Mental Health Awareness Week: Key Stages
Looking after your mental health. Key Stages. Childhood: Potential difficult experiences for a child include: Going to a new school, starting school for the very first time. Establishing new friendships. Moving away from familiar routines. Being bullied. Death of a family member or pet. Divorcing parents. Arguing parents/ abusive parents. Too much time spent in a virtual world online so that the real world can start to feel non-negotiable. Undeveloped relationship skills. Of course, none of these events necessarily produce a depressive episode. And it should be noted that some adversity in a child's life can strengthen mental resilience. It is important to support your child, look out for changes in behaviour or mood however subtle. Help your child to have fun, relax, eat a healthy diet, exercise, read books, be creative. Teach your child how to explain events to themselves in ways that are not depressing. Offer unconditional love and support.