Survey: Parents Divided on the ‘Right Age’ to Start Talking About Mental Health

The Kids Mental Health Foundation stresses importance of helping children as young as toddlers build mental health skills

COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 9, 2024) – Most parents agree that it is important to talk to children about mental health, but a new Kids Mental Health Foundation survey finds many don’t know the right age to start those conversations.

According to a survey of 500 parents, conducted for The Kids Mental Health Foundation by Ipsos, 75% of parents of children under the age of 18 agree that mental health conversations should occur before middle school, but less than a quarter think they should be talking to their children about mental health before kindergarten.

Whitney Raglin Bignall, PhD, associate clinical director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation and a pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, stresses the importance of parents starting those conversations with their children early, since the majority of brain development happens before age 5.

“Like kids learn about letters, numbers and more, they need to learn about having emotions and coping with them, too, as soon as they’re able to speak,” said Dr. Raglin Bignall. “Talk to children as young as toddlers about their mental health. At this time in their lives, they’re forming key brain connections. Focusing on their mental health can impact how they process emotions, social interactions and more as they grow up.”

In addition to starting conversations at an early age, Dr. Raglin Bignall encourages parents to have intentional time with children to build connections.

“Use this time to focus on giving children undivided attention that helps them feel special, build confidence and strengthen relationships,” said Dr. Raglin Bignall. “Start with 5 minutes per day and work up to 15 minutes per day.”

The Kids Mental Health Foundation strives to teach grown-ups skills to help kids manage life’s challenges by offering free educational resources custom-built by more than 1,000 mental health professionals and researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, in partnership with other trusted experts. The Kids Mental Health Foundation began as The On Our Sleeves Movement for Children's Mental Health in 2018 and has provided free educational tools and resources to more than 15 million people across the country.

“We want to build a world where mental health is a vital part of growing up. Part of the way we will do that is by helping parents feel equipped to teach their children the skills needed to navigate big emotions and feelings before there’s a concern,” said Dr. Raglin Bignall. “By being proactive at an early age, you build trust between parent and child, which will increase the likelihood of kids coming to parents with questions or concerns in the future.”

The Kids Mental Health Foundation also provides resources for parents who need guidance on how to start and maintain conversations about mental health, including a how-to on intentional child time, conversation starters, along with where to find mental health help, and a variety of other mental wellness tools and guides. 

To access resources to make a difference in the life of a child, visit KidsMentalHealthFoundation.org.

About the survey: This Kids Mental Health Foundation/Ipsos poll was conducted March 22-24, 2024, by Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 539 adult parents of children under the age of 18. The survey has a margin of error of ± 4.7 percentage points.

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, more than 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. Launched in 2018 as The On Our Sleeves Movement for Children’s Mental Health, the organization recently expanded its mission as The Kids Mental Health Foundation to reflect the belief that emotional and physical wellbeing should be treated the same. To date, more than 15 million people have engaged with the Foundation’s materials, empowering parents, caregivers, educators, coaches and employers as the guiding force for children’s mental health all across the United States.