Category Archives: Children’s Mental Health

When the World is Hurting: Talking to your Children about War & Violence

0 comments Anxiety, Children's Mental Health, Family, Grief, Healthy Living, Mental Health, Parenting , , , , , ,

Our Children Have Questions A few days ago, my son peppered me with questions – “Mom, what’s happening? Are we going to have World War III? Is Russia going to bomb us? Are we safe?” He was obviously concerned about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and rightfully so. Kids at school have been talking, whispering their fears to their friends. Violent images of the war flood the media. Radio stations cover the tragic events. We cannot shield our children from life’s perils despite our best efforts. So, how do we discuss such sensitive topics with our children? TEN tips for talking […]

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Suicide While Black

0 comments Children's Mental Health, Family, Health, Health Education, Mental Health, Racism, Social Justice

Sound the alarm Black children are in danger. From trauma to poverty to educational inequality to racism, our children face very real threats to their mental health every day. I distinctly remember being taught during my psychiatric residency training that black people don’t typically die by suicide; but sadly, this just isn’t true. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and the 2nd leading cause of death for people ages 10 – 34 years of age. For black youth, suicide is on the rise. In 2015, Jeffrey Bridge et al. discovered that suicide rates among […]

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Black Boy, Black Girl – I Love You

2 comments Children's Mental Health, Motherhood, Parenting, Racism

Some may not celebrate your beauty. Some ridicule your black skin; they mock your thick coils and tendrils. Some wish to extinguish your voice. Some may deny that your life has value. But to me, my black sons and my black daughters, you are precious, adored, cherished, and treasured. Never forget that despite what this cold, cruel world may say. I love you. I see you. I will take care of you. You are mine, and my love for you spans as deep as the oceans and as tall as the highest mountain peaks. These affirmations declare my eternal love […]

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Top 10 Things We Must Tell Our Children

0 comments Children's Mental Health, Healthy Living, Motherhood, Parenting , , , ,

Dr. Leesha’s love messages to her children I LOVE YOU – While our children “know” that we love them, we need to daily demonstrate our love through our words and our actions. I BELIEVE YOU – Kids may not always tell the truth, but many times they are speaking honestly from their hearts. They need to know that we believe them, especially when having difficult conversations. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU – Be careful not to put more focus more on the negative behaviors such that you fail to recognize all the good things your children are doing. Our […]

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Rooted in the Word: Back-to- School Scriptures for the Kids

2 comments Children's Mental Health, Healthy Living, Parenting, Schools, Uncategorized , , , ,

Here’s Comes August Now only a few weeks away, the month of August is always an exciting one in the Cox home. We celebrate three birthdays, my two girls and my husband, and the new school year begins. This year our baby girl starts big kid school, the last run of kindergarten for our brood. Cue the tears. We also have a third grader and a seasoned middle schooler who is starting seventh grade. Our children spend the bulk of their day at school, learning new material and mastering new skills. They also face real challenges, from bullies to academic […]

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To Whom Does My Black Life Matter?

9 comments Children's Mental Health, Mental Health, Social Justice , , ,

A Tough Question That’s really the question at the heart of the issue, isn’t it? Does my black life matter to you, my friends, my neighbors, my co-workers, fellow Christians, or even this country? Does it? It feels like a big, angry “NO” as I find myself, yet again, forced to do internal damage control at the racially-charged images and stories that slither across my newsfeed. First, I learn that there will be no justice for Stephon Clark, another unarmed young black man fatally shot and killed last March by two Sacramento police officers. My heart broke for I am […]

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