“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.” – Mr. Rogers
At the Training Institute we sat stunned, as many of you did, when we learned of the events in Connecticut last Friday. Our thoughts go out to the families there as they cope and heal. Friday was a day of immense sadness and grief for everyone who cares for children and families. As home visitors many of you work with children and families who may need help with processing their questions, concerns, and fears. We want you to know about the following resources.
- A resource from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Tips for Talking to Children and Youth after Traumatic Events.”
- Advice from the American Psychological Association, “Helping Your Children Manage Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting.”
- Fred Rogers’ advice from Family Communications, “Helping Children Deal with Tragic Events in the News.”
- Advice from the National Association of School Psychologists, “A National Tragedy: Helping Children Cope.”
After the holidays we will begin offering multiple trainings around the state on stress management. We hope you will join us as we explore resources and techniques to assist home visitors with managing their own stress while helping families with their stress related problems. We strongly believe that home visitors are making a difference in the lives of families. At the Training Institute we want to help you continue to do so by teaching strategies that can build resilience in children and families.
We are working on new training modules every day to assist and help you as you continue to help families. As always, we look forward to seeing you at a future training!
Posted by: Dr. Kathy Pillow-Price on 12/17/12