Well, speaking of preaching, this question says: "We preach mental health for our children, but when I bring up concerns, they’re ignored, and my kids continue to suffer."
Are they being ignored in a school context or in other situations? If I bring up concerns and they’re ignored, what do I do?
The reality is, as a society, we are struggling to respond to mental health challenges. That’s a valid observation. So, what do we do?
We can talk with school counselors or find professional counselors who can help with the mental health challenges we’re seeing. We also need to educate ourselves—what do people with good well-being do?
What’s their diet like? What’s their exercise routine? What are their sleep patterns? By modeling our lives after what healthy people do, we can create a more stable environment.
Because the one thing we can control is our own lives. I don’t know how others will live their lives, but I can influence what happens within the walls of my home.
Mentally healthy people generally have safety, connection, meaningful support, and the necessities of life. When you’re just trying to survive, it’s difficult. That’s why we need programs to support children and families in poverty.
We also need to build meaningful connection, address loneliness, and strengthen community bonds. Many school districts are doing great work by creating community activities in schools where students can socialize and bond.
After the pandemic, we moved away from social activities. But we need to increase these meaningful interactions. These are just some of the things we must do as a culture and society to improve our mental health and well-being.
