Minding Mental Health

MY OLDEST SON WAS 3 BEFORE I FINALLY PRIED THE BINKY FROM HIS MOUTH FOR THE LAST TIME. My second-born, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with a pacifier, no matter how many times I desperately offered it.

From their eating habits to sleeping patterns and general dispositions, my two boys couldn’t be more different. And from the get-go, parenting them has been vastly different too. It wasn’t just their distinct personalities, it was me. First-time motherhood left me lovestruck and joyous, but the second time around, I felt crushed and depleted. Postpartum depression made me an entirely different mom.

Parenting—whether it’s the newborn days or the teenage years—is always trying. But parenting while facing a mental health concern is even more challenging. And studies have found that the mental wellness of parents and their children is intertwined; poor mental health in parents is related to poor mental and physical health in kids. And so when the editorial team sat down to map out a theme for this issue, we knew mental health was an imperative topic to address.

Like all wellness, the health of our mind impacts all facets of our lives. As moms, it impacts how we interact with our children and how we see ourselves. On page 9, we look at the impact yelling can have on kids and parents, while offering ways you can keep your composure when emotions boil over. And on page 18, we explore why it’s so common for moms to lose their identity in motherhood—and how you can get it back.

It’s vital that we talk about kids’ mental health, too. In late 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health, and while much progress remains to be made, it opened the door to more conversations around the importance of our children’s mental health. And it’s about time.