I’d love to connect with you on Instagram, where I share home, health and lifestyle tips!

Victoria Prooday is an Occupational Therapist, internationally-known educator, and motivational speaker. She has generously agreed to let me share her article on what is troubling today’s youth, which has been read over 20 million times. My friend, Lil Deb, shared this article on Facebook. It is a bit of a difficult read, but I personally felt really challenged by it, particularly by being a “digitally distracted parent.” It can already feel that what we are doing for our kids is not enough, but Victoria provides some concrete ways to make positive changes that are significant investments for our children’s wellbeing.

Also, I ran this by my mom, who is the wisest person I know and the former principal of a Junior High. She said “This article is SPOT ON! I whole heartedly agree with what she is saying!”

-Traci Clark, PoppieLady

The silent tragedy affecting today’s children

(and what to do with it)

There is a silent tragedy developing right now, in our homes, and it concerns our most precious jewels - our children. Through my work with hundreds of children and families as an occupational therapist, I have witnessed this tragedy unfolding right in front of my eyes. Our children are in a devastating emotional state! Talk to teachers and professionals who have been working in the field for the last 15 years. You will hear concerns similar to mine. Moreover, in the past 15 years, researchers have been releasing alarming statistics on a sharp and steady increase in kids’ mental illness, which is now reaching epidemic proportions:

· 1 in 5 children has mental health problems

· 43% increase in ADHD

· 37% increase in teen depression

· 100% increase in suicide rate in kids 10-14 years old

· How much more evidence do we need before we wake up?

No, “increased diagnostics alone” is not the answer!

No, “they all are just born like this” is not the answer!

No, “it is all the school system’s fault” is not the answer!

Yes, as painful as it can be to admit, in many cases, WE, parents, are the answer to many of our kids’ struggles!

It is scientifically proven that the brain has the capacity to rewire itself through the environment. Unfortunately, with the environment and parenting styles that we are providing to our children, we are rewiring their brains in a wrong direction and contributing to their challenges in everyday life.

Yes, there are and always have been children who are born with disabilities and despite their parents’ best efforts to provide them with a well-balanced environment and parenting, their children continue to struggle. These are NOT the children I am talking about here.

I am talking about many others whose challenges are greatly shaped by the environmental factors that parents, with their greatest intentions, provide to their children. As I have seen in my practice, the moment parents change their perspective on parenting, these children change.

What is wrong?

Today’s children are being deprived of the fundamentals of a healthy childhood, such as:

· Emotionally available parents

· Clearly defined limits and guidance

· Responsibilities

· Balanced nutrition and adequate sleep

· Movement and outdoors

· Creative play, social interaction, opportunities for unstructured times and boredom

Instead, children are being served with:

· Digitally distracted parents

· Indulgent parents who let kids “Rule the world”

· Sense of entitlement rather than responsibility

· Inadequate sleep and unbalanced nutrition

· Sedentary indoor lifestyle

· Endless stimulation, technological babysitters, instant gratification, and absence of dull moments

Could anyone imagine that it is possible to raise a healthy generation in such an unhealthy environment? Of course not! There are no shortcuts to parenting, and we can’t trick human nature. As we see, the outcomes are devastating. Our children pay for the loss of well-balanced childhood with their emotional well-being.

We must make changes in our kids’ lives before this entire generation of children will be medicated! It is not too late yet, but soon it will be… -Victoria Prooday

Victoria Prooday is a Registered Occupational Therapist, an internationally-known educator, motivational speaker and a popular blogger on modern-day parenting and high-tech lifestyle’s impact on a child nervous system. Victoria is a founder and a clinical director of a multidisciplinary clinic for children with behavioral, attentional, social, emotional and academic challenges. You can find the original article here and find many more of her helpful articles for parenting on her website!