Kids Mental Health: How to Support Your Child’s Emotional Well-Being

This episode dives into the early warning signs of kids’ mental health struggles, how parents and communities can help, and why open conversations matter. Danielle and Mike use practical examples and expert-backed stats to guide listeners through recognizing and supporting children’s emotional well-being.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hey there, fam, and welcome to RaisingHappy Kids - the podcast where

(00:40):
we try to figure out how to, you know,
not screw this whole parenting thing up.
I'm Mike Donnelly.
And I'm Danielle Brooks.
Parenting is, like, the wildest,
most rewarding-also most exhausting-jobout there.
And today, we're tackling a superimportant piece of the puzzle: ...
mental health for our kids....
talking about emotional well-being,
navigating their, uh, mini humanrollercoaster lives-And all of that

(01:04):
is why understanding their mental health,
you know, really leaning in, recognizing,
and supporting them-it's critical tohelping them thrive.
I mean, emotionally, socially,
and even academically,it all ties together.
And please we're not talking
about perfection here because,let's face it,
I-I still don't know half the time whatI'm doing.

We're here to break it all down (01:23):
what's really happening with kids these
days,how to spot when they might be struggling,
and of course, what you can do to help.
Yeah,
and it all starts with awareness.
So, whether you're a parent, a teacher,
or someone who just cares about the kidsin your life,
this conversation is for you.
When it comes to recognizing the earlysigns,

here's a reality check (01:43):
Did you know the World Health Organization-it's
a big deal for these kinds of stats-saysone in seven kids between 10
and 19 has some kind of mental healthissue?
I mean, That's huge.
That's way more than I would've guessed.
It's like, in my kids' school,
you're telling me every classroom has,
what, a couple kids quietly struggling?
Believe it Mike!

(02:04):
Anxiety and depression are the two bigones they're seeing.
But here's the tricky part-the signsaren't always obvious,
you know?
A lot of times,they show up in the little changes,
like mood swings or being super irritable.
And kids, well, they don't always tellyou straight up how they're feeling.
I
know!
Kids are basically masters at the whole"I'm fine" routine.
My youngest-get this-he once didn't talkabout losing a soccer game for

(02:29):
weeks but was randomly snapping ateveryone...
Turns out, he was just embarrassed anddidn't feel like he could say
that out loud.
Emotional changes like that,
whether it's sadness, anger, or just thatfeeling of a kid kinda pulling
back from everything...
that's often a sign parents need to leanin instead of,
you know, brushing it off.
You know!
Behavior shifts catch me off guard too.

(02:51):
Like, my middle kid, Jamie-super outgoing.
But after this one awful science projectgroup-oh man,
that got ugly fast-they started skippingstudy groups entirely.
It was like they just didn't wanna dealwith it anymore.
That's when I I knew something was up.
And that's such a great point,
Mike.
When kids suddenly stop doing what theylove-whether it's skipping activities,

(03:15):
avoiding friends, or zoning out duringschool-that's a red flag.
Even stuff like unexplained stomachachesor headaches can pop up because
their emotions are, uh,spilling into their physical health.
I mean,
teenagers are already practicallynocturnal,
but when my oldest started waking up atthree a.
m.
to binge 90's sitcoms after his firstbreakup?
Yeah, we had to step in there.
Understand ...

(03:38):
sleep or eating changes like that-they'rebig indicators.
I think one of the ones that hits hardfor parents is school performance.
Like, when grades tank or kids just kindalose focus,
that's when the guilt kicks in,
you know?
For sure.
It's like, you start wondering,
"Am I doing something wrong?" Buthonestly,
recognizing those early signs is whatit's all about.

(03:58):
Even small shifts can be a big deal.
So, the key here is?
Pay attention, don't shrug it off,
and just, uh, keep checking in with 'em.
You know,
after all this about spotting the earlysigns,
I keep thinking about how crucial it isto not just notice them,
but actually act on them.
So, let's talk about the realchallenge-how we,

(04:19):
as parents, can step in and really helpour kids thrive when they're
struggling.
Mike I think It's all about beingproactive.
One of the biggest things?
Open communication.
I mean, it sounds so simple,but just having those conversations where
kids feel safe to talk about theirfeelings can make a world of difference.
Um...
Can we talk about how hard it is to get ateenager to open up?

(04:40):
Like, you ask 'em, "How was your day?"and the response is just-what?
"Fine."My favorite,"I don't know." Honestly,..
it's about asking the right kind ofquestions.
Like, instead of "How was your day?" try,
"What's been on your mind lately?" or"Anything cool happen today?" You
know, open-ended stuff that gets themthinking a little more.

(05:01):
Creating that safe space goeshand-in-hand with routines.
Kids thrive on predictability-it givesthem a sense of stability.
Stuff like family dinners or bedtimerituals-it can be really grounding
for them.
Honestly.
But on a good night,even if it's pizza and chaos,
we always do this little "highs and lows"game.
Like,best moment of the day and worst moment.

(05:22):
It's small, but it gets us talking.
I love that!
It's those little moments that add up.
And for me, journaling was a big thingwith my daughter.
A couple years ago,she was having a tough time,
and I'd leave her these blank journals.
No pressure, but I'd tell her,
"Write whatever you feel.
No rules." It really helped her workthrough some heavy emotions.
That's

(05:43):
awesome.
And I mean-yeah,logging your thoughts sounds healthy.
Though, if I write mine down,do I have to go back and read 'em?
'Cause it's probably just grocery listsand random dad jokes.
Well,
maybe skip the dad jokes in this case.
But speaking of healthy coping,
mindfulness is another tool I swear by.
Simple stuff, like breathing exercises oreven a few minutes of quiet

(06:04):
time, can really help kids manage stress.
Even the hyper-energetic ones-you justhave to find what clicks for them.
Yeah,
'cause telling a hyperactivenine-year-old to "find their zen" probably
won't go well.
But, like, if we make it a game?
Maybe "who can stay quiet the longest"could be a winner.
Exactly,
make it fun!

(06:25):
And here's the thing-kids often learn bywatching us.
If they see us managing stress in ahealthy way-like taking deep breaths
or going for a walk-they're gonna pick upon that.
The old "lead by example" thing,
you know?
Totally.
Though, full disclosure, my stressmanagement sometimes involves Oreos
and sports highlights.
But I guess showing 'em that it's okay totalk about stress-and not just

(06:46):
bottle it up-that's huge.
It's not just on parents,
either.
Schools and communities play a big rolein this.
I mean, counseling services,mindfulness programs,
even just having teachers who kinda "getit"-that stuff can be a game-changer.
Quick
shoutout to our favorite teachers,
right?
Like, I had this one in middle school-Mr.
Lawson.
He just always knew when we were off andhad this way of making us talk

(07:10):
about it without feeling awkward.
We need more of that.
Absolutely.
And as parents, working withschools-staying in the loop with teachers,
advocating for mental healthresources-it's key.
These partnerships create such a solidsupport system for kids.
You know,
we've been talking about building supportsystems with schools and communities,
but there are times when those systemsneed an extra layer.

(07:32):
Sometimes, it's about recognizing whenprofessional help is the right
next step for our kids.
And making that call-it's such animportant part of the process.
Listen
...
when things are just too heavy,
right?
If your kid's feeling, you know,
super anxious all the time or they'repulling away from life altogether-it's,
uh, not something you wanna wait out.
And the big red flags-talk of self-harm,

(07:56):
extreme withdrawal,or those moments where,
honestly,they just don't seem like themselves.
That's when it's time to reach out,
whether it's to a pediatrician,
a counselor,or even a hotline in crisis situations.
Like they say ...
better safe than sorry, right?
I mean, it's like calling in the proswhen your fridge starts making
that weird noise.
Except this is-well,obviously-way more serious.
There's no shame in it.

(08:21):
Getting professional help doesn't meanyou've failed as a parent-it means
you're willing to do whatever it takesfor your kid.
That's love in action.
You know what really bugs me?
The stigma.
Like, why is it that going to a doctorfor a broken arm is totally cool,
but going for mental health feels like abig secret?
The best way to fight
that is to talk about it,openly and honestly.

(08:42):
Normalize the idea that emotions andmental health-it's all part of being
human.
At home, with friends, even in schools-itstarts with conversations.
Dan...,
I remember this one local school back inOhio-small place,
kind of like where I grew up.
They started training teachers in mentalhealth first aid,
and suddenly, kids were feeling morecomfortable talking about what was

(09:04):
bothering them.
It's-honestly-a pretty simple thing witha huge impact.
When schools and
communities normalize mental healthdiscussions,
it creates this ripple effect.
Kids feel seen, heard, and supported.
And there are so many tools out there forparents,
too.
Resources like age-appropriate books,
apps, and even podcasts, like ours.
All these little steps add up.

(09:27):
And no one's perfect at this-it's alearning process.
If parenting came
with an instruction manual,it'd probably be longer than,
like, a tax code.
But hey,we're all figuring it out together.
And these conversations-this stuff righthere-it makes a difference.
It
does.
So, talk to your kids, ask questions,
and don't be afraid to lean on teachers,

(09:48):
communities,or professionals when you need to.
It takes a village, right?
Folks,..
thanks for tuning in today.
You're doing great, no matter what itfeels like in the chaos of the
moment-trust me.
Parenting isn't about being perfect,
it's about showing up.
So, until next time, take care ofyourselves and your little ones.
Thanks for joining us.