11
0Erinome:Hello dear friends! Welcome to our podcast. I'm Erinome.
Enceladus:And I'm Enceladus. Today, let's talk about something really important—teenagers' mental health. You know, many kids are facing big challenges now.
Erinome:Oh right! Like school pressure and spending too much time on phones. And sometimes parents don't talk enough with their kids, or there's not enough help for their feelings.
Enceladus:Sad, right? A mom once asked her son, "Do you feel happy?" And the son said, "Mom, what is happiness?" That made the mom quiet.
Erinome:Wow, that's sad. But the mom thought, maybe happiness is small things—like sitting with him while he does homework, or laughing when he hides his tablet when she comes home.
Enceladus:Yes! Happiness isn't a big answer. It's the moments when you see each other, right? No matter his grades, there's always a light on for him at home.
Erinome:You know what? Now, teenagers' mental health is China's "Number One Education Project"! The government is really focusing on it.
Enceladus:Oh! That's great news. Before, maybe schools only cared about test scores, but now they're looking at kids' hearts.
Erinome:Exactly! The Education Minister said this in March 2026. They want to change from "fixing problems after they happen" to "stopping problems before they start".
Enceladus:How? Like checking kids' mental health every year?
Erinome:Yes! All students get a mental health check each year. And they make a "one student, one file" to track changes. If a kid is in danger, they can see a doctor in 48 hours.
Enceladus:That's good. But schools used to have few mental health teachers, right? Many were just regular teachers doing it part-time.
Erinome:Right! Now the rule is 1 mental health teacher for every 500 students, and they have real jobs (not part-time). All teachers will learn how to notice kids' mental problems too.
Enceladus:Parents are important too, right? Some parents think "school should handle it", but that's not true.
Erinome:Yes! The new policy says parents must learn about mental health. Like, how to talk to kids without stress, how to not add more pressure.
Enceladus:Because family stress plus school stress can break a kid's heart. So home and school need to work together.
Erinome:What are the common mental problems for teens? I read there are six main ones.
Enceladus:First, mood problems. Like feeling sad, not interested in things, or even thinking of hurting themselves. Some kids get angry easily because they were spoiled when young.
Erinome:Oh no. What about school pressure? That's a big one.
Enceladus:Yes! So much homework, exams, and extra classes on weekends. Some kids hate studying, feel scared before tests—like can't sleep, heart racing, or even can't breathe in exams.
Erinome:That's terrible. Then there's relationship problems—with teachers, parents, or friends.
Enceladus:Right. Some teachers don't understand kids, or are too strict. Parents might push too hard on grades, or not talk with kids. So kids feel lonely, like no one trusts them.
Erinome:And "rebellious" behavior? Teens want to be adults, so they fight with parents or teachers.
Enceladus:Yes! They want to be independent, so they say "no" to everything. Sometimes it's because parents used wrong ways to teach them when they were little.
Erinome:What about "puppy love"? I heard a survey in Shanghai found 63.5% of middle school students have had or are having a crush.
Enceladus:Wow, that's high. But it's maybe because they're exploring feelings. But if it ends badly, they might feel sad or even want to hurt themselves.
Erinome:And internet addiction! So many teens spend too much time online. 40% use the internet every day, and 66% think they're addicted.
Enceladus:Yes, because they can't control themselves, or maybe family isn't warm, so they hide online. Some even need doctor help.
Erinome:So what can we do? Are there places to get help?
Enceladus:Yes! Like in Chengdu, there's a place called "Sheng An Mi Yue" with good counselors. They have experts who know how to talk to teens—like Ms. Liu Shuying, who has 17 years of experience.
Erinome:And there's公益 (gongyi) counseling too! "Yi Duo Yun" offers cheap help—199 yuan for in-person, 99 yuan online. For kids who can't afford expensive counseling.
Enceladus:That's great. So parents, if your kid is sad, anxious, or doesn't want to study, maybe ask for help.
Erinome:Schools, parents, society—everyone needs to work together. Not just care about grades, but care about their hearts.
Enceladus:Because a kid with a healthy heart can be strong, even if life is hard.
Erinome:Yes! Let's hope every teen has light in their heart, and can grow happily.
Enceladus:Okay, that's it for today. Remember to listen to teens, be patient, and help them when they need it. See you next time!
Erinome:See you!
