Dealing With Depression

I’m starting this Story as a very confused 9 year old, about the time I started to wish I would hurt myself so badly that I would be in a Coma and all the bad things would be over.

What does a 9 year old have to worry about, I hear you say.

I was sexually abused, my parents split up, my mum had cancer and worked days and nights. I didn’t really understand about my mums cancer I just remember wishing that god would take me and let my mum live.

I supposed that’s when I started to feel worthless.

I always believed everyone else deserved to live but me.

To everyone else I was the bad kid, the trouble maker. No one ever asked me why I was snogging boys in junior school and I mean snogging not just kid kisses. I even got in trouble for drawing a naked man. But no one ever asked why or who it represented.

I feel that’s the big problem, it’s like kids don’t have a voice and adults don’t want to listen.

A child’s problems may seem irrelevant to most Adults but no matter what a parent is going through you must always make time in your schedule to listen when your child wants to talk.

Children show signs of depression too.

You must always put your child’s mental health first.

Are they playing with their food and not eating it even when it’s their favourite.

Do they complain of stomach ache on school days.

Have they become withdrawn, lost interest in their favourite pass times.

Do they have a problem with authority and play up when cornered.

Children could be going through bullying, or come from an unfavourable home life that impacts them greatly.

Caregivers, teachers, guardians and parents have to work together to establish the best way forward.

It doesn’t do a child justice, to brush them aside or just blame their behaviour on others.

The kids that often play up the most, are crying for help.

I’m now a parent myself and in all honesty it’s the best job ever.

I’ve never felt so much joy as I do now it’s a daily experience.

I am so conscious of not letting my child miss out even though we are a single parent family.

She is already past the age I was when the sexual abuse I had experienced started to effect my life completely.

No one had a clue because I hid it

It’s something you never get over

I still take medication daily but that medication helps me be the best parent I can be.

The sooner we can help our kids to have a growth mindset the better for their confidence and self esteem.

The world try’s to knock them down but we must be the solid foundation they come home too, without judgement, without pressure a safe space for them to be themselves.

Accept them with flaws and all, as no one is perfect.

Be their guardian Angel and help them to fly.