This viral TikTok reminds us all that it’s totally OK for kids to take mental health days from school

When was the last time you took a mental health day? Sometimes life is just a little too stressful, and while you’re not sick, per se, you still just need a day off work for some rest and recovery. And that doesn’t just apply to adults. As one viral TikTok reveals, kids need mental health days from school sometimes.

Chevonne, a mom who posts to TikTok as @thiswellplannedlife, posted the viral video when she decided to spend the day with her daughter, who needed a break from her classes. In the caption, she wrote, “Perfect attendance < Taking mental health days off from school,” which is extremely true (have we mentioned that perfect attendance awards are ableist because kids who struggle with mental or chronic illness or other disabilities sometimes have no choice but to miss school?).

Over the video, Chevonne wrote, “Giving your child a day off from school because school is stressful, and they need breaks too.”

And the sweet video shows Chevonne and her daughter enjoying a mental health day together. First, they get hot pot for lunch, which looks absolutely delicious and is the perfect choice for the cold weather that’s been happening pretty much everywhere lately. Then, they head to Target, where Chevonne’s daughter can be seen shopping for Squishmallows. Name a better buddy for a mental health day, we’ll wait. Finally, the pair heads to Marshall’s to finish their mom-and-daughter day by picking up some cozy new pajamas. We can only hope they’re headed home after this to hit the couch for a cozy movie-watching sesh.

In the comments, it’s great to see that other parents are wholeheartedly agreeing with Chevonne that kids are humans who sometimes need breaks, and it’s OK for us to help them with that.

“I don’t care what anyone thinks this is completely VALID and my child will always always know if he needs a break he absolutely can have one,” one mom wrote.

Another added, “I would do anything for my future kids not to have a bad mental health cuz ik how bad it hurts.”

Even a teacher weighed in: “As a substitute teacher who gets very overwhelmed in middle school I love this !”

Which, valid, because obviously teachers need breaks, too. Is this our cue to take a mental health day today? That hot pot did look really good…