Hello, Manitou Springs parents!
I’m a sixth grader at Manitou Springs Middle School. Before I start, I just wanted to say thank you to all the parents because parenting is so hard and, although we may not say it, you do a great job for us.
As I get older, I am seeing behaviors from my peers that make me worried about the future of Manitou Springs teenagers.
For example, if your child is going through any type of bullying like body shaming, physical bullying or mental bullying, all they want to do is come home and feel safe. But if they come home to a non-healthy community it’s going to hurt them more.
In middle school there’s going to be lots of drama. I’ve been in lots of drama and it really takes a toll on my learning and my mental health. It’s great for me to come home to a healthy community after all the drama.
Increases in depression, anxiety and self-confidence happen when young people can’t escape the constant drama and don’t have a healthy environment at home. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, one in seven teens is experiencing mental health conditions that are going untreated.
If kids aren’t in a healthy environment when they come home, they stop eating and sleeping. If they have a good, healthy community, they still tend to eat and sleep well.
This is my challenge to the parents: Try to check on your kids not only about school but how they are.
Ask if they need to talk about anything and check on their mental health. Make sure your kids are actually doing OK; just because they say that they’re OK doesn’t mean it’s true. Being a teen is hard.
For all of you parents who read this, again thank you for what you do and I’d really appreciate it if you would take this into consideration.
Elizabeth Trout