October 10 is World Mental Health Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about mental health and reminding us that emotional well-being is an important part of overall health. For kinship caregivers, it is also a good opportunity to recognize something that can easily get overlooked: caregivers need care, too.
Kinship caregivers often step into their caregiving role because a child they love needs them. Sometimes that transition happens gradually, but often it happens suddenly—with little time to prepare emotionally, financially, or practically.
Along with the love and commitment that come with raising a relative’s child, caregivers may also experience stress, grief, worry, exhaustion, financial pressure, changes in family relationships, and uncertainty about the future. You may be navigating schools, medical appointments, benefits, legal issues, or behavioral challenges while also helping a child cope with changes and experiences that brought them into your care.
That is a lot for one person to carry.
When Caregivers Put Themselves Last
When you are focused on meeting a child’s needs, taking care of yourself can feel like one more thing on an already long to-do list. You may tell yourself that you will rest when things settle down or make time for yourself when everyone else is taken care of.
But caregiving is rarely predictable, and that quieter time may never arrive on its own.
Stress can build gradually. You might notice that you are more tired than usual, easily frustrated, having trouble sleeping, withdrawing from people you enjoy, worrying constantly, or simply feeling like you have nothing left to give.
Recognizing that you are overwhelmed is not a sign that you are failing as a caregiver. It is a sign that you may need support.
Self-Care Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
Taking care of your mental health does not require a weekend away, an expensive activity, or hours of free time. Sometimes the most realistic forms of self-care are small.
Take a short walk. Sit outside for ten minutes. Call someone who makes you laugh. Listen to music in the car. Say no to something you do not have the capacity to take on. Ask another family member to help with dinner. Attend a kinship support group. Schedule an appointment you have been putting off. Give yourself permission to rest without feeling guilty.
Most importantly, stay connected. Kinship caregiving can sometimes feel isolating, especially when friends or family members do not fully understand your situation. Talking with another kinship caregiver can remind you that you are not alone.
Remember the Children’s Mental Health, Too
World Mental Health Day is also an opportunity to check in with the children in your care.
Children living with kin may have experienced significant changes, separation, grief, trauma, or uncertainty. Even when children are safe and thriving in a kinship home, they may still have complicated feelings about their parents, their past, or why they are living with a relative.
Behavior is often one of the ways children communicate those feelings.
Changes in sleep, school performance, eating habits, mood, behavior, or relationships may be signs that a child needs some additional support. Creating predictable routines, listening without judgment, acknowledging their feelings, and reminding them that they are safe and loved can make a meaningful difference.
You do not have to have all the answers. Sometimes the most important thing you can say is, “I’m here, and we’ll figure this out together.”
It’s Okay to Ask for Help
Kinship caregivers are often incredibly resourceful. Many have spent years being the person others turn to when something goes wrong. That can make asking for help especially difficult.
But you were never meant to do this alone.
Support might come from family members, friends, your child’s school, a counselor, a faith community, another kinship caregiver, community organizations, or your Kinship Navigator. Asking for help before you reach a breaking point can make challenges much easier to manage.
If you have been feeling overwhelmed, anxious, persistently sad, exhausted, or simply unlike yourself, consider reaching out to someone you trust or talking with a healthcare or mental health professional.
Take a Moment to Check In With Yourself
This World Mental Health Day, take a few minutes to ask yourself:
How am I really doing?
Then think about one thing that would make life a little easier right now. Maybe you need someone to listen. Maybe you need help finding a resource. Maybe you need a break. Or maybe you simply need to hear that taking time to care for yourself is important.
You spend so much time making sure the children in your care have what they need. You deserve support, connection, and care, too.
At Kinship Connections of Wyoming, our Navigators are here to walk alongside kinship families, help identify resources, provide support, and connect caregivers with others who understand the unique journey of raising a relative’s child.
Because stronger caregivers help build stronger families—and no kinship caregiver should have to navigate this journey alone.
