Children bring an incredible sense of love and light to our world. They have an unbridled sense of passion, joy and curiosity. When our world works against these natural tendencies, we see our children react... working to find other ways to release this energy and express the big emotions they may be feeling.
Our current communities are full of separation, isolation and disengagement. When children feel this way over long periods of time and are unable to access or return to their natural states of joy and curiosity, they start to experience depression and anxiety. According to sciencedaily.com, children who are lonely are 3 times more likely to develop mental health problems lasting more than 9 years. This is a difficult statistic to admit, particularly when we as parents, teachers and community members are doing so much to care for and love our children. We want them to have a better life, to have access to all the opportunities that are available to them, to pave new paths and be the best versions of themselves. Yet, if we do not work to close the loneliness gap, our efforts can get overpowered by the intensity of loneliness, depression and anxiety.
Play is an incredible antidote to loneliness, which naturally reconnects children to their friends and community. Yet, if there are no safe spaces for children to first work through their feelings, they will not be able to feel the psychological safety necessary to be actively happy in their lives.
Without holistically healthy children, our communities break at their most fundamental level... our future. Long-term mental health problems affect our world in an immense way, leading to individuals not participating meaningfully within our communities.
"It is easier to raise healthy children than to fix broken adults." Maureen Farrell, Restorative Justice Facilitator, Master Educator
Izzy's Calming Club was created out of the compassion and love of an 8 year old girl looking to tackle this issue head-on... fearlessly bridging the loneliness gap one friend at a time.