From getting the kids out the door in the morning to volunteering at their school and reviewing homework, parents of school-age children are busy. In the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to forget to take a step back and consciously model prioritizing mental health.
But the need to do so for school-age children is clear.
According to the recently released U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2021, “14.0% of Black or African American adolescents had a past year major depressive episode.”
There’s a need for change, which may mean having culturally relevant mental health conversations and practices with kids even earlier than some might expect.