Parenting and Mental Well-Being: Parenting Series

Parenting is a demanding and oftentimes under-appreciated job - it takes a lot of physical and emotional energy. It also takes a good amount of self-awareness.

It’s just not your child that you have to look after! An important part of being a parent is about looking after yourself too. It can be easy to lose sight of the importance of looking after yourself. The question we need to ask as a parent is: how full is your cup? Are you running on empty? If you’re tired, stressed, or exhausted, it’s difficult to be the parent that you’re striving to be. But when you feel happy and well, you’re better able to cope with stress, maintain relationships and enjoy parenthood more.

Well-being is more than just about physical health - it involves your emotional, social, and mental health too! It’s the overall satisfaction you feel about yourself and your life – which can go up and down on any given day. What’s happening in your life, and how you feel about life on a given day, i.e., your mental well-being, can make parenting a challenge or joy. It can also positively - or negatively impact the mental well-being of those in your family.


Our panelists shared their experiences and how as parents we need to make mental well-being a priority and much more.

Some topics to explored:

What are some of the challenges we all face as parents regarding mental well-being?

What more needs to be done, by parents and teachers, to better address and support youth mental well-being?

How can parents create more positive mental well-being in the family? How can parents role model, encourage, and prioritize mental well-being in the family?

What about yourself - what are some of the steps you can take to improve your personal well-being? What are some of the steps you have taken this past year to care for your well-being?

Who else has other parents included in their "village" with mental well-being role models for their family/ child?