Your family
Before I had kids, I couldn’t understand how much joy and love having a family brings. I remember being pregnant with my youngest and worrying that I wouldn’t be able to love her as much as my first. A wise friend said that “love grows,” and indeed it does.
The family is the bedrock of our lives. If there is happiness at home, the stresses of the outside world are easier to bear. The opposite is also true; if there is stress at home, the outside world is harder to enjoy.
What makes up a healthy family? It is one that supports all its members, one that allows the individuals to develop into their authentic selves, and one where they are able to fight off daily stresses. Their immune systems are strong, their laughter is loud, and their lifestyle supports their physical, emotional, and spiritual growth.
Unfortunately, many families are suffering from health concerns, and children’s issues seem to be on the rise. The cornucopia of “disorders” labeled with letters is increasing at an alarming rate.
In 2014, the news reported that today’s children might have shorter life spans than their parents. That sent out warning bells to me, but mainstream media seems to have largely ignored it. Sadly, much of what affects life expectancy is under our direct control.
Our children need our guidance. They are growing up in an electronic age, where their interactions take place on a screen in 140 characters. They are missing out on crucial social skills, and are having trouble creating deep personal connections. The social structure of our lives is creating a community connected only by data streams.