Experts Encourage Building Mental Health in a Child’s First Five Years With the 5 Cs

The Kids Mental Health Foundation provides free tools for parents and caregivers to build mental wellness in kids starting at birth

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Early childhood is a crucial time for building lifelong mental health skills. According to the National Institutes of Health, the brain grows faster during the first several years of life than at any other time. During this age, nurturing relationships and positive environments help enhance that foundation, while stress and traumatic events can hurt brain development, creating risks for lifelong mental health challenges.

Experts at The Kids Mental Health Foundation advise families to support young children with The 5 Cs to Know: Connection, Consistent Rules & Routines, Clear Instructions, Co-regulation & Coping Skills, and Caring for Yourself.

“You can start building mental wellness as soon as a child is born. From that point on, every interaction you have with your child can foster their mental health and wellness,” said Whitney Raglin Bignall, PhD, associate clinical director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation and pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “We want to start supporting our children's emotions now, to prevent future mental health crisis and concerns. We can use the 5C parenting strategies when our kids are young and continue to use them as they grow.” 

Dr. Raglin Bignall recommends parents and caregivers use the 5 Cs to build positive mental health in their children:

• Connection. A healthy parent-child relationship is foundational to mental wellness, so take 15 minutes of intentional time a day to have meaningful conversations, help label feelings, and build family belonging.
• Consistent Rules & Routines. Routines give children a sense of control and decrease behavior battles. Create bedtime, mealtimes, and morning routines, and post them where everyone can see them and revisit them after disruptions.
• Clear Instructions. Simple instructions help children listen and build confidence. Keep a calming voice and neutral face and try and avoid telling them to stop certain actions or behaviors. Offer specific actions they should do instead.
• Co-regulation & Coping Skills. Staying calm and connected helps children learn to calm themselves. Practice calming skills together like breathing or mindfulness exercises.
• Caring for Yourself. Parents and caregivers should make time to rest, connect and prioritize mental health. Five Steps to Help with Parental Stress can assist.

Dr. Raglin Bignall says children can develop mental health challenges for a variety of reasons, including genetics, environment and other experiences. Warning signs may include severe, frequent tantrums; persistent crying or feeling scared/anxious; difficulties sleeping or frequent nightmares; trouble making friends; disinterest in playing with other children; struggling to sit still; or complaining about physical ailments like stomachaches or headaches but medical professionals cannot find a source.

If parents and caregivers see any warning signs, they should seek help from a primary care provider. Dr. Raglin Bignall says it is important to keep in mind that treatment might look different for young children and will often include significant caregiver involvement.

For more helpful resources, visit kidsmentalhealthfoundation.org

The Kids Mental Health Foundation is the leading organization promoting mental health for children in the United States. To achieve its vision to build a world where mental health is a vital part of every child’s upbringing, nearly 1,000 mental health professionals and researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, in partnership with other trusted experts, provide real-world knowledge and expertise to power the Foundation’s free educational videos, guides and curriculum. To date, more than 33 million people have engaged with the Foundation’s materials, helping parents, educators and coaches be a guiding force for children all across the United States.