“A baby smiles between 50 and 70 times a day, and a toddler approximately 600 times a day, according to research. I’m sure some of us have asked ourselves where that smile goes.
What robs us of it?
According to UNICEF, children of the U.S. are the second least happy children in the world, after the United Kingdom. Everyone of us has the right to be happy and to feel contentment and well-being. Making the intention to find our happiness even in turmoil is the first step to rediscovering it. Sadly, there are more worrying statistics that support some very uncomfortable truths.”
– Excerpt from 10 Mindful Minutes by Goldie Hawn
Reasons for the loss of joy:
- Emotional challenges: 6-9 million American children have a diagnosable mental disorder that impairs daily function (problems such as ADHD, ADD, etc.).
- Depression: Some studies suggest that the rate of teenagers suffering from depression may be as high as one in eight.
- Use and abuse of pharmaceuticals: 68% increase for girls, 30% increase for boys in the past decade.
- Poor academic performance: American 15 year olds place 23 in global ranking of student performance on reading, 28 in mathematical literacy and 77 in scientific ability.
- Dropout rates: 48% of American children do not graduate high school in the 50 largest city’s.
- Suicide: Suicides among adolescents have quadrupled since the 1950’s in America.
- Diminishing happiness: 60% of American children feel chronically disengaged from school.
The above stats are concerning, since what happens in the USA often is similar in Canada. So, what are we doing about it? My theory is that children need to be taught to be mindful and to meditate. They also need help with understanding The 7 Habits of Happy Kids and of Highly Effective Teens. That is why I feel it my personal responsibility to share these useful skills and practices.
Please help me in spreading this knowledge around the world. My challenge to you is to send me ideas that have worked for you and/or what you think might work, besides my posts on this website.