”Come on now, stop crying, wipe your tears and give us a big happy smile!”

Does this conversation between your child and you sound familiar?

Now don’t get me wrong, I am guilty of doing this as well, as I am not a perfect parent.

But when I come to think of it, we never really “allow” our children to openly express their emotions like sadness, anger, or jealousy and often call it a “tantrum”.

As children, if they don’t openly express their emotions, how will they grow up to be mentally healthy adults?

In these unprecedented times, where everyone is socially/physically distancing, children are the most affected.

Suddenly they were told there will be no school, no hugging anyone, and no meeting friends.

Wonder how these little minds processed so much information without even actually understanding the situation.

On #worldmentalhealthday I urge all of us to give a tight hug and tell our children “It’s okay to be not be okay.”

Don’t be afraid to #TalkToday. Let’s start the conversation together and break the stigma around mental health illness.

Your child’s mental health is as real and important as their physical health.

Author: Farzana
Instagram: @globalfoodiegurl