Context
The onset of the pandemic shed light and helped everyone be more inclusive of various mental health issues. But, shockingly, adults aren’t the only ones prone to the ever increasing and severe cases of anxiety disorders and other mental health problems. Detailed research reveals that children(yes, we’re talking about middle-schoolers and high-schoolers) are just as likely to encounter these issues, with educational-pressure, peer-to-peer comparisons and expectations building up at an early age. Here, we attempt to compile various techniques and resources that might be helpful when things start to become overwhelming
Responsibilities of Educational Institutions
Children spend more time in school than in any other formal institutional structure. As such, schools play a key part in children’s development, from peer relationships and social interactions to academic attainment and cognitive progress, emotional control and behavioural expectations, and physical and moral development. All these areas are reciprocally affected by mental health. The most common difficulties in school-age children are disruptive behaviour and anxiety disorders, whereas generalised anxiety, conduct disorder, and depression are more common in secondary school students. Mental health services embedded within school systems can create a continuum of integrative care that improves both mental health and educational attainment for children. To strengthen this continuum, and for optimum child development, a reconfiguration of education and mental health systems to aid implementation of evidence-based practice might be needed. Nonetheless, early screening and properly dealing with such disruptive behaviour(rather than unnecessarily punishing it) will surely lead to a healthier development of individuals. Though schools have been trying to incorporate these new methods, this provision is still newer and only limited to the academic effect of mental health difficulties.
Role of Parents
The good mental health of children begins with the parents but many times parents neglect or take lightly the behaviour changes of their children so the first step would be to validate their emotions and have honest conversations with them, encouraging them to express what they are feeling and convey their thoughts. The “good mental health” of a child is a very elusive concept because kids are always changing. Appropriate behaviour at one stage of development may be a sign of a mental disorder at another. Acceptance of situations or circumstances is a key step in emotional development in early childhood. The faster we accept an issue, the faster we can find a solution to it. Through small examples in daily life, teach children to make the most of undesirable situations by approaching them with positivity. It is also important to accept people so teach children that every mind is entitled to an individual opinion, which should be respected.
Parents can help equip them with the necessary coping mechanisms by inculcating short sessions of yoga and meditation in their everyday routine.
Parents should create a safety net for their children and ensure they can fall back on parents at any time. This helps in building stronger and stronger bonds between children and parents while giving them a sense of security.
Some external resources to turn to…
Some experts estimate that only 21% of children with a mental health issue actually get the treatment they need so turn to school counsellors or professionals (instead of avoiding disruptive behaviours). Therapists are trained to help with all kinds of problems. For example, they help kids and teens going through tough times like : family problems ,school problems, bullying, health problems. They help with feelings like : sadness, anger, stress and worry, low self-esteem, grief. They help kids and teens with conditions like: ADHD, depression, OCD and anxiety, eating disorders, self-injury, disruptive behaviour disorders, trauma-related disorders .You are the expert on your child. If they are acting in a way that seems strange or worrisome to you, talk to a healthcare provider. It is the most supportive and courageous thing you can do to get your child help when they need it, so don’t let fear or embarrassment keep you from reaching out.
NSS IIT Bombay 