Robert Freis
Craig County schools are offering a unique program early next month to help educate families about the mental health and well-being of their children.
‘Your Child’s Anxiety’ is the name of the Feb. 7 program, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at Craig County High School. Participation is free.
It will be the first workshop planned during what the school system is calling a ‘Mental Health Series.’
Of the workshop, the school system says parents can “learn simple strategies that will help parents respond to their children’s anxiety. When applied, these skills will help the child and parent bond, allowing the child to identify and work through their anxiety more effectively.”
The program is being conducted cooperatively by Craig County Public Schools and a national mental health organization called parentguidance.org. It is affiliated with a Utah-based non-profit called the Center for Human Connection.
“Parenting is hard,” says parentguidance.org on its website. It also quotes statistics stating 50% of parents worry that their child is struggling but don’t know what to do; 32% of parent feel their child is unhappy; and an estimated 10-20% of adolescents experience mental health conditions.
“The mission of the Cook Center for Human Connection is to bring together the best organizations, programs, and products to prevent suicide, provide mental health support, and enhance human connections essential for people to thrive,” according to the center’s website.
“The foundation’s current focus is on supporting children, families, and schools in eradicating suicide, as well as offering resources and support for those with mental health issues and their caregivers. This is done through a variety of grants to schools, programs for parents, and global resources to bring greater awareness to the support needed for those affected by suicide,” according to the center’s mission statement.
“We are proud to partner with this organization to help provide important information and support to our parents and community. We hope to see you there as we continue to strengthen the ties between school and home to be the best we can be for our children,” according to a statement from Craig County schools.
The school system says everyone is invited to attend the event, either in person or remotely via Zoom.
Also, a dinner will be held at the high school at 6 p.m. on Feb. 7 before the event. There is no cost to attend this meal and attendees will be entered into a drawing.
County schools are asking any interested attendees to register for the event online at https://cookcenter.info and to complete a survey.
More information is available at the Craig County Public Schools website or Facebook page.
