Every parent knows what it takes to keep their child physically healthy. We meticulously choose the right immunizations, the right vitamins, the right sports lessons, and then the right orthopedic footwear for those lessons. But do we take the right measures to support our children’s mental health? The basics for our kids’ mental health are never as clear as their physical wellness, which makes it twice as hard for parents to find the right approach to it. To make this process easier for both parents and kids, we put together a list of helpful resources that will teach you how to take care of your children’s mental health and when to seek professional help.
Resources for Families and Kids:
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
The AACAP offers resources for both families and youth. On their website, parents will find information about most of the mental issues that affect small children and teenagers. This resource also has helpful guides for immigrant, multiracial, and LGBTQ parents to help them learn how to address concerns about their kids’ mental health. aacap.org
American Psychiatric Association
This is a great resource for parents who want to learn more about mental disorders in kids as well as their symptoms, risk factors, and treatment options. The website offers advice from America’s leading psychiatrists regarding a number of kids’ psychological issues such as Specific Learning Disorder, Intellectual Disability, ADHD, and Internet Gaming. psychiatry.org
American Psychological Association
The APA established the Raising Safe Kids Program, aimed to help parents raise children in a safe, stable, and healthy environment. The program offers classes on prevention and intervention of mental issues in children as well as useful materials for parents who want to know how to deal with kids’ challenging behavior. apa.org
Association for Children’s Mental Health
The ACMH is a wonderful resource that has information and support for families and kids who have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder. The website offers a variety of family stories, online discussions, useful advice from other parents, and guides on how to find support in your local community. acmh-mi.org
Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health
The FFCMH offers guides and webinars on how to address children’s mental health disorders, as well as such issues as bullying, social media, online lives, substance abuse, stress, and illness. ffcmh.org
National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI put up a list of books that explain the nature of mental health issues to children and teens. Written in a kid-friendly manner, the books explore such disorders as ADHD, Impulse Control, Anxiety, Autism, Depression, and many others. nami.org
The Child Mind Institute
The Child Mind Institute is a national nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health. The website has helpful information on mental health disorders and personal stories of the parents whose kids struggle with mental issues. Among the institute’s resources, you will find information on eating disorders and body image, media and tech, growing up in a military family, siblings, speech and language, and many other issues. childmind.org
Resources for Teens:
Teen Mental Health
Teen Mental Health is a youth publication that provides students with information on topics such as relationships, money, schoolwork, sexuality, addiction, and self-harm. The website offers training programs and resources that are designed to help teenagers understand and manage their mental health and disorders. teenmentalhealth.org
Love Is Respect
This resource offers education, support, and advocacy to teens and young adults who have questions or concerns about their dating relationships. The website gives information on dating basics, healthy relationships, consent, abuse, dating in the digital age and other topics relevant to young people. loveisrespect.org
Teen Help
Teen Help covers many topics in adolescent mental health, including stress, depression, nutrition, pregnancy, social life, violence, and anger. The website is designed for teenagers who are going through common adolescent development issues and the platform’s goal is to educate and bring awareness to those teens and their parents. teenhelp.com
OK2TALK
This is a platform for teens and young adults who struggle with mental health conditions. This online community is a safe place for teenagers to talk about what they’re experiencing and to share their personal narratives in a form of stories, poems, inspirational quotes, photos, videos, song lyrics, and messages. ok2talk.org
Young Women’s Health and Young Men’s Health
Both offer a series of guides that explore teens’ emotional and sexual health, as well as mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, bullying, and eating disorders. youngwomenshealth.org; youngmenshealthsite.org
