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Kids are not immune to the stresses of life. It could be academic stress, like feeling the pressure to perform on a major exam or social stresses with trying to fit in. Problems at home can also lead to anxiety for kids. When kids are under a lot of stress, taking a mental health day can help them cope.
As a mom to two elementary school-aged children, Meredith Teeter is a big proponent of mental health days.
“Yes, sometimes I let my kids have mental health days," she told Mom.com. "If I start to notice signs, I will let them have a day to relax. It helps! I think it also helps them to know that it’s OK to not have it all together all the time.”
What is a mental health day?
Adults take mental health days off from work to either relieve stress or regain their energy. Kids can benefit from the same type of day off — only it’s a break from school and maybe even competitive sports. Taking a day off where they don’t have to think about schoolwork, tests, or being a high performer gives them a chance to enjoy being a kid again.
While it may not be well advertised, many schools are now allowing children to stay home for a mental health day, as they would for any other sick day. These new rules come amidst rising depression, anxiety, and suicide rates among kids.
School district laws governing mental health days
Several states are now changing the rules when it comes to excused absences. In an effort to reduce student stress, depression, and suicide, mental health days are being viewed as an acceptable sick day. Utah is among the leading states to sign school mental health days into law. Other states, such as Colorado, Florida, and Washington, are looking at passing similar laws.
As a parent, even if your school district doesn’t approve mental health days as an acceptable excuse, don’t hesitate to give your child this type of care. One occasional unexcused absence is far better than dealing with a child who is riddled with anxiety and developing suicidal thoughts. If a mental health day doesn’t seem to help your child with their stress or anxiety, consider talking to a child psychologist about the issue.
Why kids need to take a mental health day
Pressure on kids seems to grow every year. They need to learn more in shorter periods of time, maintain top grades in multiple honors or AP classes, and maintain sports and other afterschool schedules to give themselves the best chances for university acceptance and scholarships. That’s a lot of pressure! Having a day to not think about all of that gives the mind and body a chance to replenish. This is necessary for children.
Signs your child needs a mental health day
There are a lot of signs that might suggest your child is in need of a mental health day. Keep in mind that anxiety and stress don’t limit themselves to adults or teens; even younger children may be feeling stress.
“Kids show their stress levels in all kinds of ways,” Kristen Fescoe of Resility Health told Mom.com. Fescoe cautioned parents with signs to look out for. “Everything from lack of focus and distraction to outbursts and behavioral issues,” she said.
If you notice that your child is frustrated with homework, overly upset about a test score, having difficulty concentrating, or unable to get a good night’s sleep, then a mental health day may be necessary to help them feel and think better.
What to do on a mental health day
Anything is fair game for a mental health day. With kids, keep the day as unstructured as possible and ask them what they want to do. The idea is to get out of the normal daily routine and not do any of the regular work that causes stress. You want the day to be fun and fulfilling.
Dr. Vinay Saranga from Saranga Psychiatry shared some ideas with Mom.com on how to approach a mental health day. “If your kids like to play basketball, for example, take them to an NBA game. Planning a few activities with close friends is also good," she suggested. "Most important is to ask the question: What would you like to do today? What gives you the most enjoyment? If you could do anything, what would it be?”
