23/06/2026
โค๏ธ๐ค๐ฝ
๐ CHECK IN TUESDAY โ FOR OUR RURAL BOYS & MEN.
As a mother of two teenage boys and the wife of a farmer, this topic sits close to my heart.
Did you know that June is menโs mental health month and it got me thinking.
Iโve seen firsthand the pressures our young men are facing, and I also see the pressures carried by the men running farms, raising families, running businesses, working long hours and trying to hold everything together, even after s**t successions when they have lost everything and trying to start again.
I have seen the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and let me tell you it takes a toll on everyone.
So this week I want to talk about our rural boys, the ones who are right there beside us, who absorb whatโs going on but donโt often get the chance to voice how they are feeling because we think we have shielded them from the reality of whatโs been going on but in fact we havenโt.
I truly believe this is where we need to start if we want to change the culture around menโs mental health in the bush.
As parents, grandparents, coaches, teachers, employers and community members, we have an opportunity to teach our young blokes that strength isn't about bottling everything up.
For generations, many of our boys have grown up hearing things like:
"She'll be right."
"Toughen up."
"Get on with it."
"Don't be soft."
While resilience is important, we also need to teach them that it's okay to talk about what's weighing them down.
Rural life builds some incredible young men.
They learn responsibility early.
They learn work ethic.
They help their families.
They understand commitment, loyalty and the value of a hard day's work.
But rural life can sometimes gift toxic traits that is passed down through generations as they also learn to carry burdens they were never meant to carry alone and their loyalty to the family gets taken advantage of and this has to stop.
We need to acknowledge that as they get older, the pressures grow.
School pressures.
Work pressures.
Financial pressures.
Relationship pressures.
Family expectations.
And unfortunately, many still see alcohol as the answer.
A few beers to celebrate.
A few beers to forget.
A few beers to get through a rough week.
But alcohol rarely solves problems. More often, it masks them for a little while before they return, sometimes bigger than before.
What our boys need most isn't another drink.
They need guidance.
They need positive role models.
They need people who show them that asking for help is not a weakness and see the real value in great mates.
Not the mates who only turn up when the good times are rolling.
The mates who check in when they've gone quiet.
The mates who notice when something isn't right.
The mates who can ask,
"Oi mate, you good?"
and stay long enough to hear the real answer.
To all the wives, partners, mums, dads, mates and neighbours who quietly keep an eye on the people they love, thank you.
Never underestimate the power of simply noticing.
๐ก Signs someone may be struggling:
โข Pulling away from family and mates.
โข Becoming quieter than usual.
โข Increased drinking or risky behaviour.
โข Constant tiredness.
โข Anger or frustration that seems out of character.
โข Loss of interest in things they usually enjoy.
โข Saying "I'm fine" when they clearly aren't.
If you're worried about someone, be brave enough to ask:
๐ "Oi, you good?"
And if the answer is no, remember this:
You don't have to fix their problems.
You don't need all the answers.
You don't need the perfect words.
Just listen.
Without judgement.
Without criticism.
Without trying to solve everything.
Sometimes the greatest gift we can give someone is knowing they don't have to carry the load alone.
Our rural communities have always been built on people looking after each other.
Let's teach our boys from a young age that talking is okay.
Let's show our men that asking for help takes courage.
And let's continue building a culture where checking in on your mates is simply what we do.
Because real strength isn't carrying everything alone.
Real strength is knowing when to lean on the people who care.
๐ Check Your Mates, Open The Gates. ๐
From one rural mum to another, and from one farming family to countless others, let's keep looking out for our boys and the men they will become.
Cheers your mate Katie ๐xx
