1 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: Good morning, Peepsen. Welcome to WIKA F Daily with Meet 2 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: your Girl Danielle Moody. Prerecording from the Home Bunker. Folks, 3 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 1: you know, I often share with you my background as 4 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: a former educator, and I say former meaning that obviously 5 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: I'm no longer in a classroom, but I like to 6 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 1: think that I educate and teach in a different way. However, 7 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:41,840 Speaker 1: my time working in education and working in education policy 8 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: had a really deep impact on my life, as did 9 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: my own education, which is what has me so concerned 10 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: on a regular basis about the mental health and well 11 00:00:54,840 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: being of America's youth. I think that we are not 12 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: really paying attention to the not so silent crisis that 13 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: is happening with America's young people. I've written about this 14 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: at the Daily Beast and in other venues that there 15 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: was a crisis before the pandemic took place. There was 16 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: a rise in anxiety and depression among our youth. And 17 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: why is that? Oh, I don't know. Could it be 18 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: because we're sending them to school and they don't know 19 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: whether or not they're going to end up dead or 20 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,839 Speaker 1: be able to make it home. This is not hyperbole. 21 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: We know that schoolmass shootings are just the norm in 22 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: the United States, right that we tell our kids that 23 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 1: we can keep them safe, but we don't really. We 24 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: send them to school instead with bulletproof backpacks. Instead, we 25 00:01:54,800 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: teach them active shooter drills. In today's episode, I'm joined 26 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: by Michael Klinkner, who is a clinical social worker in Arizona, 27 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: and we're going to get into and you're going to 28 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: hear our conversation about the state of mental health in 29 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: this country, particularly as it pertains to our youth, and 30 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 1: our LGBTQ youth specifically, who are not statistics. They are 31 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: human beings whose experiences are being weaponized to put forward 32 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: a political agenda on the far rapid right, where hate 33 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 1: reigns supreme. And Michael and I will talk about the 34 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: ways in which even if you are not a parent, 35 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:55,399 Speaker 1: but are a caregiver or a teacher, or a guidance 36 00:02:55,440 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: counselor a youth advisor working you know, a religious facility, 37 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: that if you are present in a child's life, some 38 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: of the ways that you can engage in conversation to 39 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: get to the there there, how they are feeling, what 40 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:16,839 Speaker 1: they are thinking, how are they moving through their day 41 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: to day. It's mass shootings. One day, it's climate change, 42 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: the next, after that, it's a global health pandemic. After 43 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: that it's arise in political violence. It's literally one thing 44 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: after the other. And on top of that, we're saying, oh, 45 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: and then go ahead and go and learn. And then 46 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: in the middle of your school day will disrupt you 47 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: for an active shooter drill that we won't tell you 48 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: is real or it's not. And then your court zone 49 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: levels shoot up, and we expect you to after the drill, 50 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: sit down and take up as if nothing happened. It's wild, 51 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: the expectations that we have for youth today. And so 52 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 1: I get into a conversation with Michael Klickner, the clinical 53 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:19,360 Speaker 1: social worker, and you know, hopefully this conversation, this episode 54 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: will provide you with some tools and tactics to be 55 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: able to help the young people that are in your life. 56 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: That conversation is coming up next. Hey there, I want 57 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: to tell you about another podcast I think you'll love. 58 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: The Brown Girl's Guide to Politics, hosted by a Shanty Goehler, 59 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: the president of Emerge. BGG is the one stop shop 60 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: for women of color who want to hear and talk 61 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 1: about the world of politics. Join a Shanty this season 62 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: as she talks to incredible women of color who are 63 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 1: changing the face of politics and tackling some of the 64 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: most important issues facing the United States, from reproductive justice 65 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: to voting rights, to climate change and more. Tune in 66 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: every Tuesday wherever you at your podcasts, folks. I am 67 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 1: very happy to welcome to woka F Daily for the 68 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: first time, licensed clinical social worker Michael Klinkner, who I'm 69 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: excited to be in conversation with you, Michael, because for 70 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: the last couple of years on this show, I have 71 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:26,280 Speaker 1: made it a point to talk about the mental health 72 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: my concern about the mental health of young people in 73 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 1: this country as we are learning to navigate a new normal, 74 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: or in many cases, a new abnormal. We have been 75 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: impacted by multiple crises, impacted by multiple traumas that began 76 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 1: but did not end with COVID nineteen, going into quarantine, 77 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 1: and learning to exist in a remote setting both in 78 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: school and in work, from dealing with the fear and 79 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:10,159 Speaker 1: anxiety around climate change and young that being a very 80 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: big issue for young people, So I wanted to get 81 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: your thoughts. I mean, and on top of that, mass 82 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 1: shootings and school shootings, you know, at the end of 83 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,919 Speaker 1: last school year, the headlines were about the loss of 84 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 1: nineteen children's lives right in Texas after following the You've 85 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 1: aldi shooting. So I want to get your thoughts on 86 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: what you think about how young people are doing, what 87 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: you were hearing from young people themselves, and what we 88 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:47,799 Speaker 1: should be paying attention to or what we're not paying 89 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: attention to. Danielle, thanks for having me on. I certainly 90 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: appreciate it. Let me start with sort of like overall 91 00:06:56,040 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: general state of affairs with kids here is the anxiety 92 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: is high for a lot of different reasons, but the 93 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:08,600 Speaker 1: amount of kids where like we'll have an intake and 94 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: on the form, the parents will fill out that the 95 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: kid has had trouble since lockdown or since COVID or 96 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: since the pandemic and and they haven't ever gotten back 97 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: on their feet since. I just I was doing an 98 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: intake with a young man yesterday who was like honor 99 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: student all the way through US eighth grade. COVID hit 100 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: school went crazy and he hasn't He hasn't been able 101 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: to get back into school since. And so there's confounding factors. 102 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: But when someone is having some like anxiety or like 103 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: a moderately dysfunctional at home, or like things are kind 104 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: of like they're okay, but they're not, or like things 105 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: are just starting to like we're just starting to teeter. 106 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: And then the pandemic where for us here in Arizona, 107 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: it was especially tricky because there were some schools that 108 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: went back very quickly, some schools that never left, some 109 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: schools that immediately went virtual, some schools that went back 110 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: and forth, and so there were all these experiences, and 111 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: the kids have described they feel behind because lots of 112 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: them lost a full year between hybrid we're just going 113 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: straight to online, and so they feel like they're behind everybody. 114 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 1: They're not, of course, because everyone else also had the 115 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: same exactperience in the country, like all the other kids 116 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: their age had the same exact set of problems. But 117 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: it doesn't seem that way to them. It just seems 118 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 1: like they're comparing to where other kids would have been 119 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: or should have been at, you know, their sophomore year 120 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: of high school three years ago, and what that was like. 121 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: Also with state standards and teaching, with some stuff is systematized, 122 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:46,959 Speaker 1: so by the end of eighth grade, there are these 123 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 1: things that you have to be able to know and 124 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: get tested on, and by the end of freshman year, 125 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: there are these things that you'll get tested on and 126 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 1: if you don't know them, you don't get to move 127 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: forward or you have to repeat classes or repeat grades. 128 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 1: I'll see it a lot of really high achieving kids 129 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: too that are AP classes or honors classes, especially with 130 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: the AP because there is that standardized test and they're 131 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: taking it too in order to achieve college credit and 132 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:15,319 Speaker 1: get a higher GPA. They feel like they're behind in 133 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 1: those because those AP classes are standardized across the country, 134 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:20,959 Speaker 1: and they feel like there's stuff that they didn't pick 135 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: up that they're they're a cohort or their contemporaries in 136 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: different states or different part of this they'd picked up. 137 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 1: And so there's all this additionally anxiety that they've been 138 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: now carrying for years and there it's just kind of 139 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 1: like the it's it's coming home the roost, if you will, 140 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,439 Speaker 1: where there's a lot of kids that are just legitimately 141 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 1: at their breaking point. We have a really good recent 142 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: experience out here too with the gun stuff. Is that 143 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:50,680 Speaker 1: at so it's homecoming time for us out here and 144 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: we're in Arizona. There was a recent homecoming where there 145 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,319 Speaker 1: wasn't a gun. But at the dance, somebody yelled gun 146 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: and those kids went just plane, went running and they 147 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 1: didn't come back. They unfortunately knew what to do. But 148 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 1: what happened is somebody just said that word. Nobody bothered 149 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: to check, nobody like, nobody did anything. They just know 150 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: that word means get the heck out of where you are, 151 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: go hide, call parents. And so that's just what happened, 152 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 1: and that that is so sad and so scary. It was. 153 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 1: So they didn't have homecoming in twenty twenty twenty. Maybe 154 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 1: maybe not. They had homecoming in twenty twenty one. In 155 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, they didn't because they thought somebody had 156 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 1: a gun. What the heck. That is the state of 157 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 1: affairs for kids and teens in my part of the 158 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:43,839 Speaker 1: country today, and I know another part of the country's too. 159 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: I just have those you know, easily accessible those times 160 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:50,680 Speaker 1: for those kids. I will get Also, lots of lots 161 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: of kids will talk about lockdown drills, what that's like 162 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 1: for them, how that feels to them as they're just 163 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,959 Speaker 1: sitting there and they're not supposed to know whether it's 164 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 1: a jewel or not. And for them, if they don't 165 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 1: know what's a drill, and they're just sitting there what 166 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: that's like when they lose it, when they lose a 167 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,679 Speaker 1: period of time for class work or those sort of things. 168 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:13,719 Speaker 1: So scary, that is just plain scary in the context 169 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: of two scary years for right kids who are under 170 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 1: resourced because they're supposed to be on how to deal 171 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:26,959 Speaker 1: with anxiety. My goodness, you know, just the image that 172 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: you that you provided of just the word gun being 173 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:40,359 Speaker 1: yelled out sends kids running for cover, running for their lives. 174 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: And also, I haven't thought about the drills, the lockdown 175 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: drills in schools of active the active shooter drills, and 176 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:53,199 Speaker 1: the fact that they're not supposed to know that they 177 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: are drills. And so again the anxiety. So after this 178 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: said drill, for however long it takes, then you're just 179 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 1: supposed to go back to collass as normal. Meanwhile, your 180 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 1: cortisone levels are at like are there through the roof? 181 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: And so what do you think, Michael, that we in 182 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:23,840 Speaker 1: society are getting wrong about our assumption around how resilient 183 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:26,959 Speaker 1: kids truly are, because that's a thing that is thrown 184 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: out a lot. Right, kids are resilient, kids adapt but 185 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: what we're asking them to adapt to is living under 186 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: duress and in trauma. And so, what do you think 187 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: that we are getting wrong? As we are identifying now 188 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 1: potentially the long term effects of not only again living 189 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: in a global health pandemic, but all the gun violence pandemic, 190 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 1: all of these other pandemics that haven't had necessarily the 191 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: same this same attention in that way. So it's hard 192 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: for me to say that it's getting done wrong because 193 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: we don't know what right is, and so we are 194 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 1: literally making this up as we go along. There's no 195 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:19,840 Speaker 1: one has a frame of reference at any time between them. 196 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: There is stuff in the air that could kill you 197 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 1: or kill the ones that are close to you. That 198 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: it's just literally just in the air. Who knows, let alone. 199 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: You add in the gun violence, you add in the 200 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: extra pressures, you add in the political climate which is 201 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: inherently interwoven with the with the COVID stuff and with 202 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 1: the gun things. And depending on where your parents are, 203 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:44,679 Speaker 1: they'll have a very strong opinion about those lockdown drills 204 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: and what they're for and what they should be like. 205 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: And they have very strong opinions about how the COVID 206 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 1: stuff was and is currently handled. And so you add 207 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 1: in for a year and a half, two years, we 208 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: taught them to be afraid of the air. The whole 209 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 1: time they've continued to be exposed to. You never know 210 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: what's going to happen at school, so we need to 211 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:09,679 Speaker 1: we need to prep for it because hey, you might 212 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 1: die today, and then they go home to a politically 213 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 1: charged climate. About what that means, no frame or reference 214 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 1: for it, There isn't any way, We don't know what 215 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: to do. And then Danielle, you add in social media 216 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: and what that means and what they're seeing on TikTok, 217 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 1: what they're getting their friends are snapping them, and like 218 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 1: what they're picking up through through Instagram or any of 219 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: those things that we don't know. Nobody knows, And so 220 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 1: what this means in five years, who on earth knows? 221 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: You know, we didn't know what we knew back in 222 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen about what twenty twenty one and twenty two 223 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: we're going to be like. So that part's really hard, 224 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,880 Speaker 1: and we're just starting the research to try to figure 225 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 1: out even like the micro effects in the MESO effects, 226 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: let alone the big long term macro effects. We don't know. 227 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,360 Speaker 1: But what I do know is because we don't know 228 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 1: what we're doing and we're not sure parents just aren't 229 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: doing anything in that part is always not the right answer, 230 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: and so it is very easy as a parent to 231 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 1: say like, hey, how's your day at school and the 232 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: kid says, oh, yeah, we had a lockdown drill and 233 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 1: to just blow it off instead of the oh, especially 234 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 1: for like younger kids and like early to middle elementary school, Oh, 235 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: what was that like for you? Or how is that? 236 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: Or what do you guys do? Or like what does 237 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: your teacher say? Or how they handle bathroom like any 238 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: of that kind of stuff, and then just drill into it. 239 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 1: What's the emotional impact for them? Or because like not 240 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: ever ready kid wants to talk or not every kid 241 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 1: is great at that, Hey, how does this impact the 242 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: other kids in the classroom? Does anybody have a hard time? 243 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 1: Or does anybody kind of like does anybody cry? Does 244 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: anybody freak out? Does anybody like try to be a clown? 245 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: Things like that, because then you get to talk to 246 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: your kid about the Oh, why do you think they're 247 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 1: having such a hard time? Or why do you think 248 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 1: they got so scared? Or what do you think? What 249 00:15:57,400 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 1: do you think it's like for everybody else in the 250 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: classroom then two. So then you can talk about the 251 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: impact of those drills, you can talk about the impact 252 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 1: of the pandemic, or you can talk about that, but 253 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: the kid doesn't have to talk about themselves. And then 254 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: whatever emotions are coming up. I'm always encouraging adults, parents, 255 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 1: to just validate whatever is going on for that kid. 256 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 1: You don't have to agree with it. It doesn't have 257 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: to make sense. You can actually think the exact opposite. 258 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 1: And so if you know, if I'm a gen xer 259 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: and so, but it was the generation before mine where 260 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: they were still doing like nuclear drills where had to 261 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 1: call unto your desk because you know, rush on my bone, 262 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 1: and so that wasn't my generation was one before, but 263 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: so like but for that generation, and like at at 264 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: the older end of mine, we have a little bit 265 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 1: of a frame of reference to what that's like. And 266 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: when ours was cut like for them, it wasn't. The 267 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: red scare felt imminent, but not like this, And so 268 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: it's easy for people to dismiss the well, it's not 269 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: so hard, it's not that big a deal, or like 270 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: I feel like I would be okay with it. It It 271 00:16:56,960 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: wouldn't be that hard. I would just sit on my 272 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 1: phone and probably play a game. And so it's easy 273 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: to dismiss what your kid is going through. Always validate 274 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 1: even if you don't have to agree. It doesn't have 275 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 1: to make sense. They might be overreacting, that might be true, 276 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:14,479 Speaker 1: that's okay. They are still honestly feeling what they're feeling 277 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 1: and they need to communicate that to the people they 278 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 1: love and love them, and so in those situations, it 279 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,119 Speaker 1: is always the right answer to validate what they have 280 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 1: going on and to ask some open ended questions about 281 00:17:26,520 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 1: why they're feeling the way they're feeling, or why do 282 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 1: they think their peers or friends are feeling the way 283 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 1: they're feeling, as a sort of like side doorway, and 284 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:43,119 Speaker 1: to talk about emotions for tough things. Indisputable with Doctor 285 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: Rashi Ricci is one of the latest shows on the 286 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: TYT network and also the fastest growing news show in America. 287 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:54,120 Speaker 1: On his show, Doctor Ricci plays no games regarding policy, 288 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,359 Speaker 1: delivering a heavy dose of fact based truth and penetrating 289 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,920 Speaker 1: analysis on all the top news stories focused on racism, 290 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:05,880 Speaker 1: criminal and social justice, politics, police brutality, Karens and much more. 291 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: Listeners can also expect interviews with fascinating guests, political leaders, commentators, 292 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,880 Speaker 1: and even fiery debates with conservatives on a wide range 293 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: of policy topics. In the Bullpen. It is an indisputable 294 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,440 Speaker 1: fact that you will love this show. Listen to Indisputable 295 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:26,400 Speaker 1: with Doctor rashad Ricci on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever 296 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts. If you like what you hear, 297 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: be sure to subscribe so you never miss a new episode. 298 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:42,560 Speaker 1: You know, one of the things that I did recently 299 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: is I wrote a piece for The Daily Beasts about kids, 300 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: but in particular LGBTQ youth and the fact that suicide 301 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:03,880 Speaker 1: has once again and begun to skyrocket, not just for um, 302 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: for straight uh CIS kids, but for queer kids, which 303 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:11,639 Speaker 1: has always been on the higher end of the of 304 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 1: the mainstream. And you know, you bring up the political climate, 305 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: which obviously I talk about on a daily basis on 306 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: this show. But when we often you hear about these 307 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 1: don't say gay bills or these anti trans bills, we 308 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:30,679 Speaker 1: don't think about the children that are behind those bills, 309 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: the ones who are now going into a school climate 310 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:42,199 Speaker 1: that is not only riddled with anxiety about training for 311 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: you know, a lockdown and a mass shooter. But is 312 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 1: my teacher going to out me? Is my you know, 313 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 1: administration going to discriminate me? And then if I if 314 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,199 Speaker 1: they do, I have no recourse. So I wanted to 315 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: get your thoughts on, in particular, how this current climate 316 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: is impacting LGBTQ kids in particular, you know, either anecdotally 317 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:13,119 Speaker 1: or just you know, based on you know, based on 318 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 1: your own work, because I also think that that's a 319 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 1: carve out that we're not again providing enough attention to 320 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 1: my experience is it's so different school by school and 321 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 1: family by family, And so there are some amazing schools 322 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 1: out here that do systematically do a great job where 323 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 1: teachers will email the kids and and will ask questions 324 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 1: like what do you want me to call you? What 325 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: do you want your pronounce to be? What name do 326 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: you want to make sure that I'm saying in class? 327 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: And then if I have a meeting with your teachers, 328 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, with your parents, what name do I call 329 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 1: you there? Super aware thinking through all the possible angles 330 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: like what if I have to email your mom? What 331 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:00,679 Speaker 1: name do I call you in that? Versus what do 332 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:02,920 Speaker 1: I call you in class? Versus any of those sort 333 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 1: of things, and so though they're trying really hard, and 334 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: of course we all screw that up wildly. We always 335 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: like we're gonna when there's a lot of kids, we're 336 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 1: gonna forget it pronoun we just asked for grace and 337 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 1: try to not mess it up next time. And so 338 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:19,159 Speaker 1: and then families who will sometimes be great about it 339 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,399 Speaker 1: and amazing about it, and so it's them out here. 340 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: There's very there's a couple of like conservative religious bases 341 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: that have some strong opinions about about those things. And 342 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 1: so for lots of kids, that's confusing because that's around 343 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: them too, and they'll hear those things. And so there's 344 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:39,920 Speaker 1: some parents though that will be religiously conservative, but we'll 345 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 1: have questions like, all right, so this is my kid, 346 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 1: and so like, I know what my church is saying, 347 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 1: but I I'm gonna love my kid like And they're 348 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 1: clearly not making some choice because if they could, they wouldn't. 349 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 1: They wouldn't be choosing to get called the names or 350 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: getting called right now, right, And so the parents will 351 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: have work really hard under the idea of I have 352 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 1: no idea what I'm doing. I've never thought I've had 353 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 1: to deal this that they'll try to work through the 354 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: associated grief and then just try to do it right, 355 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 1: knowing that they don't know anything, and that's okay. That's 356 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:09,880 Speaker 1: that's as good as they're going to do, and they 357 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: just get better at it, and they can can feel 358 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 1: that they're loved. When those things are in place, when 359 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 1: people are trying, even if they're even if they're getting 360 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,639 Speaker 1: all kinds are wrong, the kid will feel heard and 361 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 1: understood and respected in love, and that's okay. And so 362 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:26,400 Speaker 1: things can can go badly, and so if if they're 363 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: respected and love and understood at home, school can get 364 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: a little wonky. But then they can go home and 365 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: they'll have supports there and they can be resilient. The 366 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: opposite can also be true. If the parents aren't doing 367 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: a great job and the kid can go to a 368 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:42,679 Speaker 1: school where they feel heard and understood in love, they 369 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: kid won't be resilient. We won't see big increases in 370 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: that in the depression or in the anxiety, or in 371 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,160 Speaker 1: the suicidaley. Those are generally speaking, those are the protective 372 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:55,879 Speaker 1: factors that will help kids move through that. All that said, 373 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: it's tough and sometimes impossible in depending on Arizona's quirky 374 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:05,199 Speaker 1: because we have some major, major urban areas and then 375 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 1: we've got all kinds of rural And so what rural 376 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: means as far as access to clubs like one intent 377 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:13,439 Speaker 1: or just a mentor or somebody who you can talk about, Like, 378 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,600 Speaker 1: I'm thirteen, I'm just getting it figured out. Is there 379 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 1: anybody that's on the other side of this to let 380 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 1: me know what it looks like, or just somebody that 381 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 1: I can talk to. If you're in rural, No, that's 382 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,120 Speaker 1: not a thing. They're not necessarily available. You're just kind 383 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:27,679 Speaker 1: of on your own and good luck what you what 384 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: your parents in school things. Also, there's a lot of 385 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,879 Speaker 1: the information that's going to come from social media about 386 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:37,159 Speaker 1: those things, and so in the absence of us teaching 387 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:40,679 Speaker 1: our kids what or how to think about certain things, 388 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 1: they're going to make it up on their own. Now 389 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: teenagers different that you're going to help them sort of 390 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 1: like where you getting information from or like what are 391 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 1: those sources? What do you think about all of that 392 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: and help them, like open ended, navigate them to their 393 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 1: own set of understandings, even if it's different than yours. 394 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: Early junior high, elementary school, you're teaching them how to 395 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 1: think about those things and kind of as a family 396 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 1: what those values can and what they think they should be. 397 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:12,199 Speaker 1: You know, when I think about the way that you 398 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 1: just broke that down in terms of you know, access 399 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 1: versus no access, and and families being open versus a 400 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: school being open and all of these things, I think 401 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: about the fact that when young people have nowhere to go, right, 402 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:32,200 Speaker 1: they I go to social media, they go to books. Well, 403 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 1: we've banned a lot of books, right and particularly in 404 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 1: red states, right, like this is this is the thing 405 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: that we're doing, and it's going school by school district 406 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 1: and you know, and and state by state, um, denying 407 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:50,159 Speaker 1: access to information. And so can you talk can you 408 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 1: speak a bit to creating that kind of bubble and 409 00:24:56,600 --> 00:25:01,000 Speaker 1: how detrimental it can be, the deny file of accessive 410 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 1: information to all young people as they're trying to figure 411 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 1: out how to navigate this new world that they're in. 412 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: That that gets really, honestly very tricky. And so that 413 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: is as much as possible, that should always come down 414 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: to parents as far as what do you what makes 415 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: sense for your kids and how to like, how to 416 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 1: disseminate that, how to think about those things whether or 417 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:29,480 Speaker 1: not you think your kid is ready to read or 418 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:32,879 Speaker 1: hear about things like that. Because also the determination by 419 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 1: age is arbitrary. It doesn't matter. It's sort of like, 420 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:37,439 Speaker 1: you know, you're just spitting a wheel and come up 421 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 1: with some age because it's going to be about maturity 422 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:41,920 Speaker 1: and it's going to be about life experience of that kid. 423 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:43,919 Speaker 1: And so the only people that can do that are parents. 424 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 1: And so that idea that you're going to limit what 425 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 1: they're going to be exposed to on a systematic level 426 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:51,639 Speaker 1: or on a state level or anything like that, it 427 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 1: doesn't make any sense at all making informed decisions as 428 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 1: a parent about what makes sense. Absolutely, And so you know, 429 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 1: if the school is going to decide like, hey, we're 430 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: going to take on a controversy, heads up, I want 431 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 1: you to know, and here's the way they're going to 432 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: do it, do it. That's great because then those kids 433 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 1: get to go home and they can greatly disagree with 434 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 1: what the teacher said, or they can really disagree with 435 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,560 Speaker 1: the teacher said, or they can help process through those 436 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:19,320 Speaker 1: things versus just not exposing the kid to it. Because 437 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 1: here's the thing they're going to get exposed to it. 438 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 1: That is what social media does they're going to be 439 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 1: in front of that information potentially dysfunctionally from someone who 440 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: shouldn't be talking about those things in taking strong positions. 441 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: And then if the kid doesn't have information from their parents, 442 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 1: are from their school because they're not exposed to it, 443 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 1: it's new information. They're going to look at it on 444 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: their TikTok, which means that it's going to show up 445 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 1: on their FORU page, which now they're in an echo 446 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: chamber based on the social media algorithms about what they're seeing. 447 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 1: And for you, that may not be what you like 448 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 1: that makes the most sense, and it might be okay, 449 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 1: But then you get to talk through about all right, 450 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:00,479 Speaker 1: how are you thinking about that? Or like going on 451 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 1: that way? Or you know, what do your friends think 452 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,400 Speaker 1: about those kind of things. That kind of stuff are 453 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:08,119 Speaker 1: great conversations to parents to have. But if you're not 454 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:09,760 Speaker 1: in there and you're not on top of it, and 455 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: you don't know they're getting the information, they're doing something 456 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 1: with it, good luck with what that is and who 457 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:19,480 Speaker 1: they're getting it from. Yeah, with you know, my last 458 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:22,359 Speaker 1: question for you, Michael, this has been so helpful and 459 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:27,600 Speaker 1: you have dropped so many gems for parents for caregivers 460 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 1: and for teachers. But I want to give you the 461 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 1: opportunity and I want to ask this question, which is what, 462 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:39,360 Speaker 1: how how? What are the best ways are? What are 463 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:44,199 Speaker 1: some tactics that people who are in the lives of 464 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 1: young people can do to show that they are a 465 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:52,159 Speaker 1: safe space to, you know, to to ask, you know, 466 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:55,440 Speaker 1: what kind of questions can they ask to try and 467 00:27:56,359 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 1: develop a relationship and an open, you know, space for 468 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:04,440 Speaker 1: communication for a young person that may be in need, 469 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: that they see is in need but they're trying to 470 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:13,080 Speaker 1: reach them. First off, be genuine safe you can you 471 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 1: can talk to the kid, whether it's like it's your 472 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: child or someone else's and you're just like you're exposed 473 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 1: to them or like you're a mentor to them. Be 474 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 1: genuine about like the Hey, I can just tell you 475 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 1: a little bit off and I don't know what's going on. 476 00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:27,879 Speaker 1: I can't tell, but you're different than you used to be, 477 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 1: and I just sort of see it, like you're not 478 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 1: trying as hard at school, or like you're in bed 479 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:35,159 Speaker 1: a whole lot more things like that. Feel free to 480 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 1: use the appropriate words like depression and anxiety and suicide 481 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:43,880 Speaker 1: and things like that. Talking about suicide or talking about 482 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 1: depression isn't going to make your kid more likely to 483 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 1: be depressed or more likely to attempt suicide. It's actually 484 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 1: quite the opposite. If they're thinking that way and you 485 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 1: can talk to them about it, then you've got a chance. 486 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 1: If you don't talk to them about it, you don't 487 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 1: have a chance. The other thing is like in the 488 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 1: know that this is never just about like one single conversation. 489 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 1: This is gonna be about twelve thousand conversations over the 490 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:12,320 Speaker 1: course of you know, definitely their childhood and throughout their lifetime, 491 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: and so have you know, have the opening one that's 492 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:16,880 Speaker 1: going to be weird and awkward in case you haven't 493 00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 1: had it before, it's gonna be a little tough for 494 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 1: those ones. I always advise parents or caregivers to do that. 495 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: In the car, that's my favorite spot for those just 496 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 1: because you can have the radio on. There's no awkward silence, 497 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 1: there's no expectation of eye contact. You're both just looking 498 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 1: through the front windshield and in case you can look 499 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 1: over if you want to. If you're running errands together, 500 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 1: you know, you park, you're run into target, you come 501 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,040 Speaker 1: back out, you can pick the conversation back up while 502 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: you've sort of processed it while while you're in target, 503 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:48,320 Speaker 1: and then it just you know, And then also some 504 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:50,120 Speaker 1: other things might come up along the way, and so 505 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: those are also you have a captured audience. They're not 506 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: going to jump out of the car because you start 507 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 1: talking about suicide. If they do, then you know, then 508 00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 1: you've got problems anyway. So but it's then those are 509 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:04,240 Speaker 1: good easy times, especially in the beginning, to bring these tough, 510 00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:08,479 Speaker 1: tough topics up into and to treat it in a 511 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,800 Speaker 1: serious way and also admit what you don't know and 512 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:14,240 Speaker 1: ask questions, and you can say so like out here 513 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 1: there's been a peak in suicide attempts and then kids 514 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: as young as eight dying by suicide, and so out here. 515 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:27,120 Speaker 1: You can also use those news stories or use like 516 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 1: like local news or even like not so local news 517 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 1: as jumping off points to be I know this is happening, kiddo, 518 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 1: Why do you think it's happening so much? What do 519 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:38,400 Speaker 1: you think is going on that way? Or explain to 520 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 1: meet your point of view about like why, because I 521 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:42,400 Speaker 1: don't get it and I don't know why, and I 522 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 1: don't know what you're going through. It's okay, to admit 523 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: all those things and to admit that I don't how 524 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:49,160 Speaker 1: does TikTok affect all these things or how does like 525 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 1: Instagram affect all this stuff? From your point of view? 526 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 1: And that's you can do that with lots of age kids. 527 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:58,520 Speaker 1: That doesn't have to be like, you know, junior high 528 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:01,040 Speaker 1: or high school. You know, you're ten year old. You 529 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:04,200 Speaker 1: can have a reasonable conversation with about you know, hey, 530 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 1: there's kids that are like attempting suicide, like in the 531 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 1: local area, But do you think that's about or what 532 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 1: do you think might get someone to that point? You 533 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 1: can have that conversation with a ten year old. It 534 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 1: will be a different conversation than you would have with 535 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:17,560 Speaker 1: a sixteen year old, But when you open the door 536 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: repeatedly and talk about it, then they're going to feel 537 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:24,320 Speaker 1: invited to talk about that stuff, especially during the tough 538 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:27,680 Speaker 1: times when they need to the most. Oh, Michael, this 539 00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 1: has been so helpful. I so appreciate that. So appreciate 540 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 1: your conversation and your advice to the wok F audience, 541 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:40,760 Speaker 1: because I think that where we are right now is 542 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:44,600 Speaker 1: a really perilous for young people, and I think that 543 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:49,640 Speaker 1: the more that we can as adults try our best 544 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 1: to bridge, you know, to create a bridge and an 545 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 1: open communication and respectful, authentic communication with young people, the 546 00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: likelihood of them being able to navigate this this time 547 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,480 Speaker 1: is better. So, Michael Klickner, thank you so much for 548 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:10,840 Speaker 1: making the time to join woke F. I really appreciate you. 549 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 1: Thank you, Danielle, I really enjoyed it. That is it 550 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:22,880 Speaker 1: for me today. Dear friends on woke f as always, 551 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 1: power to the people and to all the people. Power, 552 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 1: get woke and stay woke as fuck.