Goldie Hawn, an actress known for roles like “Cactus Flower” and “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” is speaking out about the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, Hawn addresses how it has had a detrimental impact on the children in America.
In an op-ed for USA Today, Hawn talked about the impact on mental health this pandemic is having on children specifically. She said that children are feeling a similar sense of dread that was apparent following other traumatic events.
“Today, we are in the midst of a national trauma that could very well surpass 9/11 and approach the heightened terror of the Cold War years. The COVID era has changed our children’s lives in far more real, tangible ways — social distancing, school closures, daily mask use,” Hawn wrote.
The actress is speaking out about the issue as a mother herself. She has several children of her own: Oliver Hudson, Kate Hudson, and Wyatt Russell. The latter of which is her son with longtime partner, Kurt Russell.
Goldie Hawn on Children’s Mental During Pandemic: ‘Level of National Emergency’
Hawn feels that we are not doing enough to fund “preventative care and early interventions.”
“This tells us that as a nation, we have failed our children. The few federal and state dollars that get directed to youth ‘mental health’ invariably end up being earmarked for addiction and ‘crisis care,’ addressing only the most severe disorders. There are modest funds once a kid ends up in a hospital. But what about before?” she also added.
Children have faced a number of hardships in particular over the last few years. That includes breaks in learning, breaks in health care, changes in overall routine, and many other issues. Because of these challenges, Hawn says that children’s mental health is now at the “level of a national emergency.”
A Chance to Raise the ‘Strongest Generation America Has Ever Produced’
Hawn has long been an advocate for mental health. She founded The Hawn Foundation back in 2003, which works to educate underprivileged children. She is also the founder and CEO of MindUP for Life, one of the major programs under the Hawn Foundation.
MindUp has helped children deal with issues like suicidal tendencies, depression, anxiety, and aggression. In her op-ed, Hawn also noted that the suicide rates have increased in the U.S.
“There are everyday tools for mental fitness, just as there are for exercise and healthy eating; we just don’t teach them in any systematic way to our nation’s children,” she wrote.
Goldie Hawn further stated that she is confident that people will overall survive this COVID-19 pandemic. She did say, however, that unless people act, there will be a generation of children carrying a lot of emotional trauma.
“We need more research, more preventative care and more early intervention. And there’s still time. If we get it right, today’s kids could emerge as the strongest generation America has ever produced,” she said.
