About On Our Sleeves

Children don’t wear their thoughts on their sleeves. With 1 in 5 children living with a significant mental health concern and half of all lifetime mental health concerns starting by age 14, we need to give them a voice. On Our Sleeves, powered by behavioral health experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, aims to provide every community in the United States with free resources necessary for breaking child mental health stigmas and educating families and advocates, because no child or family should struggle alone.

Since the inception of On Our Sleeves in 2018, more than 3 million people in every state across America have interacted with the movement’s free pediatric mental health educational resources at OnOurSleeves.org and educator curriculums have reached more than four of five classrooms across the United States.

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Recent Blog Posts

Finding a Mental Health Therapist for Your Child

It can be stressful to see your child struggle with their mental health. Navigating the mental health care system and finding a therapist can feel like a lot to figure out. Our mental health experts have information on where to start and what questions to ask.

When to Worry About Your Child’s Mental Health

How can you tell if your child’s emotional or behavioral struggles are normal changes as they grow up or signs of a mental health concern? Concerning behavior that lasts for several weeks, or that seems to improve and then gets dramatically worse may need additional attention.

Dad making Christmas cookies with his son and daughter

How Holiday Traditions Can Make Your Family Closer

During the holidays, having family traditions can help to bring deeper meaning to your celebrations. When your customs and traditions include togetherness and fun, they may boost your child’s mood.

When a Child Has a Loss or Big Change

Children experience grief over many life experiences that don’t involve a death in the family – a friend moving away, a divorce, or even a favorite teacher leaving their classroom. Sometimes these kinds of losses cause complex feelings in children, and if it’s not talked about or is misunderstood, it can be even harder for them to cope with.

Group of diverse teens in a huddle, smiling

Practicing Friendship Skills with Children

Friendships build mental health in a number of important ways, but making friends can be hard. Here are six ways to help children make friends and be a better friend.

Teaching Kids About Emotions Is Good for Mental Health

Teaching children to notice emotions is one of the first steps in helping them develop coping skills. It’s good for a child’s mental health to understand and manage feelings.

Why Belonging Matters

Belonging is a basic human need and children who feel connected to their family, community and school see big mental and physical health benefits.

Team of boy soccer players practicing drills

Helping Children Who Compete Handle Pressure

Sometimes the pressure to win in sports can feel overwhelming. For children competing in sports, constantly focusing on always on winning can harm a child’s mental health.

Understanding Your Child’s Behavior

When children act out, whether they’re 3 or 13, it can be challenging to know what to do. Once you understand more about why they act the way they do, you can react more calmly. And noticing and praising “good” or positive behavior can really help encourage them to change their behavior.

How to Advocate for Children’s Mental Health

You know that children’s mental health is important. But how can you make a difference on such a big issue? Your actions and your words matter – and can have an impact. The On Our Sleeves experts have some ideas for you.

Helping a Child With Anxious Feelings

We’ve all felt nervous or worried from time to time and our kids are no exception. Did you know that avoiding anxiety can make it stronger? By helping kids move forward while still feeling anxious, we can help them to do things while afraid.

5 Ways to Help Your Child Get Enough Sleep

Every evening, a similar routine plays out in many households: Parents try to get their children off to bed, and this starts a complex back and forth of demands, pleading, extra snacks, trips to the bathroom, and a stressful end to the day. You may occasionally give in and let your child stream another video or stay up late reading, but ensuring your child consistently gets enough sleep is crucial to their mental and physical health.

Mother and daughter talking on the couch

How to Talk to Kids About Social Media

Whether your child has started exploring social media or not, your family can work together to come up with a plan that everyone can agree on. By knowing the risks and benefits, talking to your child and working on a social media plan together, you’re building the relationship between you and your child.

Prioritizing Family Mental Health in 2023

We all have resolutions that we focus on this time of year. This year, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital would like to shift some of that focus from physical goals to mental ones: Specifically, the mental health of you and your loved ones.