What is a Mental Health Day for Kids?
Our emotions and thoughts are a big part of how we experience the world. We are, after all, the narrators of the “movie” of our lives.
For kids and teens, this can feel especially true. They’re learning how to be an individual, separate from their parents or friends. They’re navigating social pressures, wondering what other kids are thinking about them. No one can hear the inner dialogue of their thoughts and feelings. Thus, it can feel lonely at times, like no one understands what they’re going through.
Gen Z, however, may be the first generation to make big changes in how we talk about mental health. Instead of bottling up emotions or turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms, today’s young people are openly sharing their mental health experiences. This behavior not only helps to reduce stigma but raises awareness for how much our thoughts and feelings matter.
That’s more important than ever. According to the CDC, 2 out of 5 high school students felt sad or hopeless in the last year.1 As our country faces a youth mental health crisis, it’s essential for kids and teens to develop skills that support healthy emotional and mental well-being.
At Boys & Girls Clubs, kids learn how to recognize and manage their emotions, build healthy self-esteem and know when to ask for help. In fact, 90% of Club youth know what emotions they’re feeling and understand how their feelings influence their actions. Boys & Girls Clubs also provide positive, nonjudgmental spaces for youth to talk about what is going on in their lives, including group settings with their peers and with trusted adults.
We strongly believe every day is a day to care for mental health. But what about designated “mental health days” such as an adult might take – should kids and teens take them, too?
“All people could use and deserve mental health days,” says Essence Vinson, LMSW, Director of Trauma-informed Practice at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “Mental health days are even more important for young people, because they teach them self-awareness and how to develop self-care practices at an early age. Teens especially benefit from mental health days, because it allows them to identify when they need time away from academic pressures, social pressures and/or extracurricular rigor.”
What is a Mental Health Day?
The term “mental health day” is one many adults are familiar with as mental health becomes a growing part of national conversations. For adults experiencing burnout, a mental health day is a day taken off from work to rest and reboot. Unlike a sick day where you’re physically ill, a mental health day provides a single-day reprieve before or during a stressful time.
While there’s no formal definition of what a mental health day includes, they typically involve easing up on pressures and duties; keeping things simple; and engaging in activities that recharge mental and emotional batteries.
For some, a mental health day might involve spending an entire day in pajamas with one plan in mind: do nothing. Others may exercise, spend time with friends or invest in a hobby, making time for things they don’t always prioritize.
“For many parents, allowing children mental health days is a privilege,” says Vinson. “Not all parents have the ability to take time off from work when their child needs a break from school and other activities, especially since most employers do not provide paid time off for mental health days. For parents in these situations, some alternatives to mental health days can look like allowing the child to have a homework-free evening, extended bedtime or chore-free weekend.”
Signs Kids Need a Mental Health Day
Just like adults, kids and teens can feel stressed and burnt out, too. Fortunately, there are many ways for families to support their child’s mental health, with youth mental health days being just one tool parents and caregivers can use to help kids reduce stress and recharge.
“Signs you need a mental health day will vary with each child, but what’s most important is recognizing when a young person’s mood has shifted,” says Vinson. “For example, if your child usually loves going to school and is suddenly having more difficulty getting out of bed or acting more sluggish in the morning, this might indicate that it’s time for a reset.”
If a teen’s schedule has been nonstop lately between school, sports and stressful tasks, a mental health day can provide a much-needed moment of acknowledgement and calm. “Some young people may even verbally express that they are overwhelmed or in need of a break. When they do, take these remarks seriously and begin taking steps to coordinate a mental health day.”
It’s important to remember the ideal timing of a mental health day is before you’re so stressed you’re desperate for one. After all, it takes a lot longer to fully recharge a dead battery than to bring a half-charged battery back to full power.
Mental health days can be part of ongoing efforts to improve mental and emotional well-being. If a young person is experiencing severe health problems such as depression and anxiety, consider discussing these changes with a doctor or mental health professional.
How to Take a Mental Health Day for Kids
Not only do mental health days provide an opportunity to recharge, they create positive memories and connections. Here are three tips for planning a mental health day for kids and teens:
1. Identify how time will be spent.
Help clear a young person’s schedule by removing all the day-to-day stuff that causes them stress. Some ideas for a mental health day for kids and teens include:
- One-on-one time with a loved one they might usually share with a sibling(s) or don’t see often.
- Having a “no plans” day where your child gets to suggest what to do next.
- Going for a hike or walk around the neighborhood.
- A pajama, movie marathon and napping day at home.
- Visiting their favorite place such as a museum, comic bookstore, movie theater, restaurant or other location.
- Pampering and self-care, including pedicures, haircuts, etc.
- Providing time and space for them to enjoy a hobby, such as arts and crafts, music, sports, etc.
- Taking time to do things they normally wouldn’t do on a typical day, such as stopping by an ice cream parlor.
Parents of younger children will likely have to be more hands-on in planning activities that differ from the child’s usual routine. For early-age kids, Vinson recommends fresh air, movement and imagination. “This could mean playing child-led games in the backyard, visiting a playground or having a dance party at home,” she says. “Anything that will allow the child to move their bodies since days at school typically require them to practice a lot of self-control.”
2. Make sure a mental health day is kid-first.
A mental health day should be a welcome break for your child from their normal routine without any parenting strings attached. “Avoid requiring something in return for being allowed a mental health day, such as ‘You can have a mental health day only if you clean your room,’” Vinson recommends.
For older kids, autonomy is key. “Teens or tweens, who typically require less supervision, should be given plenty of choice in how their mental health day looks, within reason,” says Vinson. “They may choose to spend the day with you or by themselves.”
We asked Boys & Girls Club kids how they’d spend a mental health day. Here’s what they said:
- “I wouldn’t try to get away from people. I know some people drown in their sadness and I think that would make it worse. I would do things that make me laugh like spend time with friends and play games.” – Santiago Q., Age 13, Boys & Girls Club of Otero County, New Mexico
- “I would spend a mental health day relaxing at a spa. Then I would go home and sleep.” – Hope T., age 14, Boys & Girls Club of the Hatchie River Region, Tennessee
3. Model good mental health yourself.
Talk with your child about mental health and why it’s important to take breaks from our routine to relax, reconnect and recharge. If you take mental health days, share how you spend them and how they make you feel. Make mental health and positive connection a priority every day by doing emotional check-ins with your child.
Every day is a mental health day, because every one of us has mental health. It’s important for kids and teens to know they’re not alone in feeling their emotions. Together, we can normalize talking about mental health and help young people navigate their emotions in healthy, lasting ways.
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Boys & Girls Clubs of America provides youth mentorship, mental health services and meaningful life experiences that boost youth self-esteem, build confidence and contribute to healthy mental, emotional and physical well-being. Join us on our mission of helping all young people reach their full potential:
Sources
1 Mental Health | DASH | CDC
