We all want healthy kids, right?

We choose organic foods, shop at farmer’s markets, limit processed foods and food dyes, and try are darnedest to keep the junk out of our bodies, and our childrens’ bodies. We try to parent just like God wants us to, and avoid any trauma for our kids that won’t produce growth.

But what if there was one health factor that was just as equal of a burden on their health, as there is to these messy foods. Or even trauma?

It might sound crazy, but this dangerous health hazard is……..DEBT. Specifically, I’m talking about student loan debt.

It is no secret that student loan debt is completely out of hand. The most recent numbers before government loan forgiveness put the total student loan debt burden at $1.7 trillion.

$1.7 trillion dollars?!?!

One of the sad things is, of the top 13 professions with the highest student loan debt, 11 of them are in healthcare. Another sad thing is that research is now showing that those with certain levels of student loan debt are suffering mental health crises, and are neglecting to take care of their own health.

So we have healthcare providers caring for others, often working extra shifts or side jobs (or both), to pay off their astronomical debt, all while burning out, quitting, neglecting their families (many of whom aren’t even able to start families because they cannot afford it), and more. This is a problem. What we teach our kids about the burden of debt is crucial across all forms of life.

Debt should not be a norm, even though it is.

I would say that aside from the health crisis caused by the debt burden is one more disturbing thing.

It isn't burnout.

It isn't physical and mental exhaustion.

It isn't the decline in ability to buy a home or have a family.

It isn't the loss of professionals to careers in real estate or others because of the fatigue, leaving continuous workforce gaps. It isn't that practitioners can't save for THEIR KIDS' college education because they can't pay off their own (which perpetuates the generational debt issue).

Yes, these are all awful things, and are some of the worst things.

But the worst thing, to me?

It limits how much people can GIVE.

It impairs STEWARDSHIP (physically, emotionally, financially, and more). We were put here to STEWARD our lives and what we are given, and debt is the enemy of that.

So, while we started these careers to "help" people, the excessive debt burden actually KEEPS US FROM HELPING PEOPLE.

Let's do something about it. Let’s teach our children how to select a career path based on income, purpose and stewardship. Let’s be OKAY with bucking the norms of having to send our kids off to college so they can “be successful”. Let’s help them find their own version of success, and then guide them towards it.

Their health, and the well-being of those they will give to, depends on it.