"If children could tell us parents something, make us aware of something, what would they want to tell us above all?"

"But children don't want us to know about their problems. They don't want to worry us. They'll hide faster and show that everything is fine with them, so that we don't worry about them." - I heard from Tomasz Głowacki, head of the psychiatric ward for children and adolescents in Pieszyce.

I thought that every day children tell him about so many important issues, they say things they haven't told their parents, that maybe some need resonates, which can be a hint for us.
And I think that this is an important tip. We have to take into account that children may not share with us what upset them, hurt them, embarrassed them or humiliated them at school today. They see that we have a lot of things on our minds, so they don't want to add to it. They don't want us to worry. So it may be impossible to catch what was painful for them right away, and it probably requires a lot of mindfulness and presence from us. Such qualitative presence.

September. School started. And it may be a bit phew, because a certain rhythm of the day returns. And a bit stress, because the schedule is more tight. For children, this can also be a more difficult time after the summer break. More difficult, because, as studies show, the scale of violence among peers is unfortunately growing. Children can be cruel to each other. They are often unaware of how they hurt and harm.
Perhaps each of us sometimes asks instinctively: "How was school?" and hears "Good". And we naturally move on to other threads, doing homework, tidying up, eating, etc.
But we don't care what happened at school, only for us it is important how our child feels today and if perhaps we start the conversation differently after coming back from work, there is a chance to hear more. Perhaps we ourselves can first tell how our day was, and then ask "How was your day? .... What's interesting about you today? ... Or maybe something more difficult? ... How did you feel during ...?"
And listen not only to the words, not only to the content. Listen to the emotions, pauses, listen to what is not being said, what is being omitted. We can thank for openness, appreciate when we feel that it was not so easy for our child to tell, so that tomorrow they might tell a little more.
Winston Churchill said: "It is easier to govern a nation than to raise four children" and there is a lot of wisdom in this. Anyone who has not slept through the night thinking about how to act as a parent, who has been flooded, filled with remorse because they did not foresee something, did not take care of something, or worries whether the child will cope, feels these words of Churchill in their bones.

And especially in today's times, when the scale of mental health problems among younger and younger children is growing at an alarming rate.
Statistics show us this picture:

• About 30% of children have had at least 1 depressive episode in a year (Children's Rights Ombudsman).
• Almost 20% of children and adolescents struggle with depression and anxiety disorders.
• A teenager attempts suicide in Poland every 2 hours.
• The number of suicide attempts among children is much higher than among adults.
• For every suicide, there are about 15 suicide attempts.
• Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people in the world (WHO).
• Poland is in second place in Europe in terms of the number of suicides.
• Currently, the waiting time for an appointment with a child psychiatrist or psychologist ranges from several months to a year.

So it's time to act! Only early prevention can improve the situation and reduce social and economic costs. Every złoty invested in mental health programs can bring a 5-fold return on reduced treatment costs.
Here and now is the time to help! So that as many teenagers as possible have the joy of life. We have an idea how to do it.
As a foundation, we act preventively and equip children (10-13 years old) with social skills so that they can successfully go through the most difficult period of growth (14-17 years old). We are convinced that it is worth acting systematically, which is why we also strengthen parents.

We are currently developing our own Program "MotyLOVE - Rozwiń Skrzydła Nastolatków" and will soon be entering primary schools with it, as well as the Program "eMOCje Rodziców" for companies with tips on how to maintain good contact with your child to have greater inner peace.

We received the patronage of the Marshal of Lower Silesia, we are raising funds, establishing partnerships to include as many children in schools and as many parents as possible in the program. We invite you to cooperate 😊
The company's participation in these Programs is an action for the local community, it is an improvement in the mental health of young people and parents, your employees. Such joint initiatives, charity events, workshops, lectures strengthen us, make us aware and give us tips on how to act. The positive image of a socially responsible company attracts people with similar values and increases employee loyalty.
The programs are ESG compliant and can be reported.

Małgorzata Maluśka – President of the BloomPro Foundation