The Happiest Time of the Year

Once again, the Christmas trees are up, pretty lights abound and there is a mad dash to get the latest techno toy before the reindeer land on the roof. So much has changed since this time last year. There are families who still have no jobs. There are kids who  still go to bed hungry. There are kids who are afraid to go to school because of bullies, still. We spend so much time, energy and money on being sure not to offend anyone, so much on making sure no one feels they are better than anyone else. Maybe if some of that concern, and resources was to be put towards making sure our kids are safe and secure, the rest of it might just work itself out. Someone much smarter than I once said the measure of a society can be seen in how it treats its children, aged and animals. In this country, once  the greatest nation in the world, we are  remiss in caring for these  groups. In a world where a child feels worthless, where animals are butchered for  sheer joy, and where the elderly are victimized and viewed as  burdens on the greater masses,   how can we expect the situation we are in to right itself? This season is one all about a single child. This child was born to parents who were poor, outcasts with no property and no intrinsic value to the greater society. In fact, some regarded them both as mentally unstable given their circumstances. They  struggled to  make due with what they had and what they were being given. In a time of  uncertainty and doubt, a small child was born in humble surroundings who would grow to be one of the greatest change agents  of modern time.  No matter what your belief system, religion or culture, please take a moment to read the Christmas story and see just how important one small child can be to the rest of the world. Merry Christmas and Blessings to you all.

Understanding the Progression of Violence. Prt 3

1 in 20 children witnessed someone being shot, 1 in 200 witnessed a murder, and 1 in 50 were sexually assaulted according to a survey done by the Crimes Against Children Research Center. As children grow older, the incidences of victimization increases to the point of 1 in 10 14-17 year olds witnessing a shooting in the past year, while 1 in 75 witnessed a murder. 2 in 5 children surveyed were exposed to 2 or more types of violence in the previous year. More than 1 in 10 was exposed to 5 or more different types of violence in the same time period. Studies continue to prove repeated exposure to traumatic violence has long lasting effects upon not only the the mental functioning of a child, but their physical well being also. These issues carry over into their adult life if they are not identified and given the appropriate care early on. Take a look at your local news. How many young adults are experiencing dramatic issues with authority, lack of regard for life, lack of respect for property,and people. Animal abuse and child abuse continue to rise despite increased awareness campaigns. The damaged children of the past are now the young adults who are causing havoc in our communities. No other group of children have ever experienced the threats this generation does. No other group has had to cope with bombs and shootings in school, violence in their front yards, drive by shootings, forced sex trafficking, and child abductions. We are getting exactly what we have put into the children. We cut funding to care for them , cut budgets for their education and crowded our schools to the point of exploding, and they are. More needs to be done to ask children about what types of exposure to violence they have encountered. What type of assault and by whom and where. Any tools used to evaluate a child's exposure to violence must take into account the developmental capabilities of the child and the caretaker. Violence takes a toll on children, be they witnesses or victims. Any exposure to violence needs to be talked about and evaluated. None of us were born knowing how to cope with certain events. We were taught, either by the adults we saw in the same situation or by society at large. These kids may not be able to process the needed information due to traumatic exposure issues which prevent them from being fully present in their lives. Some children cope by "checking out". Some turn to anger and agression as the only thing they see that will keep them safe. Children learn what they live is an old saying. Old sayings that have been around for a while are still here because they are true. I don't have one clear answer. Clearly more work is needed. There are no fast answers on how to prevent children from being exposed to violence in their daily lives. They live it. But we can recognize it and talk about how to help these families that may be at risk for increased violence. We can reach out ot a troubles child and let them talk to us, with no judgement, just talk in their own language about what they are dealing with. Listening to our kids is the first thing we have to get right. For more information about what you can do visit http://www.safestartcenter.org

Mental Illness Awareness Month/ October

We all agree there are mentally ill people who need our help. They are on the streets and living under bridges. They are also in our kids classrooms, protecting our city from fire and crime and treating us when we are ill. Mentally ill people are productive parts of our society who go about the daily routines of their lives with little more than a bump occasionally along the way, usually. Sometimes the struggle comes for them when they don't know what is happening to them, why they feel the way they do, or why they suddenly lash out verbally for no reason. Kids are especially overlooked when it comes to early identification of what may be a mental health issue. Every day, 50% of the teens in our country think about suicide. Every day an unknown percentage of grade school children deal with extreme anxiety so much so they experience physical symptoms. Mental illness is easily treated, if found early. Sometimes all we need to do is talk it through with someone who is non-judgemental and caring. Sometimes we may need a little more help than that. Whatever the effective treatment may turn out to be, the longer we delay in accepting there may be a mental health issue at play, the more damage is done. The wait, the delay, the denial, the struggles. These are the things that destroy a life bit by bit. These things draw the person into a darkness of soul that takes years to crawl out of. No one likes to feel they are always on unstable groung. No one needs to experience how of touch they are with the rest of the world for every minute of their existence. We all need to be comfortable in our own skins and with the thoughts rattling around in our brains. Intense thoughts of darkness, lack of hope and despair don't make for a happy life. Please take the time to check out the PBS specials on Healthy Minds this October. Within our minds are the powers of the universe, waiting to be unlocked. Take care of those divine sparks and make sure we all have a chance at healthy minds.http://www.wliw.org/productions/local/healthy-minds/season-two-overview/164/