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We have all felt stressed at some point in our lives. Balancing the life elements of family and work can be brutal, often leading to burnout, anxiety, and even depression. According to a 2022 survey completed by Teaching Strategies, almost half of the educators reported struggling with burnout and their mental health. As early childhood educators, we face several challenges within our field: lack of support and resources, long hours, emotional demands, and financial struggles, to name a few. These factors can lead to educators leaving the field and adding to the vicious cycle of chronic staffing shortages. Consider that 50% of your staff could be struggling. This article will provide strategies to support them.
“You can’t care for babies without caring for the people who care for babies.” –Walter Gilliam, PhD
1 in 5 adults in the United States experience mental illness each year. Some of us may have been struggling with mental health throughout our lives, some of us may have developed conditions later in life, and some may have been brought on by work-related issues, including poor working environments. How can we support each other in the early childhood field that we love?
Mental health can be challenging to talk about for many reasons. Promoting open communication, educating yourself and colleagues or employees, offering resources, and creating a safe space to discuss mental health can lessen the stigma surrounding this sensitive topic.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month; this article will explore how early childhood leaders can support their staff and care for their mental health. The support systems, or lack thereof, can be make-or-break at home and/or your place of work.
Taking care of our mental health is beneficial not only within our work but in all aspects of our lives. Prioritize your health and implement self-care when possible. Explore this list of evidence-based ways to improve your mental health.
WAYS LEADERS CAN SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH
Talk about feelings, ask your team if they need help, and use active listening.
This could be as simple as a weekly check-in. Proactively reach out and talk about each team member’s well-being. Listen, provide support, and identify areas where you could lend a hand.
Be mindful of your activity levels.
Yes, most of us in the field are active and constantly on the move when we are engaging with our students, building blocks, or running around the gym or playground, but for some of us, that may be the only movement we get. Think about planning a weekly activity to do as a group before or after school. This could be yoga or Zumba; ask your staff what interests them. We give our students movement breaks, so why not utilize YouTube ourselves?
Take a break.
Check-in on staff. Sometimes, things happen in someone’s life where they need a 5-minute break to regroup and refocus.
Eat well.
Promote healthy eating. Yes, those delicious teachers’ lounge donuts and muffins are great sometimes but can lead to fatigue and sluggishness. Instead of those sugary snacks, try bringing in a veggie tray, providing a simple yogurt bar, nuts, fruits, and/or water bottles.
Accept your qualities and work on building confidence and self-esteem
This could be a great team-building opportunity. Create a self-esteem bulletin board! Have staff members thank each other for something they did or compliment someone; this could make their day.
If you are a leader in early childhood, support not only your employees’ mental health but also your own. How can you manage your well-being as a leader? (Check out this link)
By successfully incorporating mental health strategies, you can create a supportive, healthy, positive environment and improve your team’s well-being!
Additional resources to further explore:
General, O. of the S. (2025, January 24). Workplace Mental Health & Well-being. HHS.gov. https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/workplace-well-being/index.html
U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Mental health at work. DOL. https://www.dol.gov/general/mental-health-at-work#what-can-i-do-to-help
Morra Aarons-Mele. (n.d.). Morra Aarons-Mele: The anxious achiever. Morra Aarons-Mele | The Anxious Achiever. https://morraam.com/
Hannah Heuft, M.Ed., is an Assessor and Training Specialist for the McCormick Institute, Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University (NLU). Hannah earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Arizona State University and a graduate degree in early childhood education from Grand Canyon University. She spent 11 years in the early childhood education field in classroom settings before accepting her current position and has experience as an instructional assistant, parent and family educator, and certified teacher.