Column: Creary On Children’s Well-Being
[Opinion column written by Gwendolyn de la Chevotiere Creary]
As Bermuda prepares to vote, we must ask ourselves: Are we doing enough to support our children’s emotional well-being? In a world where anxiety, stress, and social pressures are rising, we must ensure that our children have the resilience to navigate life’s challenges. Their ability to thrive depends on academics and emotional strength, and that foundation is built in the earliest years of life.
From birth, babies learn how to manage emotions, form relationships, and cope with challenges through their interactions with caregivers. When parents respond with warmth, comfort, and consistency, children develop the confidence to face adversity. But too many families in Bermuda lack the support they need to provide this secure foundation. If we want emotionally strong children, we must invest in early childhood mental health, family support, and social-emotional learning.
Research shows that children who feel safe and supported in their early years are better equipped to handle stress and succeed in school and life. Bermuda must ensure that all families—regardless of income—have access to parenting resources, mental health services, and early childhood programs that teach emotional intelligence alongside academics. Schools must embed resilience-building into their curriculum, and workplaces must recognize the importance of policies that allow parents time to bond with and nurture their children.
Children’s resilience is not built in isolation. It takes families, educators, and the entire community working together. If we wait until children are struggling, we have waited too long. The science is clear. The solutions are within reach. Now, it’s up to us. On February 18th, we must choose leaders who will prioritize our children’s emotional well-being. Their future—and the future of Bermuda—depends on the choices we make today.
- Gwendolyn de la Chevotiere Creary is the founder of ParentGuide LLC, an organization dedicated to helping families and educators support children’s emotional resilience and mental well-being. She is also a member of the Early Childhood Advisory Group [ECAG], a collective of Bermuda’s early childhood practitioners and advocates with the goal of raising awareness of early childhood development issues through shared networks and unified advocacy efforts.
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