In 2019, the Covid-19 pandemic amplified the fragile mental states of our children and finally exposed the global mental health crisis. In the U.S. alone, the rate of mental disorders among children skyrocketed to the point that in 2022 the U.S. Surgeon General issued a rare advisory labeled “Protecting Youth Mental Health,” (2)  in which he warned that our children and young adults could be facing a serious mental health crisis.
 

The advisory states:

“Recent national surveys of young people have shown alarming increases in the prevalence of certain mental health challenges—in 2019, one in three high school students and half of the female students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, an overall increase of 40% from 2009.” We know that mental health is shaped by many factors, from our genes and brain chemistry to our relationships with family and friends, neighborhood conditions, and larger social forces and policies. We also know that, too often, young people are bombarded with messages through the media and popular culture that erode their sense of self-worth, telling them they are not good-looking enough, popular enough, smart enough, or rich enough. And all of that comes as progress on legitimate and distressing problems like climate change, income inequality, racial injustice, the opioid epidemic, and gun violence feels too slow.
 

And while technology platforms have improved our lives in important ways — increasing our ability to build new communities, deliver resources, and access information — we know that, for many people, those platforms can also have adverse effects. When not deployed responsibly and safely, these tools can pit us against one another, reinforce negative behaviors like bullying and exclusion, and undermine the safe and supportive environments young people need and deserve. All of that was true even before the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically altered young people’s experiences at home, at school, and in the community. The pandemic era’s unfathomable number of deaths, pervasive sense of fear, economic instability, and forced physical distancing from loved ones, friends, and communities have exacerbated the unprecedented stresses young people already faced.” (2)
 

    While the advisory does a great job of highlighting a wide variety of risks, calling for a greater systemic change and providing solid recommendations for individuals and institutions that care for our children, I’d like to know how many parents and caregivers actually heard about this study, had time to read it, and, most importantly, took some action.
 

    Technology keeps moving forward at unprecedented speed, often leaving us grownups behind. But our curious and fearless children are going with the flow and moving forward without comprehending the dangers and consequences that come with their tech.
 

In the past, parents would rely on Mother Nature for some of the healing and balancing. People would play and work in nature more often and, in return, nature would fine-tune their minds and bodies like a violin — automatically and on the go. Unfortunately, today, playing outdoors or hanging out in the park may seem to children too quiet and slow, if not completely boring, so it’s no surprise that Mother Nature can’t seem to compete with all the modern gadgets we all use for fun, learning, and communication. But if our children are no longer interested in having fun in nature, then who or what helps them relax, heal, and balance their virtual lives, if not us?  

    The problem is that most of the parents, educators, and guardians everywhere are just as overwhelmed, stressed, and exhausted as the children around them. The researchers at Ohio State University confirmed that “Sixty-six percent (66%) of parents reported being burned out.” (5) Many parents, including myself, are working around the clock to make ends meet, so there’s never enough time for anything.
 

    Yet if we fail to connect with our children, or won’t even try having a healthy family conversation on some of the less-talked-about topics like nature, healing, and mindfulness — then someone or something else will surely fill the void. It may be tempting to wait for schools, health organizations, and technology companies to provide us with more statistics, give us further guidance on how to deal with the current epidemic of mental problems, or, perhaps, develop some convenient Mental Health app. But as you already know, no app can do the hard work for us. We — the parents, caregivers, and guardians — need to act, and we need to act now by doing our own research and providing our children with extra support and tools that will help them cope with this new world and teach them how to take control of their minds, bodies, and souls — ideally on their own.