Understanding the 3 Core Skills:

Cause #1 is Exhaustion

• Teens have less down time than previous generations

• It’s not that they have more things to do

• rest is being squeezed out by time on devices

• Exhaustion can be linked to depression and anxiety

Skill #1 Rest

She is talking about Bodily rest. Be lazy sometimes. Sleep. Experience stillness. Permission to do nothing is now okay.

This leads to the ability to focus, and to creativity.

Sleep deprivation is linked to loneliness. Teens need 9 hours 20 minutes of sleep per night! Reductions in sleep quality also lead to increases in loneliness. Sleep deprivation is the foundation of today’s mental health crisis for teens.

Cause #2 is Overstimulation

Kids are experiencing constant reward-state stimulation, trying to increase pleasure. However, pleasure is not happiness.

Rewards lead to cravings, but not to happiness.

Skill #2 Focus

In a relaxed, non-stressed way, kids need uninterrupted time to develop, and hone their ability to focus.

This requires practice (and remember, multi-tasking is the opposite of focus).

Parents, your job is to provide kids with a time and place to work on this ability.

Cause #3 is Disconnection

More than ever, kids are not connected to other live, face to face humans. More and more kids spend their time alone.

Kids are experiencing an increasing disconnection from a greater cause, a purpose bigger than themselves.

It is so easy for kids to feel left out when one always knows what one is not a part of. Social media is perfectly designed to let you know you are alone.

Skill #3 Real-life Connections

Brings focus to the group benefits of the many kinds of things young people can do (Help Others is connected to our Contribute competency.)

Organize events for kids to do together, without social media or devices.