Prevention Blog Archives by Date Blog
Many children in school know how many days are left in this school year, and if they don’t know, they can always ask their teacher. Soon, they will have a lot of time on their hands, so parents are given the monumental task of helping them find ways to pass the time. If you’re like me, you know it won’t be long before you hear those two words that every parent dreads – “I’m bored!” What if I told you there was something you could put in their hands to help with that? I’m not talking about the latest smart phone, tablet, or video game controller; this is even better than that. I am suggesting that you put a book in their hands, and if you plan it right, they can actually have fun reading it!
As summer quickly approaches, children will be needing summer activities and parents will be seeking energy outlets and learning experiences each day to prevent boredom and unnecessary chaos. Children thrive on structured activities and new experiences. My five-year-old grandson vividly remembers the treasure hunt we had last year. Ironically, he was grounded from his bicycle, so I planned an activity that excluded his bike but offered him an outlet for his energy. His energy, most of the time, is twice that of mine. We went for a walk instead. While walking, I asked him to locate specific items such as flags, flowers, colored leaves, and different types of insects.
In the last ten[+] years, Heartland for Children has established strong community partnerships and effective programs that have positively impacted our tri-county area. Under their leadership, child abuse has decreased. This change has been a result of strong commitment to prevention and evidence based programs. Additionally, their focus on trauma focused care has made a tremendous impact on children and families that have experienced abuse, neglect, and out of home placements. Heartland for Children is the model of community based care for our state.
As a social worker who was involved in the transition to this model of care in our state, I fully support and endorse their continued work and leadership in Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties.
Mary Jo Plews - Former Executive Director, Healthy Start Coalition