She Allows Her Daughter To Take One Mental Health Day Off From School Each Month, But After Sharing Her Decision Online, It Prompted Both Support And Pushback From Viewers

Emily Chan |

Nov 4, 2023

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A mom from New Jersey shared on TikTok about how she lets her daughter take one day off from school each month, and it has sparked a debate among commenters.

Noel LaPalomento (@_the1stnoel) posted a twelve-second video of her six-year-old daughter Giada, grinning from ear to ear as she enjoyed her break from school.

“I told my daughter she can pick one day each month to stay home from school without being sick,” Noel wrote in the text overlay of the video.

In the post, she showed clips of her daughter pushing a toy stroller outside, sipping on boba, and munching on cotton candy at the mall. It quickly went viral and now has over twelve and a half million views.

Many people shared how the time off from school when they were kids made a world of difference in their happiness levels and well-being.

“My mom did this whenever I would get so overwhelmed with school and I’m honestly thankful for that,” commented one TikTok user.

“My mom did this with me & I have the best memories of us going shopping & dining together. Forever my best friend…kept me out of trouble as a teen,” stated another.

Additionally, several teachers chimed in about the value of taking mental health days, with one saying, “I’m a teacher and I’m not even mad about it. Especially if she’s so little!! Mental health days are super important and let kids be kids!”

Although most people were in support of her decision, she did receive some pushback from a few commenters, with some claiming that one day per month seemed excessive and others asserting that weekends were the time for breaks.

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In an interview with Good Morning America, Noel explained how the idea to let her daughter stay home from school came about.

Giada would wake up at 6:30 in the morning to get ready in time for the 35 to 40-minute drive to the private school she attended. She was in school for a total of seven hours a day, which Noel pointed out was a lot for a six-year-old to endure and was taking a toll on her energy levels and mental health.

“Last year, there was a time she would literally come home from school, she’d be sleeping on the step before I could get her off. Then, she’d be sleeping in the hallway. It was like, the kid was a zombie,” she said.

She added that ever since her daughter started going to school all day long, they didn’t get to spend much time together. After making dinner and helping with homework, it would be time for bed already.

So, she offered to call her daughter out of school once a month to give them more quality time together and to help her recharge. Noel believes that the occasional day off can even motivate her daughter to want to go to school.

What do you think? Are mental health days a good idea?