Mentors and kids' mental health--

Yesterday, I went to my first softball game of the season. It was chilly, the sky was overcast, and the kids struggled--but it was outside, a game I appreciate, and I got to watch my own kid in her role as assistant coach. She's been helping out for quite a few years now, using the hard-earned skills she has as a player and as a credentialed coach. Now that things in her schedule are aligning a bit better, she has been there for the kids just about every day, and it shows. They like her, the parents like her, the head coach likes her, and she is able to share her love of the game-- both its joys and the hard work it takes-- and that matters.

And it does matter. Kids need trusted adults who share their love of what they do, whether it's teachers, a mentor, a boss, or a coach (among many other roles). The news is full of how, partly due to the pandemic, and, I believe, partly due to the artificial isolation caused by digital media/cellphones, kids have very fragile mental health. I see it every day, and it is worrisome. And we should all be worried; not only are kids more prone to self-harm, but they are also tinderboxes, ready to flare at each other and the world at large. A little fresh air, coupled with adults who are invested in them, goes a long way toward mitigating some of this fragility. 

The score doesn't matter. They do.

Have a good day,

C