As you hold your beautiful newborn child in your arms I think all parents dread that day in the future when you know you are going to have to sit them down and talk to them about sex andor drugs. The thing I think alot of us forgot about is that we also should take the time to talk to them about teen suicide.
This past weekend a friend of our neighbor's daughter killed himself. He was just 13.
As a mother, I can not even begin to imagine the anguish this mother and father must be going through. In their shoes, I can not even begin to comprehend the feelings of guilt that go along with this, wondering what you may have missed, what you didn't see, what could you have done differently, even if there were no signs. These are all feelings I had after my mom died, so I would imagine they are even worse for a parent who now has to bury their beloved child.
Did you know that suicide is the second leading cause of death for teens in Canada and the third in the United States?
Did you know that teen/youth suicide rates have TRIPLED since 1970?
Did you know that for every completed suicide there are an estimated THIRTY -FIFTY attempts? And don't forget, due to the stigma attached to suicide available statistics may well underestimate this!
Please take a moment to read these statistics taken from http://www.thekeltyfoundation.org/depression-facts.htm
It might not be the most cheerful topic of discussion you have to have with your child, but it is one that could save their life.
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