The Daily Times

I live in many worlds. Like the patients I see. My first patient of the day might be an elite athlete and the next might have severe physical impairments. One can run with speed and agility; the other might not even be able to walk. They definitely live in different worlds.

I hope that I live a spiritual life but it is often lived in a secular world.

I have friends that are quite wealthy and others that are not sure they can make it to the next paycheck. I hope I treat them both the same.

I’m as comfortable talking to those old guys with their pants pulled up to their armpits as I am to those teenagers with pants sagging half way down their ... well, let’s just say far enough to know their underwear brand of choice.

I’m a biker yet drive a motorized vehicle most of the time. I can tell you that those worlds don’t always get along real well. Hopefully they never collide (if you know what I mean).

I live on a small farm and grew up in the country, yet I can get you around New York City on the subway just like a city boy.

Grandparenting has introduced me to a whole new world. I may have missed Barney and SpongeBob but I know all about The Wiggles and Dora.

Because of my work with sports teams, I spend a lot of time with teenagers. Between August and December, I spend more time with the MHS football team, their managers and their student trainers than I do my own family.

Let me tell you a little bit about the world those young people live in. It’s tough. It’s very different from what you and I grew up with.

I can tell you when and where I first saw someone my own age drinking a beer. I was 18. If someone ended up pregnant, everybody was shocked.

Today, even middle schoolers are exposed to drugs and sex. We didn’t know what eating disorders were. School today is much more demanding.

Kids today are better athletes, better educated, and have far more opportunities. They are also more likely to be stressed, depressed, or physically abused. They’re reaching puberty earlier, getting diabetes younger, and are far more likely to be obese.

So what’s a parent to do? Talk to them, but do more listening than talking. Admit that you don’t have all the answers but that you will work with them to find the right one.

Be a positive example. If your child has a weight problem, what do they see when they get home? Do you exercise regularly and eat smart? Do you smoke? If so, they probably will too. Do you really want that for them?

Pay attention to their friends, their habits, and for signs of stress or depression. Know what the signs of stress and depression might be. Understand that they do live in a different world and have different issues and different problems.

Most of all, make sure that they know that you care. You see, some things don’t change.

Joe Black, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC is a physical therapist and athletic trainer at Total Rehabilitation and is Manager of Outpatient Rehabilitation for Blount Memorial Hospital. Write to him at (joeblackdpt@gmail.com)

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