Page 8 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 3_2023

Today's Child

W TO
SUPPO
RT
HO
HOW TO SUPPORT

YOUR CHILDREN'S
REN'
S
UR CHILD
YO

MENTAL HEALTH
MENTAL HEALTH

BY NICOLA KILLOPS

he modern world is a dizzying for adults. Children face various mental
place, and it’s only getting crazier health challenges, including anxiety and
by the day. Most of us adults find depression. While mental health disorders
Tourselves frantically running on a can be caused by a combination of
proverbial hamster wheel, playing ‘Whack- factors, parenting practices and the family
a-Mole’ with whatever new and exciting environment play a significant role in
unforeseen challenge comes our way. A supporting or hindering children’s mental
study was conducted across 34 countries health. So parents need to understand how
to determine the Mental Health Quotient they can provide adequate support to their
(MHQ) of various nations, and guess who children to promote their mental health.
came in stone last? Yup, Sunny South Africa! As a Gen-X parent, I see some significant
No surprise if you take a step back and make differences in my generation’s approach to
a list of the issues South Africans tackle parenting. Most of us who experienced our
daily. We are so desensitised to much of it teen years during the 90s had to fumble
we don’t realise its burden on our mental through some hairy experiences. There
health. Crime is rampant, regular load would be hell to pay if our parents knew
shedding is not letting up, petrol prices are what we were doing when we said we were
escalating, corruption is rife, the economy is staying over at (insert best friend’s name
failing, inflation is rising, and, and and… here) ‘s house.

SUFFER, LITTLE CHILDREN Now that we are at the parenting wheel,
Now, consider how challenging the world many of us have teens of our own. We are
can be for our children. We often think that a lot more realistic about teenage curiosity
many of the issues around us go unnoticed and its inevitable pitfalls. We have swapped
by them, yet they are far more aware than our parents’ Don’t do it, or there will be
we give them credit for. Whether through severe punishment’ to ‘Even if you think you
social media or overheard conversations, have made a bad decision, never be afraid to
they are exposed to the stress and strain call me to help get you out safely.’
of the world around them. Although some We realise that demanding our teens never
of us may go out of our way to shield them touch alcohol, have a sexual experience
from it, it gets discussed on the school or accept a drag of the spliff being passed
playground, often in ways that can make it around is not going to prevent it from
far more frightening, without context. happening. Teens always have and always
65% of adolescents surveyed by UNICEF will.
are battling mental health issues. Yet, they
remain silent – too afraid of judgement, Instead, we want to ensure they feel safe to
uncertain where to turn for help, or talk about these things rather than let them
believing their worries to be too small to spiral into more significant problems like
speak about. Despite the rising awareness, drinking and driving, unplanned pregnancy
the stigma persists, which needs to change. and hard drug dependence.

SO, WHAT CAN WE DO? However, regardless of our somewhat more
Mental health is an essential aspect progressive approach to parenting, our kids
of our general well-being, and it is are still growing up in a world vastly different
equally important for children as it is to the one we grew up in. As a result, we

6 DPL issue 3 2023
8 DPL issue 5 2022