Deb

Insert pretentious crap about oneself here

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

This is the quality of humor we want from Grok

[Jason Helmes @anymanfitness]

Just finished this book - Bad Therapy by @AbigailShrier

This is one of the most eye-opening books I've ever read. It's a must read for any parent, any teacher, and should be required reading for any school administrator as well.

The book dives into trying to figure out why kids are having so many mental health problems, when there are so many resources devoted to improving mental health outcomes.

Anxiety, depression, suicide, etc are all higher than they've ever been with kids, even though their lives are arguably better than ever before. It just doesn't make sense.

A few key takeaways from the book:

A constant attention on how kids are "feeling" or "thinking" is causing negative outcomes.

Constantly ruminating on your emotions and how you feel negatively impacts your mental health. If all you do is focus on your emotions, you are destined to be anxious or depressed.

We incessantly ask kids how they're feeling, if they're happy, how their mental health is, etc, and this is creating kids who think they're fragile instead of resilient.

Trying to solve every problem for kids has caused a generation who can't do anything for themselves.

We (Gen X) were told to "suck it up" or "you'll live" or "rub some dirt on it" all the time. Many of us came to the conclusion this is "bad parenting" because our feelings were neglected, and we vowed not to do this to our own children.

Because of that, kids immediately over-dramatize everything that happens to them, making mountains out of molehills, and thinking the world must revolve around their emotions and feelings.

You develop confidence and strong mental health by doing things, not by thinking or via therapy.

You can't think your way out of anxiety. You don't gain confidence by analysis of your thoughts or mental health issues.

You gain confidence and eliminate anxiety by doing gradually more difficult tasks, excelling at them, and realizing you are a competent, capable person.

The non-stop attention therapy gives to these small, common emotions we all feel blows them out of proportion to their seriousness (not talking about genuine disorders here, just normal anxieties that millions of people go to therapy to try to avoid).

One of the best ways to decrease your happiness is to chase it.

Our society constantly tells kids they should be "happy" and asks them if they are.

Happiness isn't a state you should be in 24/7. That's not realistic. Joy and bliss aren't permanent states - they are fleeting.

Contentment, stillness, and being even-keeled are much better goals to aim for mentally.

The happiest, most well adjusted kids come from families with loving parents that have strict rules for the household.

This one really set off the confirmation bias in me... I feel really blessed we have 2 well adjusted middle school kids who do great in school, are very respectful and well mannered, and we barely even need to parent them.

But for years, we were very strict with them. Bedtimes, family rules, how we do things, etc. The in-laws and lots of friends thought we were totalitarian.

In reality, we just had high standards. And it's really paying off right now. I found it really interesting that strict rules equals happy kids. Makes sense, though, as kids need to know what their boundaries are.

Constantly surveying school-age kids about their mental health causes more issues than it solves.

Mental health resources is big money. Districts need to validate all the resources allocated towards mental health, and they often do that via surveys.

Asking kids non-stop questions like:

- Have you thought about self harm?
- Have you thought about suicide?
- Have you been so anxious you can't get out of bed?

Etc, etc puts into their heads the idea that themselves, or many of their peers are broken and cannot function properly in the real world.

It normalizes situations that would be incredibly rare at any other time in history.

There's a lot of other takeaways, too, but I'll stop there.

It's a fantastic book. Go pick it up and read it. This isn't an affiliate thing or a promotion thing at all. I just really enjoyed it, and it will further shape the way I parent moving forward.

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

If you’re reading this post, it’s because our servers are working

[Deb @DebbieChrispy]

You can tell a lot about a person based on how they feel about Dubai

[Roger Skaer @rogerskaer]

Fuck Around and Find Out. Full Video.

[Deb @DebbieChrispy]

#NewProfilePic

[🇿🇦 I ᗩᗰ ᗩᑎ ᗩᖴᖇIᑕᗩᑎ 🇿🇦 @Clint_ZA]

Where were the hate bandwagon jumpers two years ago what @Target was selling this awesome #Pride ensemble?

Oh wait, mob mentality hadn't kicked in yet.

#PrideMonth #LGBTQIA

[Amazing Physics @amazing_physics]

Quantum Theory Proves That Consciousness Moves To Another Universe After Death. https://t.co/z1vElkes2m

[Deb @DebbieChrispy]

@miss_moss This is my best friend in winter. I use one bar and sometimes 2. The heat is great! And you can move it around. My Best Buy ever. Gas lasts 6 weeks at only R350 per refill it’s a pleasure! Buy the thing!

[Eusebius McKaiser @Eusebius]

STOP what you're doing. Right now. You need to watch this.

Wow. I ... am speechless & ran out of tears.

Also retweet so Musa Motha becomes a household name in SA and not just a star on a UK show.

This is the inspiration you needed for this week:

https://t.co/ZS4S2LLlXi

[ORTambo @ortambo_int]

NOTICE: The Airport's Domestic Arrivals is currently being evacuated. This is a precautionary measure. Further updates will be communicated once the matter has been fully investigated. We do profusely apologize for the inconvenience caused.

[My Demons & Me @DemonsAndMeNFT]

His soul grew dark, his heart unsure, His mind was tainted, no longer pure...

"You must sacrifice a part of your soul, to cross the veil and fulfill your goal."

[Phumzile Van Damme @zilevandamme]

One minute you’re racing to down a line of tequilas in a club while your friends clap and cheer you on, and the next minute, you’re 39 and have been super excited for today all week because today is the day you go shopping for a new ✨ laundry basket ✨

[Plant Based News @PlantBasedNews]

In an exciting victory for animal rights activism, the film "Milk" has won The Webby People's Voice Award.

The film "Milk" is a must-watch for anyone interested in animal rights and can be found at https://t.co/4tJ3vImE70

[Prof Thuli Madonsela #KindnessBuilds @ThuliMadonsela3]

#DearPolicians: Please respect academic freedom and stop meddling in university internal affairs. Please allow internal administrative justice processes to take their course. You’ve done enough in polarising the country for parochial political gains #HandsOffStellenboschUniversity

[Deb @DebbieChrispy]

@BarneySimon Kurt Darren

[Deb @DebbieChrispy]

#NewProfilePic

[My Demons & Me @DemonsAndMeNFT]

Trembling hands, I turned the key
Shivers down my spine, from what I'd seen
The lock gave way with an eerie groan
Inside the box, secrets untold

It held a clue to see the dead
Just right then I wished I'd fled
At that time, a vision was clear
To face my demons, far or near

[Rowestar @RoweyM10]

Rugby is a man’s ga…
#AUSvsRSA #nicwhite #oscar