3 Ways to Support a Parent Whose Child Is Struggling

When a child is struggling with their mental health, the weight of that experience is often carried quietly by their parent. While support for children is essential, the parents standing beside them also need care, understanding, and compassion. Watching your child struggle in ways they might not even be able to explain is a very helpless feeling.

For friends, family members, neighbors, educators, and anyone who wants to be supportive, it can be hard to know what to say or do. You may care deeply and still worry about saying the wrong thing or not doing enough.

The truth is, showing love does not require perfect words or grand gestures. Often, it is the small, intentional acts of care that matter most. Here are three ways to show love to a parent whose child is struggling.

1. Listen and believe them

One of the most powerful ways to support a parent is to listen without judgment or assumptions.

Parents of children with mental health challenges are often used to explaining themselves. They may feel questioned, dismissed, or misunderstood by systems and by people in their lives. Being heard and believed can feel like a relief.

Showing love can look like sitting with them as they talk, believing them when they say things are hard, and resisting the urge to offer solutions or comparisons.

Your role is not to "fix" the situation. Avoid giving unsolicited advice, because they've probably already heard it. You do not need to have answers to be supportive. Presence and trust matter more than advice.

2. Offer practical help in concrete ways

When a parent is juggling appointments, school concerns, emotional stress, and daily responsibilities, even small tasks can feel overwhelming.

Rather than offering general help, consider offering something specific. This could be dropping off a meal, running an errand, watching siblings for a short time, or sending a simple message that lets them know you are thinking of them.

Practical support is not about fixing the situation. It is about easing the mental and emotional load and reminding a parent that they do not have to manage everything on their own. Just knowing you genuinely want to support them and their family makes all the difference.

3. See their child and the care behind it all

Many parents carry quiet self doubt. They may wonder if they are doing enough or if they are missing something important.

Support for them can sound like acknowledging how hard they are trying, recognizing their advocacy, and reminding them that showing up for their child matters even when progress feels slow or unclear.

Supporting a child through mental health challenges takes persistence and courage. Hearing that their effort is seen and valued can help a parent keep going on difficult days.

This also includes highlighting the joy their child brings to you and the world. They might spend a lot of time talking to their child's school and doctors about their child's struggles. That can weigh heavily on a parent's heart. Be a source of positivity when it comes to their child.

Don't mention when their child is loud, mention when their child is sharing really well. Mention how much fun you have talking to their child about their special interest. Bring the positivity, because you don't know how badly they might need it right now.

Even when you are showing up for someone else, you deserve support too. If you are looking for ways to support a parent whose child is struggling, join our community for encouragement, perspective, and reminders that no one has to do this alone.