As kids
continue to understand and experience their bodies, and the physical changes of
puberty emerge, your attitude and acceptance will
continue to play an important role in their healthy development.
One in 4 children experiences a mental health disorder annually, 73 and half of those who will have a mental health disorder at some point in their life will first be diagnosed at age 14 or younger.74 Furthermore, about half of all children will experience a traumatic event — such
as the death of a parent, violence, or extreme poverty — before they reach adulthood.75 And
as the opioid epidemic
continues to grow, students are coming to school affected by a parent's addiction
as well
as the havoc and instability that it can wreak on family life.76 In addition,
as students experience other issues — such
as puberty; family matters, like divorce; and bullying — having supportive trained adults to talk to in school is critical for improving their well - being and attention to learning.