Parenting can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be emotionally demanding in ways that are often unseen.
Parent Mental Health Day was founded by stem4 in 2022 to raise awareness of the link between parents’ and carers’ mental health and the wellbeing of the whole family.
For many parents and carers, stress, anxiety, guilt and overwhelm aren’t occasional feelings; they’re part of everyday life. There’s that quiet pressure to always cope, always know the right thing to say, and always put everyone else first.
The emotional load parents carry
Alongside the practical demands of daily life, many parents are managing a constant emotional undercurrent. This can include:
- Worrying about children’s safety, friendships and wellbeing
- Navigating conversations about relationships, boundaries, online spaces and growing up
- Second-guessing decisions and feeling judged, by others or by themselves
- Trying to stay calm, supportive and available even when feeling exhausted or overwhelmed
A lot of this emotional labour is invisible. Over time, carrying it alone can take a real toll on mental health.
Why parent mental health matters for children
Children don’t need perfect parents (thank goodness, because none of us are!).
They need adults who feel supported enough to be present, responsive and emotionally available, most of the time.
When parents are under constant strain, it can naturally feel harder to stay confident, to respond calmly during those challenging moments, or to keep conversations open. This highlights why supporting parents is an important part of supporting children.
Support doesn’t have to mean doing more
Support is often misunderstood as something that adds to an already full plate, when many parents are spinning too many as it is.
In reality, support can look like reassurance, shared understanding and knowing you’re not expected to manage everything on your own.
At acet UK, we know that topics such as relationships, emotional wellbeing, self-esteem and online safety can carry a particular emotional weight for parents. Even when schools communicate clearly and openly, parents may still feel unsure about how to continue conversations at home or respond to questions in a way that feels right.
Creating shared understanding
We believe that children thrive when schools, parents and carers work together with shared understanding and mutual trust.
- Esteem lessons support children to develop emotional literacy, self-esteem and an understanding of healthy relationships in an age-appropriate, values-led way. For parents, knowing that these themes are being explored thoughtfully in school can help ease some of the pressure to have all the answers.
- Our parents’ evenings provide space for parents and carers to explore the themes being covered, understand how they are approached, and reflect on how conversations can be supported at home. This shared understanding can build confidence and reduce anxiety around topics that often feel sensitive or complex.
- If you and/or your child's school would like to book an evening or lessons then please contact info@acet-uk.com or take a look at our website for further details www.acet-uk.com
A reminder for Parent Mental Health Day
If you’re a parent feeling tired, stretched or unsure, you’re not alone, and you don’t need to have everything figured out.
Looking after your own mental health isn’t separate from caring for your child; it’s part of it.
On Parent Mental Health Day, we recognise and value the emotional work parents do every day, often quietly, often without recognition, and the importance of supporting the adults who support children.