16 Damn Useful Mental Health Strategies to Adopt

Plus, How to Tell When a Baby is Bored and What to Do About It [Fatherly_Seahorse]( There’s a phrase that therapists and mental health experts like to use: You need to put on your own oxygen mask first. In other words: you need to take care of yourself so that you can truly be there for your family. Its advice everyone needs to hear, but it’s especially so for men. The men’s mental health crisis is real: According to the World Health Organization, three times as many men as women die by suicide in high-income countries. Then there’s the fact that men are less likely to reach out for help or even discuss their mental health because of underlying stigmas. In other words, it’s crucial to take measures to look after your mental health — for your own good, and your family’s. SELF-CARE [26article1]( [16 Damn Useful Mental Health Strategies to Adopt]( Try incorporating some of these into [your daily or weekly routine.]( [READ THE STORY]( TIPS AND TRICKS Checking up on an Aging Parent’s Mental Health from Afar? Be Caring, Not Paternalistic You can glean more from an open dialogue than you can if you talk in a way that makes older folks feel like they need to be taken care of, says psychiatrist Judith Feld, MD, MPH, distinguished life fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and national medical director of Ontrak. If you’re checking in regularly, you can ask what they’ve been doing and about activities in a more organic way than asking them to list any changes to their medications, for example. You do want to know if there have been changes in their medications, however, because sometimes medication side effects can mimic symptoms of depression. “Rather than outright asking about trips to the doctor, you can say, ‘Tell me what’s been going on in your life. What have you been doing?’” she says. Use that as a starting point, then you can inquire about medical visits and any changes to medications more casually. Seeing your loved ones, even just on screen, offers an important window of opportunity with which to gauge their mental health. [Here are a few more tips to keep in mind.]( WE WROTE A BOOK! [5article2]( [Be The First to Read ‘Fatherhood’]( Where’s the road map for new parents? Glad you asked! Fatherhood, by the editors of Fatherly, is a comprehensive parenting guide that walks dads through everything they need to know over the course of the first year of a baby’s life and beyond. It’s full of practical tips (everything you need), as well as work-life balance guidance (this is crucial), relationship advice (doubly crucial!), and as well as tons of expert-driven analysis that will help guide parents through a truly disorienting time. Pre-order it now and get the first copies on November 9. [BUY NOW]( PARENTING [26article3]( [How to Tell When a Baby is Bored and What to Do About It]( Babies have mechanisms built in to prevent them from wasting time on [things that don’t have enough learning value.]( [READ THE STORY]( TIPS AND TRICKS Two Big Reasons Boredom Is Healthy for Kids 1. Boredom Leads to Better Screen Time Habits Adults are guilty of disliking boredom just as much as their kids and we often avoid it completely with the help of our smartphones. But kids notice what their parents do and mirror that behavior. Most parents probably don’t want to teach their children to waste as much time as they do mindlessly scrolling around the internet. So even when you’re bored, too, get off your phone — or whatever screen is in front of you — and do something with your child. Use your creativity, invent a new game together, take a walk, bake some Christmas cookies. Instead of distracting yourself, you and your child can figure out what to do together. 2. Bored Kids Look for Connections You might be the one getting bored with your kids. It happens. Parents who accept boredom as a normal part of parenthood, instead of expecting it to always be fulfilling and meaningful, often end up with happier families in the long run. Even if you are bored of playing that same game or watching that same Christmas movie for the millionth time, pushing through that feeling and putting in the time can give you valuable connection time with your child, says Sharon Saline, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life. In the long run, you are trying to develop a strong relationship with your kid. Showing up and paying attention to something they find interesting, even if it’s not much fun for you, matters and can help strengthen that bond. [Let your kids be bored! Here are a few more reasons boredom is healthy for kids.]( FURTHER READING - [The Tragic Decline of Bored Kids and Dangerous Play]( - ​​​​​[Dads Get Bored with Their Kids. It’s Okay. Here’s How to Cope.]( - [How to Have Fun with a Boring Baby]( PLAY [26article4]( [5 Great Parenting Lessons From ‘Dune’]( Number 1: [You gotta get real with your kids.]( [READ THE STORY]( TALK TO US Have a question? Comment? Want to tell us a no-good terrible story? Or a helpful parenting tip? We want to hear from you (and yes, we may publish your response in an article or forthcoming newsletter). Send your thoughts to [hello@fatherly.com](mailto:hello@fatherly.com?subject=Fatherly%20Newsletter%20Feedback). 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