Most people like me enjoyed having a normal childhood. Whether it was playing video games or riding a bike on the sidewalk. Now it does make you wonder how a teenager or a little child could possibly think about committing suicide in this era, especially with advance tech.
My parents are God fearing people, who made sure that my siblings and I made good choices in life. Of course, life was not intended to be perfect, but life is not designed to be that way. I would like to say if it were perfect we would all be robots and even with them humans still need to intervene. Because of our inquisitive nature, we tend to push the limits of reality, and it is not without consequence. Let’s dive into how replacing childhoods with social media has led to a quiet suicidal epidemic amongst black children and adolescents.
As mentioned earlier, playing video games and riding bikes were all social activities that helped build character. Not only was it great for your health, but it increased your communication skills with your peers. I can’t emphasize the importance of having a childhood filled with activities and beautiful memories. All you want to do is play because it gives you a chance to be a hero or anything you could imagine. In fact, I remember wearing bed sheets and even putting a belt in my pants, while running all on all fours, thinking that I was a jaguar.
In recent study, black children ages from five to twelve are twice as likely to commit suicide than several other ethnic groups. Take a look and read that line a few times, so that it registers. Can you picture a child or teen telling you that suicide is their only way to cope with hardship? A child and suicide are two words that I never thought would be used to describe an epidemic. What are some of the driving factors that are ringing the suicidal alarms?
Broken homes are so common amongst our community that we fail to realize the impact it has on children. Whenever a mother and father decide to end their relationship, oftentimes, the mother is left to fend for herself and the children. The next step is to have Uncle Sam play the father’s roles by proving government subsides such as EBT cards. Now being raised in a single mother’s home is not the end of the world but being exposed to domestic violence, financial hardship, and outright poverty, will create childhood trauma.
Have you ever heard of the phrase, “there is only one race, the human race”. I would agree with that statement, but social classes and conflicts have made it impossible for all to act as one. Racism comes in many forms, and it has been a setback for African Americans from the time they were transported here from Africa. Not to make this a history lesson, but Jim crow laws, red lining, and the U.S constitution are notable examples. Black children who are often shunned in a social environment such as school are far more likely to commit suicide at an early age.
Television is a modern-day marvel, and it has been even before color was added. Whenever you were creating a living room or entertainment area it always included a TV. Before cable existed, I grew up watching channel 13 or PBS. It was not until I got older, then I realized that tv can be misleading. Take a look at a show called Finding Big Foot. Should I believe that Tesla have self-driving cars and humanoid robots, but a team of men with cameras and weaponry cannot catch one monster. Cartoons today promote homosexuality, violence, negative behaviors, and decrease executive function. A wise man once said, “a good commercial can sell ice to an Eskimo”.
What do you get when you cross a computer and tv, well you guess it because it does have a nice ring. Cellphones have changed the way humans interact and are responsible for connecting billions of people together. Even when you connect, you can also create a disconnect. Think of the virtual world vs a youngster’s reality. With a cellphone you can search the internet and download games. Roblox is an online platform that allows children to create games for other kids to play. In reality all of the excess of time spent playing games deprives children of basic cognitive skills. What you see is what you become and what you become is your reality.
I have baby sat children both black and white several times throughout my life from the ages of 1 – 8. Not one day has it crossed my mind that any one of those kids would consider committing suicide. A child’s brain grows rapidly and by the age of 3 and it is about 80 percent this size of an adult’s brain. The first 5 -7 years of a child’s life are crucial because they learn how to use their senses as they begin to explore the world. By now you should have a better understanding as to why a child could think about suicide.
Parents need to be held responsible for their child development. There is no way on Gods green earth that children and teenagers should think about killing themselves. Although it may be two different age groups the problems still exist. For black teens they suffer from similar problems as younger kids. The biggest difference is the cell phone usage, which can be directly linked to social media. You know what is ironic, the founders of these platforms do not want or allow their own children to use them. All of the problems listed are triggers that can lead to suicide.
Can you picture a child or a teen telling you that suicide is the only way to cope with hardship? Heartbreaking, disturbing, cringeworthy are just some of the thoughts that flow through my head. Mental health is important for creating balance between the body and soul. We could limit internet usage, create more diverse schools, and promote the benefits of a two-parent household, but this problem will not go away. Do you think the future is still bright for kids and teens? Why or why not