Allianz’s project “Hour for Us” focusing on mental health in families

Allianz Croatia, the Croatian Paralympic Committee, and the Croatian Olympic Committee have been addressing current social issues for several years, and by continuing last year’s successful project “Hour for Us”, they are jointly focusing on the importance of quality time spent with children and one of today’s pressing societal issues – mental health.

At the panel discussion “The Hour that Changes Everything”, the ambassadors of this project, Olympian Janica Kostelić and Paralympian Ana Sršen, psychologist from the Youth Health Center Daniel Milošević, and the CEO of Allianz Croatia, Marijana Jakovac, participated, who on this occasion stated:

– With the “Hour for Us” project, we want to leave a long-term mark and encourage positive changes in our society. This year, we have focused on the mental health of parents and children because violent incidents in schools across the region, which have deeply shaken communities, prompted us to address this urgent topic of mental health in our society – emphasized Jakovac, adding:

– Mental health is just as important as physical health, so we want to speak openly about the challenges that children, as well as parents, experience every day. Time spent together is the greatest gift we can give each other, as presence and emotional closeness are the foundation of a resilient society. With this project, Allianz wants to show that as a company, we stand by families and the community, not just today, but in the long term – concluded Jakovac.

At the panel discussion, among other things, it was heard that quality time spent between parents and children plays an important role not only in the child’s development but also significantly affects the mental health of the entire family. There are multiple pressures that parents and children face, and much emphasis is placed on external achievements. That is why spending quality time together is urgently needed, concluded psychologist from the Youth Health Center Daniel Milošević.

Alarmingly high numbers call us to urgently change something

According to the World Health Organization, one in seven adolescents worldwide faces mental difficulties, while in Croatia, about 44,000 young people live with mental health challenges. Almost half of parents feel overwhelmed by stress every day, and 63 percent of them believe that screens “steal” meaningful family time.

Janica Kostelić emphasized, among other things, that children need to be offered and enabled to engage in sports, culture, and art, but they should not be overloaded with these activities; rather, they should be allowed to – be children. She emphasized that it is important to talk a lot with them, ask how they are, and truly listen to the answer. To listen to what they want, even sometimes to leave them to have peace alone, to be bored, because even from boredom, she says, interesting ideas and things arise.

– It is very important to me how the day starts; I want us to have 15 minutes in the morning for conversation, talking about what we dreamed, for hugs. I want us to be dedicated to each other in that first part of the day because I know that then the rest will be great – said Kostelić, adding:

– I am extremely happy to be part of this project, in which we together emphasize the importance of mental health for parents and spending quality time with children. The hectic pace of life takes away our time, and the biggest mistake we make is our mobile phones. We have them and “just check who is calling”, “just check the message”, and then quality time is not what it should be. It is important to be present in the moment with our children, even if it is 3 minutes now, and 10 minutes later – concluded Kostelić.

Ana Sršen conveyed that children should be taught not to measure themselves by others’ standards, but by their own, adding:

– In my family, I repeat the mantra – if mom is good, everyone is good. If I do not show by example that I care for myself physically and mentally, how can I expect my children to do the same? We go on many trips and travels, constantly learning something new, and most importantly – we create memories – concludes Sršen.

Hour for Us is a project that lasts all year round, from 0 to 24

On the website “Hour for Us” , there are numerous concrete, fun, and inspiring ideas, as well as video content with tips on how to spend quality and creative time with children: from small home projects to fun outdoor games. This year’s content was created as part of the volunteer activities of Allianz employees, with the participation of Janica Kostelić and Ana Sršen.

To further encourage families to engage in joint activities, Allianz Croatia is organizing a gathering in Maksimir Park on Sunday, September 21, with numerous Olympic and Paralympic activities, mingling with famous athletes and parasportsmen, and a fun treasure hunt. Join us because three families have the chance to win a trip to Gardaland.

Don’t forget – quality time with children is not a choice, but a strength that makes the whole family more resilient and happier.