HJNO Nov/Dec 2021

50 NOV / DEC 2021 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS COLUMN MENTAL HEALTH Family Narratives Support Confidence, Identity, Direction and Belonging As parents, we do our best to extend childhood by protecting our children from known physical and emotional harm. However, the recent and ongoing effects of the pandemic and Hurricane Ida will leave a lasting imprint on our children and on us as adults. Just as we recall the impact of Hurri- cane Katrina, 16 years ago, and watched the World Trade Center fall, 20 years ago, we must come to terms with the immedi- ate and ongoing demands and stressors of these events to help our children per- severe. Life is, and will always be, full of chal- lenges. Many Americans have gone to battle in contemporary wars, and there have been numerous local weather events in our recent past. Generations before us faced a world impacted by two world wars. Each of these events played a major role in shaping this country, state, city, your neighborhood and your family. These events caused major disruptions in the lives of those who lived through them and in the lives of those who followed. There are important lessons to be learned by the personal stories of those who experienced these hardships firsthand, and it’s import- ant that their stories are passed down from generation to generation within families. Family stories provide significant les- sons about where we came from, who we are, and connect us to people we love. They shape our sense of self efficacy and