Parents and families with school-aged children continue to face trying circumstances due to the pandemic. Where in-person schooling is not available, parents and guardians can struggle with their child’s restricted environment and may feel unequipped to support their learning and social development. In other places where the choice to attend in-person school is available, families must decide whether opting for remote learning is worth risking their children’s social-emotional development.

Family therapist and professor of educational psychology Erika Bockneck says that neither schooling option seals your child’s fate as emotionally healthy or desolate, but rather, children’s mental health relies on high-quality relationships within the family.

Regardless of what your children’s schooling situation is, there are four key components Bockneck suggests families implement to support their child’s mental health.

Connecting mind and body: Physical activity, healthy eating habits, and a regular sleep schedule are essential to mental health. How you can support your child in this time of uncertainty is by sticking to a clear bedroom routine and consistent sleep schedule. Research shows that poor sleeping patterns are a central issue in mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

Developing identity: Going to school helps children develop a sense of identity by exposing them to students with similar and different backgrounds and opinions. This makes them confront social rules and create peer relationships which then influence their sense of self and self-esteem.

However, the parent-child attachment is the most important source of self-esteem and a positive sense of self when it comes to children’s social and emotional well-being. Parents should encourage conversation with their children by being inquisitive about their child’s opinions and interests. Maintaining family rituals and investing in regular family bonding helps children gain a strong sense of self which promotes better mental health.

Regulating emotions: Building practices that allow children to understand their emotions and make choices about how they deal with these feelings are essential for developing good mental health.

When children are dealing with unfamiliar emotions, they tend to act out in unexpected ways that may include sleeplessness or aggression. Outlets of creative expressions, such as art and music, should be encouraged as they can support positive emotional development for both you and your child.

Recognizing interdependence: Understanding that they belong to a greater community is a big contributing factor to children’s mental health. Unfortunately, physical distancing measures can disrupt this sense of community, so it is important for parents to create opportunities for children to consider the feelings of others and practice giving and receiving emotional support. 

It is also of the utmost importance to attend to your own mental health as a parent or guardian. Remember to check in with yourself as often as you check in with your children and know that with these four tools in your pocket, you are equipped to help your child build a strong sense of self and resilient mental health.