At times during our lives things will happen to all of us that make us feel sad and how this looks can vary from person to person. Your child may become withdrawn, tearful or they might be angry and try to hide how they’re feeling. They might find daily tasks hard to complete as well as struggling to concentrate, lacking motivation or not wanting to be around people. Usually sadness is something that comes and goes, but sometimes it can hang around longer than we expected.
You might find your child is unsure as to what’s causing their low mood, in these cases we recommend avoiding asking too many questions or offering multiple solutions. Instead they may value you simply being there for them, either to listen to what’s on their mind or to distract them by watching a film, going for a walk or making dinner together. It can also be helpful to set small tasks and goals with your child to encourage them to slowly work towards feeling more positive and more accomplished. For example, you could write together a list of small tasks like taking a shower, drinking water, making their bed, getting dressed and eating some food.
If you feel that your child is really struggling with feeling sad and you’re worried that it might be having a significant impact on their mental health, we would recommend you speak to a professional such as your local GP or School Nurse. If you want to learn more about how to support your child when they are feeling sad, here are some websites that you might find helpful.