Mental health matters!
Your mental health matters, your ‘ohana matters, your keiki matter, and YOU matter.
Think about your favorite memory that you have growing up. What is the environment like? Who is around you? What do you smell? What do you see? It might feel easy to bring you back to that moment with those questions.
For some, almost immediately, you will feel the exact emotion that you once had growing up. While some of our memories are ones we love and cherish, we have to acknowledge that no one is perfect, no upbringing is perfect, and for that, we also have memories we may not want to remember. Not all of our “not so pretty” experiences are on the same level. We could probably use a million different words to describe these memories and if asked to do so, we could all have a different word to share. Regardless of the type of memory, we can see that they could have long lasting effects.
Our beliefs and upbringing play a part in who we are today, and can impact the way we react to some cases or how we perceive certain situations. August 8, 2023 is a date that is imprinted in many Lahaina families and keiki’s minds and hearts. Regardless of the ages, keiki still have feelings and are aware that something stressful happened. The Association for Infant Mental Health Hawai’i (AIMHHI) helped the community by creating a tip sheet to help these families and keiki. The tips are centered around families with keiki ages 2-5 years old. The four tips include: “Be Present,” “Play,” “Listen and observe,” and “Refer.”
At Kākou for Keiki, we work collectively with other partners who serve families with keiki ages 0-5. Supporting the community means working collaboratively, putting all of our minds and hearts together to address the needs of the families. The “refer” tip acknowledges that sometimes parents and caregivers might need more support. It is okay to turn to a larger network of providers for specialized care. One of the main components of our blogs is a “Resource” portion. Our keiki’s mental health is heavily influenced by the adults in their environment. Therefore, it is important for adults to prioritize their mental health, as well. It is okay to utilize different organizations and agencies to help you through life’s challenges. Your mental health matters, your ‘ohana matters, your keiki matter, and YOU matter.
How about you?
Reflection Question
Ask yourself and your family members (including the keiki that can talk and comprehend): What does mental health mean to you?
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