My colleague, Sam Wildow, and I talked to parents and experts from across the region about parenting teenagers and even younger kids who are struggling with their mental health as part of our Mental Health Matters project. The parents we talked to said many of the same things.
We found:
• Parents are struggling to know if their kids have signs of mental illness or if their behavior is just common for teens. Experts say the difference can be seen in looking at the behavior pattern: prolonged periods of sadness, social withdrawal or worsening academic performance can be indicators. Parents should trust their judgment and seek help if they think it’s needed.
• Kids are constantly watching adults. Adults should model the behavior they want their kids to have, like using phones less, reading books and making friends.
• Social media can be difficult to navigate for both teens and parents. Some parents try to put up boundaries around phones for both parents and kids.
I also spoke with Oakwood teen Kay Handler and her mom, Erin. Kay has struggled with mental illness since she was younger, but her mom has advocated to get Kay more help and been someone Kay says she can lean on.
In talking to parents in my own life, I’ve found many of them are still struggling with these same problems. They worry about getting their kids to put away their devices and pay attention to the world, if their kids are making friends and more. Some worry that if their child isn’t ok, will they say so?
Please let us know what you think. Email me at eileen.mcclory@coxinc.com and Sam at samantha.wildow@coxinc.com.
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