Best way to help a child.....listen to them and allow them to say what is on their mind, uncensored and raw.
You are so right. When I quit my principals job to remarry and merger a family, I missed going to school. I found that a had a knack for what they call ED kids, or emotionally disturbed. In reality they were kids that had been in trouble, resent authority.. You know the type. Anyway, that was 7 years ago. I still have a few that show up at my house sometimes, one had a relative that lived up the street, and found me! And one followed me home. He came from a large city, had been in gangs, had stab wound scars, most kids including my own girls that went to high school were scared of him. They did change their minds once they got to know him! I have been to juvy, and the local jail with my husband visiting students/wrestlers that he coached. Even picking up two car loads of kids to take to the funeral of the boy I mentioned before.
If I were a rich person, or could find the right type of grant I would put a class into the junior high high schools, and even the elementary schools, where kids learned about life skills. Our local children services teaches a ten day class to sophomores, but it's not enough. I had one girl blurt out in front of the other kids her mothers boyfriend red her, and the man wasn't supposed to be in the home but was. I have seen kids AND TEACHERS Push buttons of kids they know they can make "go off" and then sit back and watch the reaction or in the teachers case throw them out.
Many of them come from alcohol/drug addicted homes, homes in which when dad gets mad he hits mom or the kids, or everyone! Well then we wonder why they react this way? I always said there needed to be a classroom that. Kids like that could go to and talk issues out, the room that didn't have desks, but couches, and chairs and lamps, but most of all someone that cared!!!!!!
It is surprising what kids come to school and tell you, and I look at it the same way I always have when my own kids question me about something that shocks me, I remind myself that my reaction could affect the way they talk to me or what they talk about with me in the future. Honestly, at this point nothing much surprises me anymore, other than how sad of a world we live in!!!
Okay that's my rant for today, or this moment anyway! If you have kids, no matter how old or young they may be, please don't miss an opportunity to show them how much you love them, because PERCEPTION IS SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT WE MEAN! We may have great intentions, but how are children perceive things can be a totally different thing, and unfortunately, it's their perception of our words and actions that stick with them forever!!!!!!!
