Back To School,  parenting

Calling In Tired and Kid’s Mental Health Days

My kids being silly. Payton is in the pink dress and Ainsley is pretending to be a fish.

Today I called in “tired” for my daughter. That’s right. Tired, not sick. Last night Payton took part in the Original Kids graduation gala. It lasted longer than expected. It was 10 p.m. when we got in and a full two hours after bed time. Daughter woke up tired, as did I. I knew we would and I sort of mentioned last night that we might take a couple hours, or a morning to rest. So this morning I picked up the phone and dialed the attendance line. I was temporarily overcome with a desire to lie and manufacture a doctor’s appointment or a dentist thing. But instead, I decided with my daughter watching, that I was going for a teachable moment instead. No lies. Just the truth today, and as much as possible. All parents tell little white lies. Children pick up on them. But today I opted for no lies. She`s tired. Late performance, I told them. Payton looked at me, eyebrows raised. When I hung the phone up she voiced her concern: “Um, Mom, are you sure you should say that,“ she asked. Yes, I told her. I saw no reason to lie.
Mental heath issues whether you are a child or an adult, are real and I believe in the occasional mental health break. Last year I was good at delivering these for my grade three girl. I haven`t done it as much this year. It has been a much busier year than last year. Sleep, good eating habits and exercise. These are vital especially for preserving mental health. A friend of mine who used to do foster care for several years frequently picked up her biological kids from school and gave them `kidnap lunches`. It was her way of declaring mental health days important for all. I believe in mental health days for all and I believe in calling them what they are. How about you – have you ever called in to work tired or called in and told the school your child was having a mental health day..

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Mom of two beautiful active girls, traveller, fitness junkie, social media consultant, and keeper of the sanity.

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