Mental illness in parents can have a great impact on the lives of the children, affecting them in every sphere of their lives. Families shape the quality of lives. Early relationships within the family serve as a prototype for later relationships. When parental mental illness is present, children may have unsatisfactory models for later peer relationships. They face problems in relationships-both family and peer, academics, and also go through psychological and behavioural problems. The environment in which they grow often tends to be chaotic and many children are forced to assume the role of carers. Care-giving has been associated with limiting young people’s recreation, friendships, educational achievement and personal growth. It is very important for every health care professional to realize this painful situation that a child goes through in dealing with a mentally ill parent. They should spend some time in talking to these children, teach them some adaptive coping strategies that will help them cope effectively with the situation that they are going through.Some of the strategies discussed below include accepting reality, understanding their parents’ condition, improving family and peer relationships, seeking social support, working on academic performance, dealing with psychological and behavioural issues and so on.