It is time to take action, slow down, and unite for the mental health of our children.

Five of my kids had firsthand experience with a suicide death. A secondary school classmate. The older brother of a best friend. A poly coursemate. The most heartbreaking of them was a bright-eyed acquaintance from elementary school who was deprived of their adolescence.

These news headlines are not anonymous. We can recall their names. We still see faces. Laughter that used to fill our halls and homes.

We were therefore unable to remain silent any longer.

We founded SPEAK—Suicide Prevention through Empathy, Awareness, and Kindness—for this reason.

Not Professionals, Just Caring People

We do not practice psychology. The science of mental health is not something we are attempting to reinvent.

We are just people—parents, friends, neighbors—who have experienced the agony of powerlessness after witnessing far too much tragedy.

We do know that clinics, hospitals, and crisis hotlines are not the only places where suicide prevention should be practiced. Classrooms and kitchens are where it all begins. at the dinner table. in peaceful automobile drives. via check-ins, even awkward ones. We are the first to do it.A Generation Desperate for Interaction

Let us address the obvious: our children are growing up in an emotionally unfamiliar era.

Despite being "connected" all the time, they are more alone than ever.

They absorb unspoken expectations and unachievable standards as they continually flick through highlight clips. Although everything appears flawless, many things are falling apart on the inside.

The new poverty is this.

Not of food or shelter, but of meaning, belonging, and emotional security.

Despite the fact that our society is monetarily wealthy, a startling proportion of our youth are starving—hungry to feel important, to be noticed, and to know that someone genuinely cares.

Parents Also Face Difficulties

It is not about assigning blame. With the demands of work, elderly parents, chaotic households, and the widening gap between us and our Gen Z children, many of us parents are worn out.

We frequently do not know what to say or how to say it without coming out as overbearing or tone deaf since they talk in a language of emojis and irony.

Avoiding these difficult talks, however, is not working. Now is the moment to embrace the discomfort.

For this reason, we are holding the SPEAK Parenting Conference at The Catapult on Sunday, April 27, from 1 to 5 p.m.

What is Different About This?

This is not another lecture on "parenting tips" from the top down.

It is a sincere, compassionate place to:

Get firsthand accounts from teenagers about what actually occurs behind screens and closed doors.

Learn from professionals how to help our children without alienating them.

Create a community of parents who share your passion and desire to be seen in a new way.

Sign up here.

Because Making a Difference Does not Require Much

"I am here" is sometimes the most impactful thing you can say. I recognize you. I am concerned.

Do not judge. No repairing. Simply being there.

Being kind can be silent. A grin. A real text. listening without interjecting. slowing down sufficiently to identify when someone is having difficulties behind their "I am OK" façade.

We weave the safety net in this manner. A single tiny thread at a time.

Let us Avoid Waiting for Another Disaster

In order to help adults recognize the subtle signs and know how to react with composure and confidence, we also provide a free webinar on "Signs of Suicide." Please visit and share our SPEAK Instagram page for more information.

Because we think that awareness is the first step in prevention, not intervention.

Now is the moment.

Silence comes at a far too high cost.

Let us SPEAK, with courage rather than perfection.

Let us put kindness ahead of activity.

Let us demonstrate to our children that they are never alone, both verbally and physically.

Because hope should always triumph over silence.