Once upon a time, a group of children found a magical word. This word opened doors, paused punishments, explained tears, and even extended homework deadlines.

The word was: Mental health.

At first, it brought healing. It helped children find their voice. But then, slowly, some children began using it not as a shield, but as a shortcut. Not for healing, but for hiding.

The Double-Edged Sword of Awareness

Creating mental health awareness in schools is powerful and absolutely necessary. It helps children who are silently hurting. It empowers teachers and parents to see beyond behaviour. It saves lives.

But like any powerful tool, when misused, it can create confusion.

Some children may start:

• Using mental health as an excuse to avoid responsibility.
• Claiming anxiety to skip tests they didn’t study for.
• Saying they are “mentally stressed” to avoid consequences.
• Misleading kind-hearted teachers and caregivers.

So, how do we keep the truth of mental health awareness alive, without allowing it to become a cloak for laziness or manipulation?

1. Balance Empathy with Accountability

Kindness is not the absence of discipline. You can be compassionate and still hold students accountable.

• “I understand you’re overwhelmed. Let’s talk about it, but you’ll still need to finish your assignment.”
• “I hear that you’re feeling low. Let’s work on strategies to help you cope and keep learning.”

Teach students that struggles don’t remove responsibility; they just change the way we carry it.

1. Teach Children What Mental Health Really Means

Mental health isn’t a magic escape card—it’s a real part of life. Hold workshops, group sessions, and creative classes that help children:

• Understand emotions,
• Name what they’re feeling,
• Know the difference between stress, sadness, and disorders.

When children understand, they respect it more.

1. Create Clear Support Systems, Not Free Passes

Support should never be vague. A child who says, “I’m not okay,” shouldn’t be left alone or sent home repeatedly. Instead, they should have structured support: maybe a chat with the school counselor, breathing exercises, quiet time, or follow-up plans. Let help be real, but let it come with tools, not tickets.

1. Train Adults to Gently Question, Not Just Accept

Teachers, parents, and caregivers should listen first, but also discern. Not every “I’m anxious” is a lie. But not every “I’m anxious” is true either. Ask deeper questions:

• “When did this start?”
• “Can you describe how it feels?”
• “What has helped before?”

This helps separate emotion from excuse without shaming or doubting the child.

1. Model Honesty and Emotional Integrity

Children mirror what they see. If adults in the school environment: Talk openly about their own challenges, Admit mistakes, Show resilience and honesty, Children will learn that mental health is not a loophole, it’s a journey of self-awareness.

Don’t Remove the Mirror—Just Clean It

Mental health awareness in schools is like a mirror. It helps us see children clearly. But if the mirror gets foggy—with lies, laziness, and misuse—we start seeing things wrongly.

Let’s not throw away the mirror. Let’s clean it with truth, structure, and love. Because real awareness means knowing when to pause and when to push. And every child—whether hurting or hiding—deserves adults who care enough to know the difference.