1 TAKE THEIR AGE INTO ACCOUNT
At around age seven, the average child can start to put themselves in the position of someone else, so ensure that what you say to them is age appropriate. Don’t worry about trying to explain all the details to a very young child, as it’s likely that they won’t really understand, and they don’t need to. All they need to know is that ‘mummy or daddy isn’t well today, but they will get better again soon’.
2 USE SIMPLE TERMS
Assuming that your children are old enough to understand, it’s important for them not to feel a sense of shame or stigma – they don’t want to feel different from their friends. Explain your illness to them in simple terms, and reassure them that lots and lots of people have mental health issues at some point in their lives, and that most are able to cope well and recover. Ideally, you want to provide them with a positive coping model, and to encourage them to seek help themselves if they need it.
FIRST STEPS
For more information and advice on talking to children about mental health, visit: •R ethink.org – helping change attitudes and the lives of those affected by mental illness. •M ind.org.uk – one of the UK’s leading mental health charities.
3 KEEP THEM IN THE LOOP
Children have a very good imagination, and they can become intensely anxious if they don’t know what is going to happen to you, so try to keep them informed. If you are unwell, then tell them, and be open to any questions they ask.
Provide them with a positive coping model and encourage them to seek help themselves if they need it 4 EXPLAIN AND REASSURE
Knowing about your condition can result in them worrying about themselves. Explain that this is not their fault in any way, and that it doesn’t mean that they will grow up to develop mental health issues. But if they do, you can address it together.
• Place2Be.org.uk – providing resources for parents and carers on supporting the wellbeing and mental health of children and young people. •C ounselling-directory.org.uk – for information and articles on parental and children’s mental health, or to find a therapist near you.
5 SIGNPOST FURTHER SUPPORT Finally, if you are a lone parent, it is important that your children have someone they trust that they can talk to if they are concerned about you. Make sure they know who to contact – be it a relative, a friend, or maybe even a mental health nurse. Wendy Gregory is a counselling psychologist and writer, as well as a regular guest psychologist on BBC Talk Radio.