Kweku’s Korner
By Syke A.K. Smith
We’ve all heard the saying the youth is our future. The question here is, how is our community supporting the mental wellness of that future? People often tell me how lucky I am to be young and without any cares. When in reality, it is not the carefree utopia adults often look back on.
Our reality often breaks down into pressures that come from our communities, parents, and ourselves. It hits us from all sides. It takes a huge toll on our mental health… just like it does for adults.
A toxic combination of academic demands, social life, financial challenges, social justice, community issues and family dynamics fuel anxiety that affects our mental wellbeing.
Allow me to shed light on the challenges young people face daily and provide insight into what we need from our community to maintain mental wellness.
Help young people understand that there are many ways to be successful. For example, achieving the highest grade might seem like a great motivator, but in our minds, this can also sound like grades are the only thing the defines, measures and represents how smart we are. Let us know that “Book Smart” is not the only way to be successful in life.
Help your child prioritize and manage time. There are some nights when I’m up until midnight trying to finish homework assignments. Often times, there’s barely time to relax, reflect or participate in extracurricular activities.
Help us prioritize sleep. Stress affects my sleep. I often push through with my schedule and end up drained or cranky. We need our parents to step in and help us create a plan for rest.
Set boundaries. We count on you to do this. We will push back, but I’ve seen many of my friends sucked in to negative trends and toxic social situations. I’m guilty of trying almost every new Tik Tok dance, but I’m not allowed to post it.
Help us find balance. We won’t tell you but, we watch and learn from you. Tell us how stupid the newest trend is, but then don’t go out and buy it for yourself. In today’s world, if you don’t have a certain type of game, style, or app, you can feel out of the loop. You can’t have every new thing. Balance is key. I’m still plugged in but not completely absorbed.
Validate our anxiety about the future. Out of all of the stuff I have brought up today, the topic that seems to bring the most kids anxiety is life after school. We’re scared we won’t have anything “to fall back on” when we fail to achieve a goal. It might not be viewed as detrimental through adult eyes, but it can be a substantial setback for us. In these moments, we may just need somebody to relate to us and inspire us. We need your guidance, your understanding and your wisdom. Most importantly, teach us how to fail without letting the failure define us.