Mental Health and Wellbeing

We ALL want to feel well, both mentally and physically. But what feeling well means varies for each of us.  We all need different things in our lives to feel at our best.  

As author Milly Evans says, "When you break a limb, it's often fairly clear from an X-Ray how bad the break is.  But when you're feeling low, anxious or experiencing a flare-up of your mental health condition, it's harder to express or measure how bad it is" 

What is 'good' mental health?

 Good mental health doesn't mean that we feel perfectly happy all of the time or that we never have bad times. It just means that we may be able to cope better with those down times and perhaps understand where they might be coming from. 

Someone who has good mental health will likely be able to:

• Feel, express and manage a range of emotions
• Carry out everyday tasks
• Participate in enjoyable activities
• Create and maintain good mutually beneficial relationships with others

 So what might be poor Mental Health?

• Changes over time; weeks as opposed to days where you may feel overwhelmed with daily life and it is noticeable that the way you think, feel and act is changing - not in a good way!
• Withdrawing from the world and not wanting to participate in things you once enjoyed
• Eating more or less than you would do usually
• Sleeping more or less than you would do usually 
• Feeling irritable, picking fights, tearful or worthless.

If you feel any of the above, please do what you would tell your best friend to do- Speak Up.  In the coming days, this webpage will be updated with more information on where to go to talk to someone to find advice and guidance.  

What would you tell your best friend to do again?  "Speak Up" so please practice what you might preach 

Children's Mental Health Week - Mondy 5th February - Friday 9th February 2024

Between Monday 6th February and Friday 10th February, Holy Family will shine the spotlight on the importance on Children's mental health. Please check back soon to find out more information about what activities the children have taken part in. 

How can I help and support my child's mental health?

1. Take your child seriously. If they don't feel listened to about the small things now, they may not come to you with the big things later

2. Ask open questions like, "How did your day go today?" rather than, closed questions like, "Was it a bad day or a good day?"

3. Come down to the child's level, kneeling if you have a little one.  Open and relaxed body language and a smile to make everything feel as relaxed as possible.

4. If you don't have time to talk at the time when your child is asking for you, leave them a little post it note giving them a time when you will be able to and try your very best to keep to that time.  They will be pleased that you have them In Mind and have not forgotten them. 

5. If your child displays big, dramatic emotions, try to be the opposite.  It is too easy for grown ups to copy or mimic what the child is doing but we should avoid being too surprised or shocked because they need us to be the safe people and be in control.

6. Make conversations about our feelings (i.e Mental Health) a normal and everyday part of life.  It's often so much easier to have a difficult chat in the car, out on a walk or cooking together because you're both busy with other things and are not looking at eachother directly in the eyes!

7. Give your FULL attention (be fully present) because we all know how horrid it is to feel half listened to.  Keep eye contact, focus on the child and ignore distractions as best you can.

8. Offer empathy rather than solutions.  When you are angry, worried or sad, we bet that you don't want answers or someone telling you what they would do in your shoes!  Listening sometimes means everything.

9. Remember that every child is different and whereas a Year 6 girl will tell you everything and MORE, a year 6 boy may prefer to shrug and then send you a text message or an email.  There are no right or wrong answers; the only right way is to show your child that you care, are there to listen and are happy to be patient for when they feel they may be able to share. 

 What help and support is available?

 There are a wide variety of support networks available that can offer support to children, parents and families