Main idea: The importance of supporting one another through mental health challenges.
- Who we are:
- I’m Kasie, I’m in Columbia. I’m homeschooling my daughter (age 12).
- Alex, in the Low Country parenting a little man (18 months) earned 30% of the vote in a State House race.
- I’m Melissa in the Low Country, 3 kids in elementary school, candidate for County Council in a 3-way race and earned 5% of the vote
- I’m Jessica, Upstate, mom to two boys.
- The purpose and scope of the episode-
- Mental health is a hot-button topic right now. We’re all disconnected and divided. How do we know when we need help? How do we ask for it?
- Today’s topic:
- Jessica: I suffer from anxiety and I also battle depression. I grew up in a family where that was not something we talked about. It took a long time for me to be comfortable talking about mental health out loud.
- My postpartum depression with my second son was the first red flag for me. I battle suicidal thoughts regularly, almost daily. I rely on friends and my husband, for help. And it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s an illness like any other illness and I think it’s important to have these conversations.
- Let’s approach it from the perspective of the importance of taking care of one another (voluntarism) and looking out for one another and how we do that.
- A couple years ago my dad got really sick while he was on vacation out west. I had to rush to Denver where we spent a week with him at the hospital. We found out he has leukemia. When I got home, a neighbor friend asked if I wanted to walk one afternoon and I told her I had a ton to catch up on and what was going on. She came and got my kids, gave me a few hours to adjust and do what I needed to do. And she brought a meal, food for a few days, something that just took that small task off my list.
- My postpartum depression with my second son was the first red flag for me. I battle suicidal thoughts regularly, almost daily. I rely on friends and my husband, for help. And it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s an illness like any other illness and I think it’s important to have these conversations.
- Melissa: For my birthday, my husband and son went camping and my mom and grandmother took my daughters and I had 22 hours of alone time in my home. I don’t know how people raise kids with no families around. I firmly believe “it takes a village” – not just for the kids to interact with other people with different views but for a break for the parents. I have no problem asking for a break or taking other moms’ kids so they can have a break.
- Alex: I’m not usually comfortable asking for help, so that is definitely something I will be working on (in addition to being very inspired by Jessica and Melissa and their experiences and accepting help). A very kind friend of mine made us seven freezer meals when Perry was born and that blew me away. I desire to be that type of friend and also be better about accepting help! (Recommended book–The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read by Philippa Perry)
- Being mindful of other people, looking for and offering ways to help
- Let me come get your kids
- Can we have a family date?
- Jessica: I suffer from anxiety and I also battle depression. I grew up in a family where that was not something we talked about. It took a long time for me to be comfortable talking about mental health out loud.
- Coming up on the next episode:
- Not sure yet but we’re thinking about Free Range Parenting and Mommin’ Ain’t Hard. Stay tuned.
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- Thanks and goodbye
Parenting Porcupines 