I’m Rebecca and I’m part of a team of five wellbeing practitioners at Changing Faces. Between us, we offer one-to-one social and emotional support sessions for children, young people and families, as well as one-to-one counselling sessions for young people and adults.
Here are our five top tips for parents supporting a child with a visible difference this children’s mental health week:
Coping with anxiety
Lots of people feel anxious sometimes and looking different can make children feel worried about going to certain places or doing certain activities (such as talking to someone new for the first time).
If you are out together, you can be a role model by using confident body language – smiling, being open and standing tall.
You can also encourage your child to talk to you about their anxieties and trying some of the activities on our website together, like the “worry box” or the breathing exercise.
Build their self-esteem
Children with visible differences may worry about how they look from time to time, and this can affect their self-esteem – particularly if they are aware that they look different to their peers.
It’s important to remind them that we are all more than just our appearance.
Shine a light on your child’s talents and abilities and highlight all the amazing things that make them an individual.
Coping with other people’s reactions
People’s reactions and comments can take a toll on young people’s wellbeing.
You may want to discuss as a family how you want to answer questions about your child’s visible difference – remembering to keep language neutral and only share what you and your child feel comfortable with.
Your mental health as a parent
Being a parent or carer can be rewarding, but when you’re supporting the mental wellbeing of a child, you also need to take care of yourself – you can’t pour from an empty cup!
Practice positive thinking and be careful of negative self-talk. This will help you and, in turn, your family, who will be able to follow your example.
Surround yourself with a network of positive people and distance yourself from those who make unhelpful comments about your child’s visible difference.
More on parental mental health
Make social media work for your child
Social media has a huge impact on wellbeing. Familiarise yourself with social media platforms and have conversations with your children about the pros and cons of social media and gaming from an early age.
Have digital detox time as a family – play a board game or spend time outdoors.
Changing Faces runs workshops throughout the year – each one is aimed at children, young people, parents, or the whole family.
We also offer one-to-one social and emotional support sessions for children and young people to explore issues such as self-esteem, worries, coping with other people’s reactions, and managing at school or college.
If you would like to know more about how Changing Faces can support children, young people, parents, and families, please contact our Support and Information line on 0300 012 0275. This service is available from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.