My 8th-grade son came to me and said, “I think I need to see someone.” I wasn’t that someone. I knew he was having a hard time with the divorce, but I didn’t realize how much he was struggling. I was going through my own stuff and had no idea what to do or how to talk to him about what he was experiencing. I agreed to make an appointment with a therapist for him as soon as possible. His friend’s parents called me and said they were concerned about him. The counselor at his school called me and said I needed to pick him up and have his therapist clear him before he could return to school. I didn’t know that if a child tells a teacher or counselor at school they are having thoughts of harming themselves or someone, they have to be evaluated and considered stable by a professional before returning to school. I had to rearrange plans for my daughter’s 16th birthday. Guilt and fear consumed me. I wanted to believe he was overreacting or just looking for attention during a time when I was walking my own hard road. Thankfully, he asked for help, and I found someone who could connect with him in his pain and walk us both through that season.
What I learned is that he needed me to:
Pay attention to these warning signs in your kids:
If you are concerned, make an appointment with your child’s doctor and a mental health professional to get the support both of you need.