In this article, we’re going to focus on building positive mental health, rather than on mental illness, but we know the transition to being a parent is a time when there is greater risk of mental ill-health.
These ideas will be helpful for everyone, but if you’re concerned about your mental health reach out for support. You could speak to your doctor or read this article about PANDAS foundation and how they can help.
What is good mental health?
The World Health Organization defines mental health as[1] “... a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.”
This means mental health is not only about the absence of illness but also the presence of well-being, motivation and resilience.
Building positive mental health – the five ways to wellbeing
The five ways to wellbeing can help when you’re thinking about how to support your child’s wellbeing (and your own).[2,3]
For each of the ways to well-being, we’ve given an idea for your child, and one for you.
Connect
Spend time together – just doing things you enjoy.
Make time to see friends, family or colleagues.
Be active
Make sure your baby has time and space to wriggle and move, and your toddler or child has lots of space to walk, run, jump and climb.
Find a physical activity you enjoy, this doesn’t need to be a sport or going to the gym, it could be having a daily walk or bike ride.
Take notice
Slow down – let your toddler look at the ant on the wall, wait for a moment before joining in with their play to see what they’re doing.
Stop and notice what is happening around you, be aware of what you can see, smell and feel. Be aware of how you feel and what you’re thinking about. Find more ideas in this article about mindfulness.
Learn
The skills and activity screens will help you to get fresh ideas so your child can keep learning new things.
Find ways to keep learning yourself too. This doesn’t need to be a formal course, it could be as simple as reading a couple of articles for the ‘Discover more’ section of the app, or listening to a podcast about something you’re interested in.
Give
Get your child involved in household tasks and they will experience how great it feels to help someone.
This can be things like donating to charity or volunteering, but it is also simple acts of kindness.
Think about what you could do for someone else, this could be as simple as sending a message to a friend or getting in touch to say thank you to someone.
Don’t forget to accept help from other people. We know helping feels good so don’t think you need to manage alone – read more about that in this article.
References:
[1] World Health Organization (2022, June 17). Mental Health. Mental health (who.int)
[2] NHS (no date). 5 steps to mental wellbeing. 5 steps to mental wellbeing - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
[3] Aked, J. & Thompson, S. (2011). Five ways to wellbeing. New Economics Foundation. d80eba95560c09605d_uzm6b1n6a.pdf (neweconomics.org)