A recent study revealed that a quarter of children and young people who have lived through Covid lockdowns are likely to have poor mental health. We look into this further and share free and useful resources

A recent NHS Digital report follows insights from 2017 and looks at how the pandemic has affected the mental health of seven to 24-year-olds, considering household circumstances, educational experiences and their communities.

The worrying findings reveal that one in four 17-19-year-olds have a 'probable' mental health problem. The survey classifies how likely it would be that the child had a diagnosable condition (without seeing a professional). The results for the younger population (seven to 16) aren’t much better, with 18% saying they’d be likely to have poor mental health. To put this into context, that’s around five children in every classroom.

Prior to the pandemic, one in 10 people aged 17-19 were thought to have a mental health problem, so why has the pandemic hit young people so hard?

Particularly for those transitioning into their early adult years, the numerous lockdowns brought on by the pandemic have had a knock-on effect. Not only have the school closures resulted in many children being set back in their education, but it’s also impacted their social lives and mental wellbeing as people were forced apart, leading to isolation and feelings of loneliness.

Perhaps more worryingly, the figures also suggest that almost 20% of primary school-aged boys (seven to 10) were classed as having a probable mental health problem, compared to 10.5% of girls the same age. When asked what mental health problems these children were likely to have, the results indicated an increase in anxiety, depression, and behavioural challenges such as ADHD.

With the rising use of technology during Covid, more and more people have taken to social media. NHS Digital found that, of the social media users surveyed, young women were almost twice as likely to report being a victim of bullying than men. For social media users thought to have a mental health problem, the number who felt they had been bullied increased to more than one in four.

How can we help children transition to a post-pandemic world?

Whilst the pandemic has brought families closer together, children of all ages have missed out on other vital parts of their lives, whether that’s interacting with their peers in the classroom or navigating the start of adulthood at university.

Getting support

For many, the isolation experienced during lockdowns may make being back in the school environment harder to adjust to. Whilst some children might be confident in the playground, others may need a little longer to get back in the swing of things. Social and separation anxiety are likely to take effect, so it’s important that we’re on hand to offer our children as much support as possible.

 Sharing some of my favorite Amazon winter fashion faves!

Hello hello! Happy Thursday! I hope you’re having a great week so far. I have a podcast interview, getting in a legs workout, and meeting up with our Bible group for lunch. I typically work through the weekend – it gives me a chance to get ahead for the week and be present for the girls when they’re home from school- so I’ve made Thursday more of a low-key day. I’ve definitely been loving a bit of a down day during the week!

For today’s post, I wanted to share some Amazon winter fashion faves. Amazon has been CRUSHING the game lately. When they invited me to join the Fashion Influencer program, I hadn’t purchased much from their clothing department (but have ordered many things from probably every other department lol). I’ve been quickly impressed by the prices and the quality. I also feel like it’s the perfect option for more trendy choices, since I don’t like to spend a lot when it comes to trends. I’d rather invest in the classics, knowing I’ll wear them for years (like jeans, shoes, classic tops, handbags, etc), but sprinkle in a couple of trendier pieces that are still good quality.

I wanted to share some of the things I’ve ordered and loved recently, and also some of the cute options I’ve seen!

Amazon Winter Fashion Faves

Things I’ve bought recently and love:

This pink collared sweater

I’m wearing this sweater while I write this post! The collar gives it a little something extra and it’s cute with jeans and my Spanx faux leather leggings.

This neutral oversized blazer

I’d been looking for a neutral oversized blazer, but didn’t want to spend a ton. This one is perfect. It’s well-made, and looks cute with jeans and a tank, or with a black dress and Chelsea boots.

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Why now is the time to challenge negative core beliefs, and how finding the courage to go your own way could revolutionise your wellbeing

We all have it, that little voice whispering in our ear that we ‘can’t’, we aren’t ‘enough’, that we’ll ‘flop’.

This might stem from a desire for self-preservation. If we don’t try, we can’t fail, right? But where does that leave us? What would life be like if we always found ourselves hovering on the edge of possibility, and never taking that first step forward?

When self-doubt weighs on our shoulders, it can hold us back from the life we’ve always wanted. We might think we have to do what everyone else is doing, we can’t rock the boat, or steer off course, or that if we try, it’ll be a wreck waiting to happen.

But you know the thing about time? It’s fleeting. So you have to ensure you’re spending yours in whatever way fulfils you most.

Issue 69 is focused on challenging those core beliefs that you ‘can’t’, to make way for radical new avenues of thinking – and exploring the exciting roads of opportunity they may take you down.

Whether that’s working through our 20 life coach-approved questions on p75 to figure out what’s most important to you, or finding your personal ‘zone of genius’ and returning to education, like in the article on p51.

Perhaps it’s about finding innovative ways to heal, like through creative pursuits on p29, or coming out at a later age and accepting your authentic self on p65.

Additionally, in this print edition you'll find:

• Empowering features including how to embrace seasonal living, how adult Lego could form the building bricks for better wellbeing, support for communication delays in kids, and how to handle the halo or horn effect.

• Impactful hacks on creating your own crisis plan, managing menstrual health in the workplace, and signs you're a super-helper (and how it could be harming you) .

• Expert insight on a wide range of areas including supporing someone on their sobriety journey, how to stop self-destructive behaviours, and Marisa Peer on the transformative power of embracing 'you are enough'.

We implore you to open your mind to possibilities, and find comfort in going your own way.

Your path or destination doesn’t have to resemble anyone else’s – it’s yours to explore in your own time. But, we want to put an emphasis on making the most of that time.

As journalist Sydney Harris said: “Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.”

Let’s leave ‘if only’ in the past.

Rebecca Thair
Editor

Creamy Cranberry Dip

Web Admin / Thursday, December 1, 2022 0 420 Article rating: No rating

This creamy cranberry jalapeno dip is lightly sweetened and balanced with just a hint of heat from the peppers. Served with crackers and pretzels or spread on toast, this is an unforgettable holiday treat.

Creamy Cranberry Dip

As soon as I tasted the Cranberry Jalapeno Dip I shared with you last week, I knew I was going to be making it on repeat. I quickly discovered that by stirring it all together, versus serving it in the more striking layers, it was easier to snack on without the potential for crumbling crackers in the cream cheese.

I love the flavor combination but I just may love the festive holiday colors even more. You’ll just do a couple of things differently in this recipe, in order to achieve a perfectly spreadable creamy cranberry jalapeno dip.

I am a big fan of fresh or frozen cranberries. As I’ve said for years, stock up on cranberries while you can, my friends. I buy as many bags as I can get my hands on during the holidays and stash them in the freezer. You don’t need to do anything special with them. Just toss the bags in the freezer and use them while still frozen for any number of recipes.

You can make this with either fresh or frozen cranberries. I did find this to be a teeny tiny bit more crunchy when made with cranberries that hadn’t been frozen, but it honestly wasn’t noticeable to anyone but me. I’ll happily be making this with frozen cranberries throughout the year for every possible occasion.

Cranberry Jalapeno Dip Costco

Have you tried the Costco Cranberry Dip that everyone is talking about? Well, I did and it’s delicious. Guess what though? We like this one even better.

The Costco dip is made with both cream cheese and sour cream. It’s good, don’t get me wrong, but we found that we preferred using all cream cheese and just thinning it a bit with the reserved cranberry juice to achieve the desired consistency.

If you want a near-exact match for Costco’s recipe for cranberry dip, add ¼ cup of sour cream while beating the cream cheese smooth. Just be cautious if you add any extra cranberry liquids, as that will thin it out quickly. Add just a teaspoon or so at a time to keep the right creamy consistency.

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