Unless you’ve been burying your head in the sand recently, or you’re a total non-news reader, you’ve probably noticed the world is facing more than a few serious, possibly existential, threats at the moment. Even if you’re not up with news of wars, climate change, cost of living crises, the potential threat of AI on job opportunities (and possibly, even humanity itself), you surely haven’t failed to notice the increased cost of fuel when you take the car to the gas station. It’s all painting a dismal picture, and if even grown-ups are feeling disillusioned, and wishing they could turn back the clock to more stable times, imagine what it must be like for our younger generation who are only just finding their place on an increasingly hostile world stage?
We all know the stats: mental health issues are dramatically on the rise among young people. While it might feel this is simply because of a greater awareness of the problem and young people are therefore more likely to report instances of, for example, depression or anxiety, the fact is even with these factors taken into account, poor mental health among the young is now a much more serious issue now than it once was. You may have even noticed this trend among your own grandchildren: behavioural problems at school, reduced confidence because of bullying, negative body image, anti-social episodes, substance abuse, eating disorders… Unfortunately, it’s an almost endless list. On a more casual basis, you might hear a young adult in your life say they don’t want to have children because the world is in such a mess. Or they wish they could go onto tertiary education but they’re too afraid of being lumbered with debt to sign up for a course.
As grandparents, it’s not easy to watch the children and young people we love becoming so concerned with the future, or preoccupied with immediate problems, they appear to be losing pleasure in life, or hope. So, just how can we play our part in helping them to have greater optimism? The answer (unless a child requires professional medical help) may be found in the suggestions below:
- Take the concerns of children and young people seriously by listening carefully to what they are telling you – if you brush off their worries, they’ll simply assume you don’t care or understand, and will stop sharing their feelings with you.
- It can help a child if you put their concerns into some kind of perspective by drawing on worries you had as a young person (especially if you found ways to overcome them). Perhaps, for example, you were bullied, and learned how to manage the situation through the help of an adult you confided in. This kind of story gives children hope.
- Talk to your grandchildren about the work you’ve done (and are still doing) to make the world a better place. It might be the tree planting you and you environmental group are carrying out, or the volunteer phone-line you are trained to staff. Do you belong to a group such as Amnesty International, or support Doctors Without Borders? If you do, talk about the difference NGOs make to the world. If your grandchild is looking for ways to help, discuss with their parents a group they might like to volunteer with.
- Read stories to young children about individuals who have changed the world for good (check out the series Little People, Big Dreams). Talk about children and young people who have made a huge difference to the way others are treated (think of Malala Yousafa and Eve van Grafthorst). Use teen birthdays as an opportunity to buy non-fiction books about groups and individuals who work for justice.
- Encourage your grandchildren into physical activity – once they’re on the sports field or a hike, there is less chance for them to dwell on preoccupations, or to spend time on devices that fuel their worries.
- Help your grandchild to have fun, whether through spending time with a pet, a hobby, or learning a new skill such as playing a music instrument. When we engage our brains in different ways, we are more likely to see concerns in perspective.
Anxiety about the future isn’t something new; however, in a digital age, it can be more easily fuelled than it once was. Our job as grandparents and friends to children and young people is to listen to their concerns, seek professional help for them where it’s required, and to look for practical ways to help them have hope.