According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, a typical camel weighs in at around 1,400 pounds, and they are known not only for the hump on their backs but for their ability to carry a load of around a half-ton – Brittanica again, by the way.  Always cite your sources, Michael.  And with all its size and might, most people acknowledge via an idiom that it takes just one piece of straw to “break the camel’s back.”  Think about this for just a minute.  Given enough time and enough straw – even placing each piece on the camel’s back, just one piece of straw at a time…eventually, the camel’s back will break.  And it is, therefore, just one piece of straw that stands between the life and death of this humpbacked powerhouse. 

In loading up the straw, there is probably a point at which the camel can no longer run because of the weight.  Maybe just a trot until more straw is added.  Then it’s just a walk.  Add more straw, and it struggles to take a step.  Keep adding.  It just stands still.  Then, at some point, a piece of straw is placed upon the pile, and whammo – the camel falls to the ground.  Answer this question metaphorically – have you ever had a straw that broke your back?  Or do you know of someone who experienced such a thing? 

Maybe it is my age, or perhaps it is my experiences – but I can better see the accumulation of straw and its impact upon myself and others.  Many adults have the daily beleaguerments of bills, getting enough sleep, keeping up with housework, taking the kiddos to the games or events, managing work politics, daring to squeeze in time to focus on physical health at the gym, or mental health by hanging out with some friends.  And as these things persist, life’s real challenges come and go.  Maybe it is a sick family member or a loss.  Things happen, you know?  It could be a car accident or perhaps a breakup.  Just thinking about this now…if there is a 50% chance of breakup each year, does that mean that every year you are in a relationship, it is a coin flip as to whether or not you’ll experience divorce?  

Somewhere out there, beneath the pale moonlight, someone is driving home from work and thinking about the past due insurance bill, the presents that have to be bought on credit, the spouse that is nowhere to be found, the kid who got a D in science, the past due insurance bill, the upcoming doctor’s appointment, grocery shopping, and the fact that the next day of work is just 11 hours away.  It is all real stuff – then the voice inside the head asks, “What happened to my fairytale?  Where’d it go? – because this ain’t it.” And somehow, someway, we stand up and find a way to live with our decisions and make the most of them when we can.

A little over a decade ago, I met with the late Massachusetts Education Commissioner Chester, Higher Ed Commissioner Freeland, and a slew of leaders from colleges around the state.  As part of the PARCC initiative and also stemming from Governor Patrick’s Readiness Project, we were asked to state what our students needed to be “college ready.”  The conversation had its expected start – reading, writing, and arithmetic.  Add in the sciences, the arts, and critical thinking.  My sentiment was that many kids out there fall flat on their faces in high school when the pressure gets too high.  And, of those who prevail, they sometimes get to college and crumble under the pressure when they are there.  Or maybe they get distracted by all the shiny things college students aren’t prepared to find. 

The Commissioner agreed with me – but pointed out that those skills were difficult to teach in a classroom and even more challenging to measure on a test.  In the years that followed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), our school’s successes and failures had to be measured by a test, which still continues today.  But the post-COVID era brought new attention to the fact that our kids need more in terms of their physical and mental health.  More importantly, we, as adults, have the research knowledge and can even provide the training that makes us able to teach coping strategies and coping skills to our kids. 

It's become increasingly evident that preparing students for the complexities of life extends beyond academic rigor. It's about equipping them with the mental resilience and coping skills necessary to navigate the multifaceted challenges they will encounter. The metaphor of the camel's back is apt for understanding the cumulative pressure students face in their educational journey. Just as the camel can only bear so much before collapsing, so too can the mental health of our students be compromised under the weight of excessive stress and unaddressed emotional burdens.

The post-COVID era shone a brighter light on the importance of mental health in our education systems. We've witnessed firsthand the impact of isolation, disrupted routines, and the uncertainty of a global pandemic on the well-being of our students. This situation has amplified the need for a more holistic approach to education, prioritizing mental health alongside academic achievement.  I continue to lobby for this to be done through the innovative work that has been done at the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research at Cornell University.  

Integrating mental health education and coping skills into the fabric of our schools is more than a necessity; it's a responsibility. Educators and policymakers absolutely have to collaborate to create learning environments that support emotional well-being. This includes classroom strategies that promote mindfulness, stress management, emotional regulation, and resilience-building. It's about teaching students how to recognize their emotional states, manage stress, and seek help when needed.  We can teach our kids how to cope through the Life Space Interview (LSI). Look it up.  Google it.  Watch my video of the LSI on YouTube.  It works. 

Moreover, fostering a school culture that destigmatizes mental health issues is critical. Students should feel safe to express their struggles and seek support without fear of judgment. This environment can be nurtured through open discussions, mental health awareness programs, and accessible counseling services.

Through Cornell’s program (Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools), training teachers and staff to recognize and respond to signs of mental distress is vital. They are often the first line of defense in identifying struggling students and can play a crucial role in guiding them to appropriate resources. And, parents and guardians should be equipped with the knowledge and tools to support their children's emotional and mental well-being. This can be done through the same training for parents (TCIF). 

In conclusion, the challenge before us is clear. We must move beyond the traditional focus on academic achievement to embrace a more comprehensive approach to education. This approach must include a strong emphasis on mental health and the development of coping skills. By doing so, we can better prepare our students not just for college and career success but for the complexities and challenges of life itself. In this way, we can help ensure that the straw of life's challenges does not break the backs of our young learners but instead strengthens them for the journey ahead.

We gotta focus on our health folks…physical and mental.  The same goes for our kids.  All the knowledge in the world is no good without wellness.  Kids who aren’t well cannot learn.