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Mental Health Days for Kids

A weekly update of content from childmind.org featuring parenting advice, in-depth articles, and the latest thinking on children’s mental health and learning disorders.

October 26, 2021

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We all need a break sometimes. A day off to rest, recharge and take care of ourselves. Kids are no exception, but it can be hard to know when allowing a mental health day is the right decision. Will it leave a child who was already struggling even further behind? If you say yes to one mental health day, will kids start begging to stay home on a weekly basis?

This week on childmind.org our experts offer advice on how to handle mental health days — when to allow them, and when to say no. A hint: Letting kids avoid things they’re anxious about — like a test — just makes the anxiety worse. But letting kids who’ve been working hard or feeling stressed take a day off can have benefits.

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