaction: eye contact, smiling, talking to your baby
- Consistent presence: reliability in meeting needs
- Patient co-regulation during toddler tantrums
Understanding toddler tantrums:
Tantrums represent normal emotional development intense feelings without capacity to regulate independently. They’re not manipulation or “bad behavior” but developmental necessity.
Your role during tantrums:
- Stay calm
- Ensure safety
- Offer comfort when they’re ready
- Don’t lecture or punish for the tantrum itself
- Help them recover and move on
Preschool and Early School Years (4-8 years)
What supports mental health:
- Developing emotional vocabulary: “You seem frustrated”
- Teaching social skills through coaching and role-play
- Providing unstructured play time with peers
- Maintaining consistent routines and clear expectations
- Responding to growing independence while remaining available
Common challenges:
- Separation anxiety
- Behavioral difficulties as self-control develops
- Early signs of anxiety or attention difficulties
- Learning to navigate peer relationships
What this might look like:
Your five-year-old struggles to separate at preschool drop-off. Every morning involves tears and clinging. This is developmentally common. Helpful responses: consistent goodbye routine, confidence in your departure, coordination with teachers, reassurance without excessive accommodation.
Middle Childhood (9-12 years)
What supports mental health:
- Fostering competence through mastery experiences: “You’ve gotten so much better at that with practice”
- Encouraging healthy peer relationships
- Maintaining reasonable expectations that allow for downtime
- Teaching explicit problem-solving and conflict resolution skills
- Monitoring for signs of anxiety, depression, or learning difficulties
What this might look like:
Your ten-year-old is struggling with a friend group excluding them. Your role: Help them problem-solve (“What are your options here?” to address any anxiety disorders they might be facing).”), provide perspective (“This is painful, but friendships change sometimes”), support without rescuing, and monitor that it resolves and doesn’t become bullying.
Adolescence (13-18 years)
What supports mental health:
- Respecting growing autonomy while maintaining appropriate boundaries
- Staying connected despite pulling away: “I’m here when you want to talk”
- Keeping communication open without being intrusive
- Monitoring for warning signs while trusting them to navigate appropriate challenges
Understanding normal vs. concerning:
Normal: Mood variability, some risk-taking, focus on peers, questioning values, sleeping late, needing privacy
Concerning: Persistent depression or hopelessness, severe anxiety, substance use, self-harm, extreme isolation, talk of suicide
What this might look like:
Your fifteen-year-old seems moody and withdrawn. Before panicking:
- Has this persisted for weeks or is it temporary?
- Can they still function (attending school, maintaining friendships)?
- Are they still engaging in activities they enjoy?
- Do they talk to you sometimes, or is there complete shutdown?
If it’s temporary moodiness with continued functioning, provide space and availability. If it’s persistent with functional impairment, time for professional consultation.
The Impact of Contemporary Childhood on Mental Health
Technology and Social Media
Digital technology pervades contemporary childhood, presenting both opportunities and risks to mental health.
What gets displaced by excessive screen time:
- Physical activity and outdoor play
- Face-to-face social interaction and conversation
- Unstructured creative play can significantly benefit children and young people’s social and emotional development.
- Adequate sleep
- Reading and imagination
- In-person family connection
The social media challenge for adolescents:
Social media exposes teenagers to constant social comparison, cyberbullying, unrealistic standards, and validation through likes and comments.
What this looks like:
Your fourteen-year-old posts a photo and obsessively checks how many likes it gets. Their mood plummets if the number seems low. They compare themselves to influencers with filtered, curated lives and feel inadequate. This is the reality of social media’s mental health impact.
Supporting Healthy Technology Use
Setting reasonable limits:
- “In our family, phones don’t come to the dinner table”
- “Devices get turned in to the charging station at 9:00 pm on school nights”
- “Saturdays are screen-free until after outdoor time”
Monitoring content and interactions:
For younger children: Know what games they play, what videos they watch, who they interact with.
For teens: Less monitoring of content, but awareness of who they’re communicating with, conversations about what they encounter, education about privacy and safety.
Building critical thinking:
“You know those Instagram photos are heavily filtered and edited, right? That’s not what real life looks like.”
“Companies design these apps to be addictive. They want you to keep scrolling. It’s not a failure in you; it’s their business model.”
Modeling healthy use:
If you’re constantly on your phone during family time, your limits for your child won’t be effective. Model the behavior you want to see.
Academic Pressure
Many children experience significant academic pressure from early ages competitive environments, high-stakes testing, college preparation starting in elementary school, parental anxiety about future success.
The mental health cost:
Chronic stress and anxiety, sleep deprivation, reduced play time, performance anxiety, fear of failure, loss of intrinsic motivation, burnout.
Maintaining Healthy Perspective
Value effort over outcomes:
After a test: “I’m proud of how hard you studied” not “I’m so proud of your A!”
The first teaches that effort matters. The second teaches that outcomes determine your pride in them.
Recognize developmental differences:
“Different people learn different things at different times. You might not get math quickly now, but that doesn’t mean you won’t later. Einstein didn’t speak until age 4.”
Ensure balance:
Look at your child’s weekly schedule. If every afternoon and weekend is packed with homework and activities, something needs to give. Children need downtime.
Communicate values clearly:
“I want you to try your best, but your grade doesn’t change how much I love you or how proud I am of you.”
“Your mental health is more important than any test score.”
“There are many paths to a meaningful, successful life. Grades are just one small part.”
Reduced Unstructured Time
Contemporary childhoods are often highly scheduled multiple structured activities, limited free time, adult-directed programming, pressure to specialize and excel.
Why unstructured time matters:
Unstructured play develops creativity, social skills, emotional regulation, problem-solving, and provides essential rest and recovery.
What this looks like:
Your child is “bored.” Your instinct is to solve it by signing them up for another class or suggesting a structured activity. Instead: “Being bored is okay. See what you come up with.”
Some of the most creative play emerges from boredom when children aren’t passively entertained but must generate their own ideas.
Protecting Unstructured Time
Practical approaches:
- Saturday mornings are for free play, not structured activities
- After school includes at least an hour of unstructured time before homework
- Summer includes significant stretches with nothing scheduled
- Resist filling every moment with adult-organized programming
Recognize that:
- Children don’t need constant enrichment to develop well
- Child-directed play is valuable development work
- Downtime is productive, not wasted
- Less structured activity can yield more learning
Recognizing When Professional Support Is Needed
While many childhood emotional difficulties respond to supportive parenting and environmental modifications, some situations warrant professional mental health evaluation and treatment.
Signs Professional Help May Be Needed
Duration and Persistence
Emotional or behavioral difficulties that persist beyond several weeks despite supportive interventions, don’t improve with typical parenting approaches, or seem to worsen over time.
Example:
Your child has been extremely anxious for three months. You’ve tried everything you can think of reassurance, maintaining routines, gradual exposure and the anxiety is getting worse, not better. Time to consult a professional.
Functional Impairment
Symptoms significantly interfere with functioning at home, school, or with peers.
Example:
Your child’s anxiety is so severe they cannot attend school. Or they’ve stopped participating in all activities they used to enjoy. Or they can no longer maintain any friendships. This level of impairment warrants evaluation.
Intensity of Distress
The child experiences intense distress that doesn’t respond to parental comfort, emotional pain seems overwhelming, or they cannot be soothed despite support.
Example:
Your child has panic attacks multiple times per week. During these attacks, they genuinely believe they’re dying or going crazy. Despite your calm presence and reassurance, the attacks continue and they’re terrified. This intensity warrants professional intervention.
Safety Concerns
The child expresses thoughts of self-harm or suicide, engages in self-harming behaviors, shows reckless disregard for safety, or talks about wanting to die or not exist.
Critical note: ANY talk of suicide should be taken seriously and warrants immediate professional consultation. Never dismiss it as “just attention-seeking.”
What to do:
- Ask directly: “Are you thinking about hurting yourself?”
- Don’t leave them alone if you’re concerned about immediate safety
- Remove means of self-harm (medications, weapons, etc.)
- Call a crisis line, go to the emergency room, or call 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline)
- Follow up with mental health professional immediately
Parental Overwhelm
Parents feel overwhelmed and uncertain how to help, usual parenting approaches aren’t working, family stress is becoming unmanageable, or you need professional guidance and support.
Remember: Recognizing you need help is wisdom, not failure.
Types of Professional Support
Assessment and evaluation:
A child psychologist or psychiatrist can provide comprehensive assessment of symptoms and functioning, diagnostic clarification when needed, and recommendations for treatment.
Evidence-based psychotherapy:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety or depression: Teaches skills for managing anxious thoughts and behaviors
- Family therapy when family dynamics are involved
- Play therapy for younger children who can’t yet talk about feelings
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for emotion regulation difficulties
- Trauma-focused approaches when trauma is involved
School-based interventions:
Special education evaluation if learning issues suspected, 504 plans or IEPs for support at school, school counseling services, social skills groups.
Medication:
In some cases, medication in combination with therapy may be recommended. This would be prescribed by a child psychiatrist or pediatrician with careful monitoring and family involvement.
Seeking Help Is Strength, Not Failure
Just as you would seek medical care for a physical health concern without hesitation, mental health difficulties deserve the same proactive response.
What seeking help demonstrates:
- You take your child’s wellbeing seriously
- You’re willing to get expert help when needed
- You’re modeling healthy help-seeking for your child
- You recognize when additional support would benefit your child
- You’re being the advocate your child needs
What it doesn’t mean:
- That you’ve failed as a parent
- That your child is “broken” or “damaged”
- That the situation is hopeless
- That you should have been able to handle it alone
Many mental health conditions are highly treatable, especially when addressed early. Getting help is one of the most loving things you can do for your child.
Supporting Parental Wellbeing
Children’s mental health is inextricably linked to parental mental health and wellbeing. Your emotional state directly impacts your child’s emotional environment.
Why Self-Care Is Essential, Not Selfish
The oxygen mask principle: You cannot pour from an empty cup. Taking care of yourself enables you to care for your child. Your mental health is foundational to your child’s mental health.
The reality of parenting:
Parenting is inherently demanding. Parents facing their own mental health challenges, overwhelming stress, or burnout have less capacity for the responsive, regulated caregiving that supports child mental health.
Essential Practices for Parental Wellbeing
Acknowledge Your Own Emotions
Your feelings matter too. Recognize your emotions without judgment. Allow yourself to experience difficult feelings. Parenting brings up intense emotions frustration, anger, resentment, inadequacy, fear. These are all normal.
What this looks like:
“I’m really frustrated right now” (said to yourself or a partner). Acknowledging the feeling instead of suppressing it or feeling guilty about having it.
Seek Support When Needed
- Reach out to friends, family, or community
- Join parenting groups or support networks
- Don’t isolate when struggling
- Ask for help it’s strength, not weakness
What this looks like:
Texting a friend: “Today was really hard. Can we talk?” or “I need to vent for a few minutes are you available?”
Access Mental Health Treatment
If you’re experiencing depression, anxiety, or other difficulties, seek professional help. Therapy can provide tools and support. Medication may be appropriate in some cases. Your mental health deserves professional attention.
What this looks like:
Making an appointment with a therapist for yourself, not just for your child. Taking your own mental health as seriously as you take your child’s.
Ask for Practical Help
- Share childcare responsibilities with a partner
- Accept offers of assistance from family or friends
- Hire help if financially possible (cleaning service, babysitter)
- Build your support network
- You don’t have to do everything alone
What this looks like:
When someone says “Let me know if you need anything,” actually taking them up on it: “Could you pick up my kids from school on Thursday?” can help ease your mental health needs. I have a doctor’s appointment.”
Practice Self-Compassion
- Be kind to yourself when you fall short
- Recognize that perfection is impossible
- Forgive yourself for mistakes
- Treat yourself as you would a good friend
What this looks like:
After losing your temper with your child, instead of the self-talk “I’m a terrible parent. I always mess up,” try: “That wasn’t my best moment. I’m human. I’ll repair with my child and try to do better next time.”
Maintain Relationships and Activities
- Protect time for friendships
- Engage in activities that sustain you
- Maintain identity beyond parenting
- Nurture your partnership if partnered
- Connection with others supports resilience
What this looks like:
- Monthly dinner with friends (without kids)
- Weekly exercise class or hobby time
- Date nights with partner
- Pursuing interests separate from your children
What Children Learn from Your Self-Care
When you model healthy self-care, children learn:
- It’s okay to have limits
- Asking for help is normal and healthy
- Taking care of yourself matters
- Mental health is important
- You don’t have to be perfect
- Adults have feelings and needs too
What this looks like:
“Mommy needs a few minutes alone right now to calm down. I’ll be in my room. I’ll come back when I’m feeling calmer.”
Your child sees: Adults have emotions, manage them responsibly, and take care of themselves. This is far more valuable than pretending you never struggle.
Conclusion
Child mental health and emotional wellbeing are foundational to every aspect of development and life quality. They emerge not from the absence of struggle but from children’s growing capacity to navigate the inevitable challenges of human experience supported by safe, stable, nurturing relationships.
There Is No Perfect Formula
Development unfolds through complex interactions between individual characteristics, relationships, environments, and experiences many of which lie outside direct parental control.
What you CAN control: Your response to every child’s social and emotional challenges.
- Your own presence and emotional availability
- Your attunement and responsiveness to your child
- The emotional climate you create in your home
- The skills you teach and model
- Your willingness to seek support when needed
- How you repair when you make mistakes
What you CANNOT control:
- Your child’s temperament
- Genetic predispositions
- Every experience they have outside your home
- Whether they ever struggle with mental health challenges
- How quickly they develop various skills
Reframing the Goal
The goal is NOT:
- To eliminate all distress from your child’s life
- To prevent every struggle or setback
- To raise a perfect child, it is important to understand their mental health needs and provide appropriate support.
- To be a perfect parent, one must be aware of the mental health problems that can affect children and adolescents.
The goal IS:
- To ensure your child feels understood and valued
- To provide tools for navigating their emotional world
- To create environments where they can develop securely
- To recognize when additional support might help
- To build resilience through supported challenges
The Power of Consistency
Small, consistent actions accumulate over time to create the foundation for lifelong mental health:
- Listening with full attention when your child shares their experience
- Validating feelings even when you can’t change the situation
- Maintaining predictable routines that provide security
- Modeling healthy coping through your own behavior
- Setting boundaries with empathy
- Allowing manageable struggles that build genuine competence
- Repairing ruptures when you make mistakes
- Showing unconditional positive regard for who they are
What Children Develop
From this foundation, children develop:
- Emotional awareness: Understanding their internal landscape
- Regulatory capacity: Managing feelings with increasing skill
- Relationship skills: Connecting meaningfully with others
- Resilience: Recovering from setbacks and adversity
- Confidence: Trust in their ability to navigate challenges
These capacities enable children to navigate life’s complexities with increasing confidence and competence the essence of good mental health across the lifespan.
Moving Forward
This guide is a starting point. From here:
- Explore specific topics in more depth as needed
- Seek professional support when challenges arise
- Continue learning alongside your child
- Trust your knowledge of your unique child
- Build on the foundation of love and commitment you already provide
Remember: You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be present, attuned, and willing to grow alongside your child. The relationship you build with all its imperfections and repairs is the foundation upon which your child’s emotional wellbeing will flourish.
You are enough. Your child is fortunate to have a parent who cares enough to seek this knowledge and apply it with love.
