3 Ways Parents Can Help Prevent Depression in Their Kids HPC: E58

Warning - sad statistic. :( The 2nd leading cause of death for kids ages 10-24 in America is...suicide.

I'm not okay with this!

Let's talk this Depression Awareness Month about prevention - there are research-based strategies that parents can use to reduce their kids' chances of being depressed (and committing suicide).

If we can make these practices a part of American culture, we can save American kids!!

(See the post I talk about in the video here: https://www.facebook.com/kidscookrealfood/photos/a.1833168477005190/2453581961630502/ )

Mayo Clinic lists the following about depression:

** Cause: "Learned patterns of negative thinking. Teen depression may be linked to learning to feel helpless rather than learning to feel capable of finding solutions for life's challenges."

And one of their 4 preventative steps:

** "Take steps to control stress, increase resilience and boost self-esteem to help handle issues when they arise."

Today I'm expanding on these 3 things parents can do to raise depression-proof kids:

Control stress - so much harder to implement than say!
Boost self-esteem - through genuine accomplishment, not empty compliments
Increase resilience

It is so important that as parents we do these things with our own kids and share with others. Depression and suicide are rising at alarming rates and it's scary! We can't sit by and be silent while kids are suffering and dying.

Resources:

* Mayo Clinic article about teen suicide: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teen-suicide/art-20044308?fbclid=IwAR2ooIcYwpvhDGCMOvtHY1JKpjJDuLzpaQzZE3z2UwyYoeEWnL6JWHjkHBw
* Mayo Clinic article about teen depression: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/teen-depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20350985?fbclid=IwAR1cBX4zbBEba3EghFA0VwJBICa4q7GT_ix0SC6w7ZC4d7PXdmyQ3GpiHws
* My interview with Jessica Lahey on the gift of failure: https://kidscookrealfood.com/letting-kids-fail/
* My interview with Jessica Sherman on raising resilience: https://kidscookrealfood.com/reducing-stress-in-kids/
* My Healthy Parenting Connector episodes on Stress Mastery: https://kidscookrealfood.com/stress-mastery-1/ and https://kidscookrealfood.com/stress-mastery-2/
* My interview with Lisa Dorval on meditation for kids (includes 2 guided meditations): https://kidscookrealfood.com/meditation-for-kids/
* The Wellness Mama podcast episode with Margot Bisnow: https://wellnessmama.com/podcast/raising-an-entrepreneur/

Visit the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse and see how we teach children confidence in the kitchen: https://kidscookrealfood.com

Find all the Kids Cook Real Food Healthy Parenting Connector videos at https://youtu.be/GVRq0m-Ehe4