We are surrounded by a changing culture when it comes to the way the world sees mental health—and if you’re finding it hard to know how to nurture those concepts at home, Priority Health mental health experts suggest dinner time might be the right moment to bring it up.
It doesn’t have to be dinnertime—just a part of the day when you are all together and can have a calm conversation.
And don't wait until you notice an issue— good mental health grows best in kids whose parents laid the groundwork at a young age.
Here’s their advice:
- Choose a time and place that is comfortable, private, and free of distractions.
- Be respectful, curious, and open-minded. Ask open-ended questions, such as "How are you feeling?" or "What are you going through?"
- Share your own feelings and experiences with mental health, if you feel comfortable.
- Encourage your child that it’s okay to seek professional help.
REMEMBER:
For young kids, it’s important to use simple language and talk about situations or things they can touch or see. Avoid abstract terms.
When they reach school age, kids can handle conversations that are more specific and factual, or use an example of something that happened during their day or to a family member.
Teens need reassurance of the love and support surrounding them, and acknowledgment of the complexity of mental health issues.
If you still need help with these conversations, Priority Health members can access their myStrength mental health wellness tool.
For immediate help for yourself or someone you love who may be in crisis, call or text 988. You can also start a chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Reach out.
You are not alone and neither are your kids.
