![\"\"](\"http:\/\/tidbitsofaudacity.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/UT-fans.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat does that have to do with mental health issues? First, let me say that for this issue, there isn\u2019t a one-size-fits-all fix. This subject is just ONE piece of the overall issue of mental health. I say the kids are only partially to blame because they claim to have mental health struggles, and many do. Mental health struggles are real. They are not to be taken lightly. In 1990, a survey was taken of high school students asking what their biggest struggles in school were. The top answer was drugs and alcohol. Down around 10th<\/sup> was depression and anxiety. The same survey was conducted in 2018. The results were the opposite. Depression and anxiety were #1 and drugs and alcohol were #10. What changed? Parenting<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I was growing up, I wasn\u2019t that important. My parents made sure I knew I wasn\u2019t that important. I was cared for, loved, taught, celebrated at times, but was never more important than the teacher, coach, police, or trusted adult. When I had problems at school, the approach was, \u201cWhat can we do at home to make this better?\u201d OR \u201cDon\u2019t worry, he\u2019s in so much trouble, you won\u2019t have this problem again!\u201d Much of today\u2019s approach is, \u201cWhat can you do to make my kid pass?\u201d OR \u201cThis is your fault. My kid is a great kid!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Parents, for too long, have protected their kid from any and every dart flying their way. There is no physical nor emotional immunity built up as a result. They got a trophy for spending the entire soccer season picking flowers out of the ground when they were supposed to be contributing. These kids grew up feeling VERY important. The importance grew to entitlement. The entitlement grew to a lack of respect for any form of leadership or authority. I mean, who needs leadership or authority when you are already perfect?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Right about here is where the mental health struggles kick in. They\u2019ve gone through life being told they\u2019re great for doing absolutely nothing. When they are really bad at something, they\u2019re told they\u2019re great. When they screw up in school or sports, it\u2019s the coach\u2019s or teacher\u2019s fault. Not theirs. Then they enter life, look around, and quickly realize that the world doesn\u2019t think they\u2019re nearly as important as mom and dad thought they were. This is where they begin internalizing this. They are thinking about what they are doing wrong\u2026 \u201cHow can I fix what I am doing wrong?\u201d Or \u201cWhat is it about me that is now so bad that I can\u2019t seem to please them or anybody else?\u201d Well\u2026 the answer is- you didn\u2019t change; you are just finding out that the world isn\u2019t about you. Something you were never taught before but should have learned a long time ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All of my kids can answer this as quickly as I ask it. \u201cWhat is the key to life summed up in one word?\u201d OTHERS<\/strong>! I teach them that their life isn\u2019t about them. I teach them they come after my God and my wife. I teach them that the world isn\u2019t going to hand them anything. I didn\u2019t have this happen, but I know someone well that it did happen to. His son got a trophy at the end of the season and they were both aware that they were the last place team. He took the trophy and told him he didn\u2019t deserve it. That kid will grow up with a psychological condition known as work ethic<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s the problem, once a kid realizes that throughout his\/her entire life, he was being fed a half truth and that the world isn\u2019t that impressed with him and that he actually has to work for things because they won\u2019t just hand it to you, this is where the mental health struggles begin. They were able to please their parents pretty easily. But now, it\u2019s not that easy. This leads them to a place of severe depression. They can\u2019t help but internalize all of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s the solution? Begin teaching your kids that they are only as important as their work ethic. Teach them that respect for authority is mandatory to thrive in society. Teach them that others are more important than they are. This causes them to be outward focused, which is exactly what Jesus taught. Make them accountable for their actions. Set an expectation and demand they meet the expectation. If they don\u2019t, set the consequence and MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THROUGH. If you don\u2019t follow through, they don\u2019t believe anything you say, which leads to more mental health struggles. I\u2019m not suggesting this is the whole reason for mental health struggles. I am suggesting this plays a huge role. The AAP and AACAP just declared a national emergency for children\u2019s mental health<\/a>. One major cause was covid lockdowns. Children struggling with everyday issues is also a major cause. That struggle comes from unmet expectations. Let\u2019s work on teaching our children what to expect and let them know you\u2019re here for them, but you can\u2019t \u201cadult\u201d for them. Give them the tools to succeed on their own. Their mental health will thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stay Classy GP!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grainger<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The bottles flew, the state became embarrassed, and the country got angry. If you didn\u2019t see it, The University of Tennessee (UT) was playing Ole Miss in Knoxville and the crowd didn\u2019t like a crucial call the refs made late in the game. As a result, they began to throw bottles, beer cans, golf balls, … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/tidbitsofaudacity.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/college-kid-depressed-1024x683.jpg\")
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