Do you talk to your children about emotional wellbeing? Share with the GDST for a chance to win a £300 John Lewis voucher

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There’s been a huge change over the years in how we speak out mental health, and it’s becoming more and more apparent that we need to be educating our children about their emotional wellbeing as well. The Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), a family of 25 schools across the UK, would like to hear your views on how we can help children to be happy and feel good in the world.

What do you think affects your children's mental health and how do you talk to them about it? Do you think exam pressure or even entrance exams cause your children stress? Does social media affect your children? Do they talk to you about their emotions or do you approach the topic of mental health if you see them struggling? Do you think mental health and wellbeing should be discussed and taught in schools?

Please share how you talk to your children about their emotional wellbeing and you will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 voucher of your choice (from a list).

Thanks

MNHQ

Terms and conditions apply

Oh my goodness, yes, all the time. Mental well being is just as important as physical and we have made sure our children have been aware of that throughout their childhoods. With close family members who have ongoing struggles it is vital that children grow up understanding how to ask for help should they need it and also that they know mental health isn't embarrassing and should be talked about.

on the way too school i make sure their are fine and talk about any issues their have that their arent happy with

I think mental health is talked about quite a lot now in schools especially senior schools, I talk about it openly with my children and hope they feel they can talk to me the same way

Always

We do discuss why he is feeling the way he is , but he doesn't understand and can't articulate why he is crying or angry , then he 2 minutes later will be happy again for no reason. (Austism)

Always keeping a level head and never being too busy to listen when they want to talk. Offering perspectives and discussing choices and possible consequences. Never Judging.

My children are grown up now and we do talk about it, bu twhen they were younger, I don't think they would have always opened up.

Yes. We label emotions, we try to talk about things. I have books to explain big emotions and kindness

I always get him to discuss whats happening around the world, good or bad. To see his opinions on things.

We talk about feelings and how a range of emotions is normal. We talk about health being important and school and exams are only one part of life.

I don’t say it in those words exact,y but I make sure they know they can talk to me about anything

make sure they know that your there when they need you

I make sure they know I won't judge them for whatever they're feeling and that no feeling is ever wrong. I model talking about my own feelings (in an appropriate way) in front of them. I've discussed OCD with them because it was the subject of a book we read (The Goldfish Boy).

Building a strong and trusting relationship is key

Be open, its ok to have a bad day, and admit to it, Lead by example so tell them when you feel down for no reason, but show them how to cope with it, and show that all emotions are normal if you have them all in equal amounts

Yes, we always talk very openly about this issue. Exams and social media pressure seem to be the main cause of stress.

Talking about emotional well being starts when they're tiny, getting them to talk about what makes them happy, sad, how they think other people might be feeling etc. I'm honest with them about my own struggles and they know they can come to me about anything.

my daughter and i have always had a very close relationship and i feel like she can talk to me about anything. I always make sure i am not judgmental with things she talks to me about and try not to interrupt her. I listen as much as i can and give my advice if she needs it. xx

I talk to my daughter every night about her day.. ask her to tell me the good things and any worries she has. It's important to have that time with them I think..keeps that lifelong trusting relationship.

I think the responsibility for teaching children about mental health lies with the parents, not schools. Helping parents to do that job would be a useful way of working if schools wanted to do something.

We don't discuss "mental health" or "emotional wellbeing" as such, but we read lots and lots, so my children are exposed to a huge range of experiences and different ways of looking at the world, and we discuss those, of course. We've always talked openly about how we feel, and helped them understand they feel. One of my children has no problem at all expressing emotion, but the other doesn't like talking about it.

For us, optimising nutrition, reducing environmental toxins and using homeopathy for previous toxic exposures have had a far bigger effect on mental health and emotional wellbeing than anything else has.

My boys are still young but I've always encouraged them to tell me about their day at school and to talk about anything that happens, good or bad. I'm hoping they will carry on as they get older but time will tell as they get into their teenage years.

Yes, definitely. We want her to be able to come to talk to us anytime, about anything. I'd hate the thought of her struggling with something alone.

We practice mindfulness using an app on my phone. I do it separately with each child. It has been incredibly helpful for my ASD son and helped my other son with his SAD. So much so that my 9yo ASD son has been asked by the school to come up with his own mindfulness exercise to help children and staff at the school once lunchtime a week.

Yes we regularly talk about feelings, bringing it into our everyday conversations. Talking about what they have done at school and not only how they felt about certain things but how their friends felt too nd I would hope that by doing this as they get older they will be open and also more aware of other people and how they feel.
Also knowing there is no right or wrong way to feel as they are unique.
This should definitely be taught in schools as too many kids keep quiet and this needs to change.

yes we talk about our feelings