The Kids are Not Alright: 8 Ways to Help Kids' Mental Health

The mental health of young people is in crisis like never before.

Emergency department visits for young people seeking mental healthcare have skyrocketed, with alarming spikes in self-harm and substance abuse. Yet, nearly 70% of children who require specialized mental health services are unable to access them.

Why are kids not alright? There is no easy answer. We do know kids are under more pressure than ever before. The cost of living creates stress in the family home. Covid-19 negatively impacted young people and the impacts of climate change are taking a devastating psychological toll. Feelings of sadness, anxiety, anger, and hopelessness are pervasive as young people grapple with an uncertain future. So, what can we do to help improve the mental health of young people in our life, besides accessing healthcare (which is hard!)?

We know that yoga and mindfulness helps improve youth mental health. Yoga helps manage depression, anxiety, stress and ADHD in children and teenagers. This is why we have relaunched our Kids and Tweens Yoga programs Teens are always welcome in our general classes.

Today we share 8 ways you can support young people in your life, informed by research and our experience.

1. Empower them with skills 

We all need to learn physical and mental health self-management skills. Many children aren't given the opportunity. Consistently children transition into the absolute hormonal inspired drama of adolescence ill-equipped. Help your kids learn the skills they need. Research also indicates self-directed programs can be helpful for kids. We have listed some free online programs at the bottom of this blog.

2. Be a lighthouse

This blog is not just for parents. Why? Because young people who know they have someone in their life they can go to when things are hard can literally be life-saving. Can you be that person even if you are not a parent? Are you someone a young person can talk to about their stress, anxiety, depression or gender identity?

3. Listen and be present

Young people need to know they can talk to you, without being judged and without you overreacting. We have always told our kids if something serious is going on, we won’t get angry. We will support them. They have made mistakes, owned up to them and we didn’t get angry. This does not mean there are no consequences, but there doesn’t need to be anger.

4. The relationship is everything

Once your kids become teenagers, the relationship is the only way you can have some level of control or influence in their life. Without a commitment to this relationship and nurturing it along the way, there won't be the trust and respect required for them to listen to you and talk to you when it matters. Also, it is never too late. You can rebuild a relationship with your children at any age, step by step.

5. Be willing to be wrong

This one applies to both your adult children and your toddler. If you make a mistake, own it. You don't get to choose whether they talk to you for the next hour or year. Be sorry, mean it, and try to do better.

6. Have boundaries

This one took me a while to learn. I am not my kids' house slave or taxi just because I am their parent. They need to understand reciprocity. I don't want to raise entitled children. Sometimes they need to help you and sometimes you need to say no. For example: No - I can't take you to the gym/friends/wherever at 9:30 pm and pick you up at 11 pm because I need to rest.

7. Be inclusive

LGBTQIA+ kids, neurodivergent kids and young people from marginalised groups, are often at greater risk of experiencing mental health disorders. Not because they are somehow broken, but because they live in a broken society which is at times hateful and discriminatory. Be the person who openly addresses homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and racism. Let your kids see that you are someone they can go to, come out to, talk to about how they feel. Your kids may hide things from you for fear they won't be accepted by you. Be so inclusive that they have NO doubt your will embrace and celebrate who they are.

8. Screens

Just calm down about screen time. Screens serve a lot of different functions for different people. Keep your kids safe online (strict parental controls), know/choose who they are talking to, and educate them about what is and isn't okay from an early age. Watch what they play and play with them. Understand, especially for neurodivergent kids, that screen time is where they light up. However, life needs balance. We have few rules about screen time, but lots of guidelines for life. These include: time outside,  lots of exercise, social connection, family time, reading, and making some effort at school. Also, each kid is different. Our eldest (17) has always been fine with social media (since about 13). We know when it comes to it, our youngest will not be! We plan to delay him accessing social media until he is about 15 (wish us luck!).

This list could be infinite. What would you add?

It is our collective responsibility to prioritise the well-being of our children. Together we can work towards a future where the kids are, indeed, alright.

Jean and Rob

References and Notes

Check out upcoming Kids and Tween programs here.

Does your child or teenager experience anxiety? Check out the free online Brave Program. 

If you or someone you know needs help, please call:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

Chimiklis, A. L., Dahl, V., Spears, A. P., Goss, K., Fogarty, K., & Chacko, A. (2018). Yoga, mindfulness, and meditation interventions for youth with ADHD: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27, 3155-3168.

Graham-Bermann, S. A., Roberts, A., Osbourne, M., Shaughnessy, S., & Finkelstein, S. (2022). Enhancing child mental health in school and community settings: A pilot study of the kids’ empowerment program. Psychological services, 19(4), 770.

James-Palmer, A., Anderson, E. Z., Zucker, L., Kofman, Y., & Daneault, J. F. (2020). Yoga as an intervention for the reduction of symptoms of anxiety and depression in children and adolescents: a systematic review. Frontiers in pediatrics, 8, 78.

Panchal, U., Salazar de Pablo, G., Franco, M., Moreno, C., Parellada, M., Arango, C., & Fusar-Poli, P. (2023). The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on child and adolescent mental health: systematic review. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 32(7), 1151-1177.

Schwartz, C., Yung, D., Cairncross, N., Barican, J., Gray-Grant, D., & Waddell, C. (2020). Mental health treatment: Reaching more kids. Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly, 14(2), 1-16.