Your Child’s Mental Health
Being a parent is full of joy, love, and, frankly, a lot of questions. Is your child happy? Are they forming secure attachments with you and others? Are they going to be scarred for life? It can be a lot, especially as we try to navigate our own mental health as caregivers. Let’s explore infant and early childhood mental health and how you can best support your child’s mental health and emotional well-being.
Early Intervention Services
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) centers around how young children experience the world around them, including forming close relationships, expressing emotions, and learning through play and curiosity. Mental health develops from the very beginning, even in infancy. And it grows best in a safe, loving, and responsive environment.
Young children experience the world in big, sometimes overwhelming ways. And just like grown-ups, they can struggle with their feelings, behavior, and ability to connect with others.
Mental health concerns may show up as:
“A parent looking to support their child’s mental health will create a safe, compassionate, and validating environment for their child’s behaviors and emotions. They can seek to provide healthy coping skills, open and honest communication, and aid in the identification of their child’s feelings. They may also strive towards modeling patience, learning from one’s mistakes, and growing from the lessons we learn.”
Tamara Limbach, LPC,
Penfield Children’s Center
Set Developmentally Appropriate Expectations
Remember that children’s emotional, physical, and cognitive capacities differ from adults. What might seem like a reasonable task, such as running errands for several hours, can easily overwhelm a little one and lead to frustration, fatigue, or behavioral concerns. By aligning expectations with your child’s age and abilities, you’ll foster a sense of security and help your child succeed. Understanding and respecting limits shows empathy and encourages positive
Set Consistent Routines
Repetition and consistency are key to helping a little one feel safe and secure. By repeating the same routines over and over, little ones better understand what to expect. These routines are especially important in situations that can cause fear or anxiety, such as dropping them off with another caregiver or going to bed.
Talk and Listen
Even before they have words, children benefit from your calm voice, eye contact, and attention. As they get older, you can help them put names to emotions, validate their fears and concerns, model consistent boundaries and limits, and showcase acceptable ways to solve problems. You want to make them feel heard, supported, and understood, which are key to supporting their mental health.
Talk and Listen
Even before they have words, children benefit from your calm voice, eye contact, and attention. As they get older, you can help them put names to emotions, validate their fears and concerns, model consistent boundaries and limits, and showcase acceptable ways to solve problems. You want to make them feel heard, supported, and understood, which are key to supporting their mental health.
“Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) focuses on helping young children build strong emotional, social, and physical health from the start. This is done through early support and prevention, and when caregivers nurture a child’s social and emotional well-being through a caring, positive relationship.”
-Kim Marcin, LPC, Senior Family Counselor, Penfield Children’s Center
We’ve compiled some helpful parent-friendly resources to help you navigate mental health struggles and caregiver stress so you can be your best self and positively impact your child’s mental health.
Everyone has sources of stress in their lives. Parents of children with special needs have a completely different list of.....
Every child has his/her likes and dislikes and feelings toward what is exciting and what is stressful. From the moment.....
Raising a child can feel overwhelming at times. But you’re not alone. We’re here to help you—step by step and word by word. Penfield Building Blocks can provide you and your family with trusted information, resources, and guidance during every stage of early childhood development.
Whether you’re just curious if your child is building strong emotional, social, and physical health patterns, or if you’re looking to create a safe, compassionate, and validating environment for your child’s behaviors and emotions, we are by your side.
