Racing Minds, Restless Nights.

Sana's biggest challenge, from a young age, was falling asleep at night. Sleep didn’t come easily to her, which only increased her anxiety. Even with the medications she was on, her mind never stopped racing. "It just won’t quiet down," she’d often tell me. As her mom, I tried everything to support her—lavender oils, calming teas, sleep routines—but nothing seemed to work. At times, I felt helpless, and, I’ll admit, frustrated. Now, I find myself in a similar position. Despite my medications, there are nights when sleep eludes me, leaving me restless and filled with anxiety. It’s unsettling. My mind races with thoughts, unable to settle, and suddenly I’m hit with a profound realization: this is what Sana endured daily. How did she cope with it all? It’s a question that haunts me. As parents, we often don’t fully grasp what our children are going through unless we experience it ourselves. We may think we understand their fears and anxieties, but the reality is, we sometimes dismiss or underestimate them because we haven’t walked in their shoes. It’s easy to brush off the complexities of anxiety, especially when we lack that firsthand experience. For many, anxiety is often trivialized, especially in a world that frequently views mental health through a lens of skepticism. Even now, many men in particular, view anxiety as something exaggerated or “all in the mind.” But anxiety is real, and it’s crippling. Living in a world so consumed with pressures from social media and societal expectations, it’s no wonder the younger generation struggles. They are constantly bombarded with images and ideas of what they “should” be, leaving little room for the grace of being who they truly are. It’s a heavy burden to carry, and one that can easily lead to sleepless nights and racing thoughts. We need to support our children. Listen to them, really listen. Be present in their moments of distress, even if we don’t always have the answers. They need our presence, our reassurance, and, most of all, our love. Let’s stop dismissing their struggles, and instead, recognize them for what they are: real, valid, and deserving of compassion. Our children are not alone, and it’s up to us to ensure they never feel like they are.