North Bridge Microschool

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Do you or your child have Legos sitting in a bin unused? Check out this limited time "brick take back" to get credit on a Lego gift card. We are hoping to do this and build a new set that we will keep together! Have fun sorting 🫣
https://legobricktakeback.com/

Recently, I've witnessed something that has shaken me to my core. Multiple children in my community - bright, loved, seemingly "fine" kids - have casually used language about self-harm and su***de. Not as genuine cries for help, but as what they consider "jokes" or expressions of frustration.

This isn't funny.
This isn't normal.
And this IS NOT okay.

When su***de references become casual language for our children, we have a crisis on our hands. Behind every "joke" about self-harm are real families navigating real attempts, real loss, real pain.

As I read Jonathan Haidt's "The Anxious Generation," I'm struck by his insight: we've created a generation with overprotection in the real world and underprotection in the virtual world. Our children are safer from physical harm than ever before, yet they're drowning in digital spaces that expose them to content, comparisons, and cruelty that their developing brains simply aren't equipped to handle.

I've watched this play out firsthand - pulling my son from school because children told him to kill himself on a social media platform, seeing the casual cruelty that screens seem to amplify.

But here's what I know:
Free play saves kids.
Real connection saves kids.
Boundaries around screens save kids.
Adults who take their emotional language seriously save kids.

We need to:
- Stop treating su***de "jokes" as harmless
- Create real consequences for cruel language online and offline
- Give children back unstructured time to play, connect, and develop resilience
- Model emotional regulation instead of expecting children to figure it out alone
- Remember that behind every struggling child is often a struggling parent doing their best

To the parents reading this who feel overwhelmed, judged, or alone in this fight: I see you. This is hard. You're not failing when you set boundaries and believe me, I know what the battle entails. You're not mean when you say no to social media or situations that don't feel right. Let's choose protection over popularity, connection over likes, and real play over virtual everything.

Just the best 🌿

LOVE!!!!

Yay! Yay! Yay! Wow! WOW! WOW! THANK YOU for voting Crackpots as your pick for Best Family Outing, Best Customer Service, and Best Art Studio!!! Not to mention runner up for Best Downtown Business and Best Maker Space. We are honored and humbled to be a part of this awesome community and truly love being a creative space where you can make memories and keepsakes that last a lifetime. Thank you!!!!! 😍

If you're looking for a place for friendship and inclusivity, North Bridge Microschool is the place for your 7-15 year old!

🪷Our groups are split into two small gatherings: ages 7-11 and ages 12-15!
🪷We meet in southwest Longmont and we have a few spaces left in each group.
🪷We focus on social emotional support wellness and core academics.
🪷We offer monthly tuition payment plans or state funded enrollment which means zero out of pocket expense for you!
Let's connect 🌌

I am so thankful for this safe, comfy space we have created for these teens where they can learn and connect 🌿

Ekkk, so excited! 🥹💜

I am so thankful for the morning sun, our new cozy space, a successful first week, our space of acceptance, and all of the blooming friendships 🌿

3 days until Unity in the Community! Mark your calendars for August 22 and join us in Downtown Longmont for a celebration of everything that makes Longmont shine—local food, music, games, and more than 100 community booths! Free and family-friendly. Be sure to stop by the Longmont Times-Call booth; we are proud to be an event sponsor for another year! https://www.longmontchamber.org/unity/
Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce