Mental Health Awareness
Society today is more focused and verbal on one’s mental health than years gone by. As a child I was not even aware of mental health. After all, I grew up in the 60’s and times were different. And yet today, times are still different. In my opinion of course, different is neither good nor bad, it is just different and it’s upto us as an individual to do our due diligence to be aware of what different is. For me, different today is that feelings are heard. Feelings are verbal and sometimes they are a physical act to get out what one is actually feeling.
I’m not here to say how the world has changed, family dynamics have changed, schools, communities and even churches have changed. I’m here to suggest ways in which we can support our children in this different world. Mental Health is an issue and topic in which we all have had to deal with or have heard about or even seen. In my heart, when there is an issue, instead of blaming another or pointing fingers at another, why not come up with a type of solution on the issue? Let’s think about our children and youth today, even young adults. How do they cope with life? We’ve seen so much violence and devastation in this world that we all know it’s a problem, but what is a solution? Solutions aren’t the same for everyone, this I know, but I feel that with a solution it will allow one to move forward, not put blame or to point fingers at anything or at anyone, but to move forward and try to find a solution.
Mental health affects how we feel, how we act and how we think. If we can provide our children and youth with the tools and resources to know how to cope and to learn better coping skills is a solution worth looking into. When I taught preschool years ago, I started our day with Circle Time. This always allowed me to engage with each child and get a feel for their frame of mind to start our day. I wrote their name on a thick Popsicle stick, this was a way to identify their name. I also had two cups on my upfront easel display, one with a big smiley face and one with a big sad face. I held the stick up and the child would identify their name! They came up and took the Popsicle stick to place in one of the two cups. I always asked them why they put it in the one they did. So many times with a big smile on their face they placed it in the sad cup. After we talked briefly about their choice they usually removed it to place in the big smiley cup. This simple way to start the day was quite empowering for both parties!
How can we support our children and youth today to improve and to have better coping skills?
My first suggestion is to be aware that your child is in need to express their emotions and feelings in a verbal or physical fashion. The suggestion here is to avoid physical negative behavior or reactions, so if we become more aware of how our child is feeling would be a good place to start. Please, don’t let the thought of “oh, geesh” we have to talk above feelings go through your mind. This is important, it may not seem important to you but feelings are big part of our child’s attitude. Let’s try these simple tactics as part of the solution:
Be present for your child, communicate with them at an age appropriate level. They don’t want to hear about your hard day or your failed promotion when they are young. This is a story for another time. Focus on your child’s development.
Discuss with your child openly if they feel safe or comfortable to even communicate with you. If a child doesn’t feel comfortable or safe in any conversation you’re wasting your time and confusing them.
Take notice of your child’s reactions during discussions. Their expressions say a lot. If you mention that you’re going to go to ____and their attitude changes, ask them what they don’t like or they do like about where you’re going. Or, who you’re going with.
Should your child seem upset or confused during any discussion, stop. Take a breath, take notice. Have a calm discussion to allow them to share their feelings, and again, come to a solution.
You want your child to be comfortable and to feel safe when communicating with you, you will learn a lot from these talks and build trust and come to resolve different attitudes, different emotions and different emotions when your child has better coping skills.
