Parent Mental Health Day today by charity stem4 is encouraging parents to find balance after two challenging years

Exhausted parents need to find more balance in their daily lives to improve and protect their own well being, after a difficult two years raising a family in the midst of a global pandemic, say mental health experts.

Those behind today's first ever Parent Mental Health Day insist now is the time for adults to regain some equilibrium and support their own health while continuing the juggle they have to meet the ongoing needs of those around them.

Today's inaugural event, launched by charity stem4 which supports teenagers and the young, hopes to shine a light on the importance of parent mental health and the huge impact and ripple effect it can have on a whole family.

After a demanding two years for households across the country with the boundaries between home, work and school often blurred as a result of ongoing restrictions and isolation rules, adults – say stem4 – need reminding that while supporting their children and teenagers is important, their own well being needs regular attention too.

The charity explains: "The past two years have been like no other, with huge impact on young people’s mental health. With ever-changing restrictions, uncertainties, multiple roles, health, educational, economic and social impact, it is easy for parents and carers to overlook their own mental health as they juggle daily tasks.

"Parent Mental Health Day is here to shine a light on the unsung heroes who have parented under changed circumstances throughout the pandemic, but now need some focus on themselves.

"By getting parents, carers and employers engaged in discussions, PMHD aims to challenge the stigmas surrounding parents’ mental health and start a discussion about how they are coping."

Stem4 is encouraging parents and carers to look at their day-to-day lives and explore how small changes might 'tip the balance' to ensure looking after their family is not at the expense of their own wellbeing.

A free nationwide webinar is taking place at 7pm this evening in which parents will be shown how improving their own mental health can benefit the whole family and how they can #tipthebalance to take care of themselves too.

Consultant clinical psychologist and stem4 founder Dr Nihara Krause has also put together 10 tips, which she suggests can help parents find some balance and avoid the feelings of overwhelm and exhaustion which can come from the daily grind.

Designed to be simple, manageable small changes that may go on to have a bigger impact on everyone's quality of life – suggestions for parents include ranking tasks in order of their importance when they feel overwhelmed, scheduling regular downtime with family in the form of walks or games and taking more time for themselves even if this initially is only a longer shower or some time in the car alone listening to their favourite music.

Dr Krause's advice also encourages grown-ups to talk about how they feel with others in order to offload.

She explains: "Talk to someone you feel close to about how you feel.

"Admitting to feeling out of balance is often a relief and can help challenge feelings of failure, especially if you have very high standards for yourself."

To register for stem4's free webinar discussing the importance of parent mental health please click here. For more information on Parent Mental Health Day click here.