Hi guys!
November is Movember, men’s month. I’m sure we’ve seen the hashtags and the messages. Aaand, 19 November annually is International Men’s Day (I hope you didn’t miss that one too!)
This year’s theme was Helping Men and Boys.
I want to develop it further, and talk about one of the most important aspects in society:- the aspect of handing down and passing down to the next generation.
Society in general is very hereditary. We pass on to the next ones our views, ideas, values, thoughts and traditions. This is prevalent especially in African societies, and each follows its own social structure. Thus, for instance, we may have a family of hunters, a family of weavers, blacksmiths, singers, healers, rulers, etc. etc. You get the idea, right?
Even in modern times, our parents still pass on to us, their kids, values, views and messages that they deem useful and necessary for our growth and entry into the world. It is those values and hand-me-downs that become an integral and unique part of who and what we are as a people.
Which leads me to my point. How best can we make sure that mental health issues, norms and standards of behaviour that encourage emotional and mental wellness, are both safeguarded and nurtured?
By helping men to pass it on to boys, who, as future men, will pass it on to their boys too!
Men in the family are custodians of the history and stories of the particular clan. If they are educated and encouraged, they will pass positive mental health traits to their sons. Just imagine, for instance, if a father is to tell his son, “its okay ndodana, you can cry. That is a form of expression for how you feel too”, instead of “indod’ayikhali/men don’t cry”, think of how much healing would take place, not just in the boy, but even in the boy’s future family. And so on, and so on.
So, wherever we may be, let us start NOW to help men and boys pass down to their next ones positive mental health values and behavior. Because#MentalHealthMattersā¤ļøš§
Because#Mentalhealthmattersā¤š§ 