Many students grapple with social anxiety, academic pressure and worry associated with excessive social media use. Because of this, many schools are implementing mental health days to let kids recuperate from stress. Learn what experts have to say on the subject.
What are mental health days?
A mental health day provides children time away from school to focus on their overall mental well-being. While there’s no formal, agreed-upon definition of what it entails, it involves easing up on stress and school tasks. Some kids do nothing, while others engage in playtime or hobbies.
As of early 2025, a dozen states allow students to use mental health as a reason to take days off:
- Washington
- California
- Virginia
- Illinois
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Oregon
- Nevada
- Arizona
- Utah
- Colorado
- Kentucky
Why is there a need for it?
Children may experience stress due to increasing pressure to excel academically, excessive screen time, less unstructured time to decompress, family problems, climate change, and political unrest.
In 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national emergency regarding the mental health of children and adolescents. During the same year, over 37% of high school students reported experiencing poor mental health during the Covid pandemic, and 44% expressed persistent sadness and hopelessness.
Over 260 million people experience mental health conditions, and these symptoms often manifest during childhood. Mental health days allow kids to enjoy unstructured time to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety.
What do experts say?
While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for emotional distress, the implementation of mental health days is an excellent start. But is it effective? Around 77% of parents who let their kids take them reported positive effects.
However, some experts think otherwise. According to the University of California, Los Angeles psychology professor Andrew Fuligni, adolescents must experience strong emotional experiences, both good and difficult ones.
“It’s not that we want to dampen strong emotions; we want to support adolescents’ ability to work with those emotions to think about what they mean and how to regulate them and put them to good uses. Sometimes we should be absolutely outraged by something that’s happening in the school or in the community,” he shares.
Additionally, experts warned that taking days off for mental health reasons might not be a good idea, especially if the child will be left alone and unsupervised at home.
Mental health days must not be used as an excuse for not attending school due to a big test or social anxiety. According to Child Mind Institute senior neuropsychologist Laura Phillips via The Cut, giving in to a child’s request to stay home may reinforce that school is a frightening place.
“Instead, you want to validate their anxiety and also send the message: I believe you can get through it, and we’re going to figure out how to do it together,” she says.
When is a mental health day a good idea?
According to Child Mind Institute licensed clinical social worker Allison Dubinski, a mental health day is ideal as long as it’s not reinforcing anxiety or avoidance.
“We want to teach kids that prioritising our mental health and taking care of ourselves is important. But if kids are asking for a day off because they’re trying to get out of something that they’re anxious about, staying home may end up reinforcing that anxiety,” she says.
The following questions can help you assess whether a child needs a mental health day:
- Are you feeling overwhelmed?
- Did something happen at school that upset you, like a fight or an embarrassing moment?
- Did you just finish a challenging homework?
It’s also worth noting that some children, particularly high-achieving students, may refuse to take a mental health day even when they need one. These individuals experience impostor syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism — all of which may cause emotional distress.
What should parents do with their children on a mental health day?
Sarah Cain Spannagel, PhD, recommends letting children suggest activities to relieve mental stress.
“Ask, ‘What exactly feels too big right now or too overwhelming? What can we do to help you recharge?'” she shares.
Moreover, she suggests ensuring the child eats, sleeps, and hydrates properly. It also helps to encourage screen-free activities that can be calming and enriching, like arts or crafts or exercise.
Support the mental health of children and adolescents
Student mental health days are crucial but must be used appropriately. They should address genuine concerns rather than creating a culture of school avoidance. If you are concerned about a child’s health, remember to offer a listening ear and a supportive environment.
Ellen Diamond, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
