Parenting
The Parenting Series aims to provide resources, tips, and education on various current and common topics related to parenting.
Does mental health impact parenting?
The short answer is, it can… but it also doesn’t have to. If it does, it does not mean you have broken your child/children. Your response is as important as the care you take to be preventative.
Children whose parents are diagnosed with a mental illness are at higher risk for developing social, emotional and/or behavioral challenges. These are due to risk factors that can be associated with mental illness such as:
Inconsistent and unpredictable family environment
Poverty
Work or marital difficulties
Poor parent-child relationship
Parent's use of substances
Openly aggressive or hostile behavior by a parent
The more factors a family has, the higher the chances are that your child will experience some mental health challenge in their lifetime.
Are there ways/things to protect my child? Yes.
Parenting can already feel challenging, but your experience with mental illness does not have to create or continue a cycle that needs to be broken. Children and youth, are already some of the most resilient groups I have ever worked with and adding protective factors to the mix helps combat those risks. Resilient children understand that they are not responsible for their parent's difficulties, and are able to move forward in the face of life's challenges. It is always important to consider the age and stage of development when supporting children.
Protective factors for children include:
Having a healthy and present relationship with your children (emotionally, mentally, etc.)
Strong support networks (family, friends, etc.). Remember that it does in fact take a village.
Positive self-esteem and self-management strategies (coping, social, and emotional skills)
Positive and healthy peer relationships
Positive school experiences that support with increasing academic interest and success
Healthy engagement with adults outside the home
Advocacy and social skill development
Parents who are functioning well in all areas of their lives
Stable parental employment
In short, be the healthiest and most functional human for your child/children that you can be. Be a representative of what you hope for them and communicate when things do not go the way in which you hoped. We always want our youth to be better than what we are, but that does not mean you set the bar low; and also do not set the bar too high, because perfection does not exist. Bottom line is, you must take care of yourself in order to care for anyone else. Get what you need or as much as you can so that you are able to be present for your family.
And know that, you are most likely doing amazing already :)
Sources
Mental Health America. Parenting with a Mental Health Condition. LINK
https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/features/mental-health-children-and-parents.html
DISCLAIMER: The information in this article is intended for educational use only and is not a substitute for legal, business, or professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your medical, mental health, legal or other qualified professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, business, or legal situation.
