Being able to communicate what’s on your mind with your loved ones is the first step to looking after your mental health. But sometimes, talking to your parents about your feelings and needs can feel difficult.
As part of our Youth Mediathon, a group of young people worked with UNICEF and pediatrician Hina Talib to create this guide for parents and young people, aiming to facilitate intergenerational conversations about mental health.
Scroll down to read more and meet the young creatives behind this project.
TIPS FOR PARENTS
Some ideas for parents so that we can better share what's on our mind:
1. Check on us
Parents should let us know that they care about our mental health. Most of the time young people hide their true feelings from their parents, but it’s important to check on them. That doesn’t mean parents need to know each and every detail of our life. Give us privacy. But they must know whether their child is alright.
2. Help us build a healthy parent-children relationship
Be someone we can trust. Be a good listener. Become a safe space so that your child can rely on you. Try to understand them and their way of thinking. Be friendly with them so that they can open up and share their problems with you.
Notice us. Try to understand if we are going through any mental health problems. If you suspect so, ask us about it in a gentle and caring way. Check if we need help.
Ask us how we are doing and make sure we realize you really mean it. Such as, "How are you today? Is everything alright?”
3. Listen and make an effort to understand
Parents should know that we have our own point of view and our own personality. Sometimes parents don’t take the problems of teenagers seriously, but they should try to be empathetic.
Listen to the whole story without interrupting, and try to listen from our point of view. Try to understand what we are going through. From their perspective, many things may not seem painful, but problems that seem normal to you can be strange and new for us.
And be aware that we are not always expecting you to give us advice. Sometimes we just want you to be a listener while we rant about things that are troubling us.
Sometimes you might not be hearing the right thing:
TIPS FOR TEENS
There are ways through which opening up to parents can feel less arduous and less daunting a task for teenagers.
1. Take some time to think about what you want to tell them: Put your thoughts together. If you feel overwhelmed, you don’t have to go through it all at once. Just sharing some of what you’ve been feeling is a great first step, and you can continue to talk over the next few days or weeks as you open up more.
2. Choose the right time and the right mode of communication. Choose a time when your parents are free to talk or start off by telling them that you want to talk to them about something important.
3. Be honest and open: If you have decided to speak, speak with your heart. You may hesitate about bringing emotional or mental health issues to parents, worrying that they won’t take you seriously or that the conversation could feel embarrassing. It’s understandable, but remember most times parents just want the best for their children.
4. Be patient and don’t be discouraged. Your parents might have lots of questions for you. They might want to know how long things have been like this, or what they can do to help. Be prepared for this, and let them know if you’re feeling overwhelmed and need to take a break. Don’t be afraid to seek counselling. Ask your parents to help you book an appointment with a doctor. You might also ask your parents to accompany you to see a therapist.
MEET THE TEAM
Dr. Hina Talib is a board certified Pediatrician and Adolescent Medicine specialist at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in New York. She's also a writer and teen media creative working with creatives on podcasts, shows or other teen-facing media. Dr. Talib is a teen health advocate at heart and leads a popular community on Instagram @teenhealthdoc, where you will find her most timely tips and stories.
She partnered with a team of young content creators around the world to brainstorm and co-create this guide as part of Voices of Youth’s Youth Mediathon:
Artjola Sahiti is a 22-year-old Voices of Youth contributor from Kosovo. She often writes about her own experiences with mental health and her journey of recovery. Read her latest blog on why it’s important to tell parents what’s on your mind.
Beatriz Oliveira Mendonça is a 21-year-old from Brazil. She often collaborates with UNICEF Brazil through the “Pode Falar” (You Can Talk) program, which addresses mental health stigma. Beatriz is a TikTok and Instagram content creator.
Deborah Akintayo is a 20-year-old advocate for children’s safety and rights, based in Nigeria. She’s a passionate writer about child rights, including mental health: “When I write I escape my physical and emotional cage. I venture into known and unknown worlds. And I discover myself and more.” Read her blog on why it's not always easy to share what's on your mind.
Manvi Tiwari is a 18-year-old Voices of Youth contributor and mental health advocate from India. She often writes about the importance of breaking the stigma around mental health. Read Manvi’s latest blog, The World On Unasked Advices.
Musharrafah Ansari is a 20-year-old writer and poet from India who is passionate about health and education. “Being a medical student, I continue to assist people and spread health awareness.” Check out Musharrafah’s blog on why it is important to open up about mental health at home.
Taieba Tabassum is a 16-year-old Voices of Youth contributor from Bangladesh who often writes about mental health, youth advocacy and personal growth. “I want to console you and touch your heart by sharing my stories and my thoughts.” Read her blogs here.
Shubhi Sinha is a 20-year-old college student and UNICEF USA National Council member, biology researcher and graphic designer. She has a deep interest in policy and advocacy, and hopes to one day become a medical doctor. Check out her blog.
It's your turn!
Do you enjoy blogging, creating visual content or writing poems? You can share your thoughts on how young people are helping break the stigma around mental health. Follow us on Instagram and submit your content through Voices of Youth following these steps.
