Taking a mental health day is for everyone. It’s a day for you and your kid’s to take of from work and school commitments, and enjoy some relaxing time together doing activities you can enjoy together.
It can be hard to take a mental health day, we have been conditioned as a society to just push through! But in reality, taking a day off and connecting with our kid’s is important not only for them but for us as parents too.
By you showing awareness of needing to support your mental health to your kid’s you are modelling a behaviour to them that it’s important to look after your mental health.
So everyone can have a good day, it’s important to discuss early in the day what everyone’s expectations are, allowing your child to contribute by choosing an activity or two and ensuring that you as the parent choose something too!
Here are some of our favourite mental health day activities.
Movement
Movement is good for everyone, it’s a great stress reliever and can do wonders for your mental health. You could take a walk to your local park, stroll along the beach or visit a local botanical garden if you have one in your area.
Slow down the pace
Make sure there is some schedule free time in your mental health day. Some time for each of you to do something you enjoy – read, knit, bake or simply have an afternoon nap or watch a couple of episodes of your favourite tv show.
Fantasy Play
Set-up the loungeroom or an outdoor area for you and your child for some make believe fun. You could dress-up, make homemade costumes or props and even create a theatre set. Let your creativity run wild! When your kid’s can see you being creative and in the moment this cheers them on to do the same and just let their imaginations run wild.
Share a meal
You could book a table for you at a family favourite restaurant or café and go and enjoy a nice lunch together or you could shop for and cook a lovely meal at home to share and enjoy eachothers company. It doesn’t have to be complicated, who doesn’t love a good sandwich! Even better accompanied by a milkshake and some chips on the side.
Connection is key
Overall, mental health days with your kid’s about you connecting. Connection is so important and if you can take a day together connecting either by simply being in eachothers company or doing something fun like one of our suggested activities everyone will feel better for it because you’ve had a day to connect and be together.
