How to Support Children’s Mental Health: Simple Things Parents Can Do Every Day

As parents, we spend so much time thinking about our children’s physical health - vitamins, sleep, packed lunches - but their emotional world deserves just as much attention. Supporting children’s mental health isn’t about waiting for something to go wrong. It’s about building strong foundations early, so they grow up feeling safe, understood and capable of handling life’s ups and downs. So what can we do?

Model good habits. 

Let your children see you doing things for you like meeting a friend, going for a walk or resting when you’re tired. Proper self-care isn’t just basic hygiene - it’s showing them that your wellbeing matters too.

Share your feelings in age-appropriate ways.

Let them hear you say, “I felt frustrated earlier, so I went for a walk to calm down.” This might also mean modelling forgiveness, showing healthy boundaries or being mindful with screen time. When they see it lived out, it becomes normal. 

When they speak - really listen.

To us, it might seem small. To them, it’s enormous. If we brush off their worries about a playground disagreement or a broken toy, they quietly learn that their feelings aren’t important.

When we listen carefully now, we build the kind of trust that makes it easier for them to come to us later with bigger things.

Talk openly about mental health from a young age.

When we speak about feelings as something natural - something everyone experiences - we remove shame before it ever has a chance to settle in. We can name emotions in everyday life: excitement, jealousy, worry, pride. We can say, “Sometimes our minds feel a bit tangled and that’s okay.” This open communication means it becomes much less daunting for them to talk when they’re older.

Reassurance is powerful.

Children need to hear that their feelings aren’t something to be embarrassed about. Remind them that emotions come and go - that no feeling lasts forever. When they’re overwhelmed, they need to know you’re steady and there beside them. “We’ll figure this out together” can be one of the most comforting phrases a child hears.

Observe them.

Young children often don’t have the words to say, “I’m struggling.” So we learn their normal rhythms - how they play, how they sleep, how they interact. That way, if something shifts, we notice. It’s not about watching anxiously; it’s about knowing them deeply enough to spot change with care rather than panic.

Teach coping strategies early.

Practise simple breathing together. Get outside. Move your bodies. Rest properly. Talk about how exercise can shift a mood. Make these habits so familiar that they feel second nature. When coping strategies are introduced in calm moments, they’re much easier to use in difficult ones.

Play.

When we play with our children - really play - we enter their world. It’s where they process feelings, test ideas and build confidence. Play is connection and connection is protective.

Honesty matters, but so does balance.

We can be truthful without overwhelming them with adult worries. Children need security more than detail, so if something difficult is happening, we can explain it simply whilst reassuring them that they are safe and cared for.

Try to be consistent.

Following through on what we say builds trust. Predictable boundaries help children feel secure. They may push against them (that’s normal!), but knowing where the edges are makes the world feel steadier.

Believe them.

If they tell you something happened, if they say they feel scared, if they describe a worry - take it seriously. Teach them about safety in calm, age-appropriate ways. Help them understand that their body and feelings are important and that they can always come to you.

And finally...

As with anything parenthood-wise, it's always much easier said than done. None of us do this perfectly every single day. We all have days when we’re tired, distracted or stretched thin. It's also okay to be learning alongside your child.

If you’re looking for ways to gently introduce conversations about feelings, spaces like The Children’s Hub can be incredibly helpful. It’s a supportive environment designed especially for children to learn about their own emotional wellbeing in an accessible, empowering way. Sometimes children find it easier to explore feelings when the language and tools are created just for them.

Hi, I’m Emma, Early Childhood Expert and founder of Everyday. My goal is simple: help parents understand their children better so every stage feels a little easier.

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