Right Path Counseling has a team of therapists that work with children of all ages, helping them adjust to school, overcome trauma, manage ADHD symptoms, and more. Since many children on Long Island are headed back to school right now, it’s a time when many people are thinking about what their children need and how to help make this year better than ever.
Still, back to school season is not only about the kids. It’s also about the parents. We often find that it’s the parents that need to start prioritizing their mental health to offer children the best opportunity to thrive.
Stresses During Back to School Season
It starts with what back to school season represents for parents. It represents the end of freedom. It means that not only do you need to stress about driving your child to and from school, you also need to stress about after school activities, homework, and all the struggles your child may have with their own peers and education.
All of this while you, also, have your own mental health needs.
Summer often represents a break from that, because you have a less rigid schedule and more time to enjoy yourself. You may even get a few vacations and other opportunities to work on your overall wellness.
But now the busy season starts anew, and now you’re swamped again with little to no time to take care of your mental health all while your child is dealing with their stresses (and, of course, when your child has their own challenges, those challenges are yours as well).
This is a more stressful time. If you are already struggling with your own anxiety, depression, work stress, and more, this time period can often make it worse.
Benefits of Parent-focused Mental Health on Kids
Still, your focus right now is on your kids, and many people call us because their children are showing signs of school refusal, or their kids are anxious, or they’re struggling socially, or they have some other mental health challenges.
It’s perfectly reasonable – and good – to call a child therapist for these issues. You should.
But it’s also important to remember that your children spend an hour or two with a therapist, and the remaining 100+ hours with you.
If you really want to help your children thrive, you’re putting them in a better position to do this when YOU get the mental health support you need:
- You’re less likely to yell and more likely to be caring and provide guidance when you are in your best mental health space.
- You will have more energy to spend time with them and create memories when you have addressed the stress and burnout that is draining you.
- You are going to be better at helping your child get what they need when you know more about ADHD, social anxiety, and other mental health services.
- You have the potential to showcase behaviors that you’d like your child to emulate when you and your marriage are at their healthiest.
Our children pick up a lot of their habits from us. They notice our fears, our reactions to things, our anger and our happiness, and more.
When you’re in your best mental health, you become a better parent and better at modeling how you’d love your child to feel. When you lead a life of psychological wellness, your child is more likely to respond similarly and become more resilient at taking on their own stresses.
Again, if your child needs mental health support, a therapist is a great choice. Yet, one of the best things you can do for your child is to also make sure that you are also in the best mental health you can be.
Reach Out to Right Path Counseling, Today
Right Path Counseling offers support for anyone – parents, children, couples, and families. We believe that everyone should have access to mental health support they can trust. If you would like to talk more about the mental health options for yourself or a loved one, please reach out to us today.
