Hard to believe I’m writing these words for what will be the October issue of this magazine. This year has flown by, and not without plenty of cuts and scrapes along the way. Memphis is known for its grit, and we’ve endured a lot in recent weeks. But we’ve also proven our resiliency, unity, and strength. I’m thankful for this community and the ways in which we push through even the toughest of times.
Sometimes when things get tough, our mental health suffers. We may also experience more stress than usual. We’ve covered these topics in two features, “Tackling Mental Health Myths” and “Distressing Anxiety Symptoms.” Cultural expectations and misconceptions about mental illness may stunt crucial conversations and healing. It’s important to acknowledge and address emotions rather than keep them bottled in. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one in five Americans will experience an anxiety disorder in a given year. And there are more than 100 possible symptoms, many of which you’d never expect to be caused by anxiety. Read on for things to consider when it comes to mental health and well-being — for both children and adults.
Also in this edition, we’re featuring our second student-athlete for The Playbook. We hope you enjoy reading about Claire Todd, a sophomore golf star at Evangelical Christian School. If you’d like to nominate a middle- or high-school student-athlete in your life, visit memphisparent.com/playbook.
As I mentioned earlier, we’ve been welcomed by fall — can you believe it? And with it we head into the holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s Eve … before you know it, we’ll be greeting 2023. To help with your holiday shopping, we’ve put together a list of a few items we found for screen-free fun for the kids, as well as games and gifts adults can enjoy in our Holiday Gift Guide.
We’ve also compiled a comprehensive list of frights, lights, and other festive delights in our Calendar & Events section. Mark your planners for all the fun and family time to come. Happy Holidays! See you back in print in the new year. In the meantime, find us on social media or memphisparent.com.
Take care,
— Shara Clark, Editor