As humans, we are incredibly susceptible to the damaging effects of trauma, abuse, and pain of all forms. If you’ve reflected on your own adult life for any length of time, you can likely look back and pinpoint specific instances and situations when your world was rocked to the core. Now imagine a similar situation happening to a child.
It is especially in times of stress and trauma that children need—in essence, require—the ability to hope and dream of a better future. Doing so can help prevent lasting damage to their fragile psyche. Michael Ungar, a family therapist and author of “Change Your World: The Science of Resilience and the True Path to Success,” says that “...a parent or caregiver can change a child’s world to inspire them to be more hopeful about the future.”
So how can you help the child you love and care for look ahead to brighter days? In this third installment dedicated to exploring small doses of adaptive change for children, we’ll focus on how to help children look to the future.
Promote Routine and Stability
Ensuring that your child has predictable routines to follow each day can not only help limit the effects of traumatic events, but can also provide the stability your child needs to feel comfortable moving forward in life. For example, a daily routine might involve preparing and eating meals together, laying out clothes to wear the next day, and going to bed at the same time every night.
Include Children in Family Plans
Is a family vacation on the horizon? Or perhaps you need to plan a major milestone birthday for a beloved grandparent? Allowing your child to be involved in discussions around big family events and plans can give them a sense of purpose and something to look forward to.
Schedule Special Time Together
Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do for a child who needs to look to the future is to plan a special outing or time together, just the two of you. An early morning breakfast outing to a nearby diner, a walk in the park, or a night to watch a movie your kid picked out are all things you can do to show your child that you care about them, want to hear their thoughts, and want to spend time with them. Be sure to silence phones and limit outside distractions to encourage the most beneficial bonding.
Place a Priority on Education
Young minds need to be challenged to grow and expand, which is why education and extracurricular activities should be a major part of every child’s life. Gaining a sound education will help to equip your child with the skills and critical thinking they’ll need to succeed as an adult, but will also provide milestones and goal posts to work toward in their more immediate future. Plus, getting your child involved in other activities, such as music, dance, art, science clubs, and more can provide outlets for expression and stress relief.
Choose Cresthill Academy Now for Your Child’s Tomorrow
At Cresthill Academy, we are acutely aware of how children can be adversely affected by certain events in their lives. That’s why we make every effort to ensure that children in our daycares enjoy consistent daily routines, and we ensure that there are plenty of opportunities to encourage them to look toward their future.
How can Cresthill prepare your child for a better tomorrow?
We employ a professional culinary team that prepares and serves 100% organic meals and snacks each day. Proper nutrition is a major factor in a child’s overall health and wellness.
Our highly trained educators and instructors are experts in early childhood development and teach our children with blended methodologies to emphasize whole-child development.
In addition to our standard curriculum, we offer enrichment programs that foster even more growth and excitement in young minds; from dance and gymnastics to music and art, children will have many opportunities to express themselves outside of the typical classroom and develop new skills.
To learn more about our daycare, contact Cresthill Academy today and schedule a tour. We’re New Jersey’s premier child day care and preschool, and we offer a variety of programs for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. Our locations, which include Harrison, Hoboken Uptown, Hoboken Downtown, East Hanover, and Lyndhurst, New Jersey, are convenient and centrally located.