Working with Children

Working with children has allowed me so many opportunities to learn things about myself. I have learned patience, love, how to be caring, and appreciation. Over the years, I have heard many stories from the children that I work with as well. They tell me stories about their weekend adventures, what they did for their birthday parties, stories about their families and many others. However, just recently, a girl started in my program that really touched my heart. She was sexually abused by her biological father until she was 6 years old and removed from her home. She has no self esteem because she thinks she looks like her father. She suffers from PTSD and cusses and talks explicitly about sex. I have to remember what she has been through while remembering as well that she needs time to adjust and make new friends. I cannot believe that she wasn't removed from her home until 6 years of age. It makes me sick to think about it. Thank goodness she has parents now that have adopted her and love her and want to give her a good life. My heart just goes out to her because I will never understand what she went through and how she is feeling.

I love the book, Are You My Mother?  by P.D. Eastman. It shows children that everyone has a mother but that it doesn't always have to be the normal mommy that you think it is. Sometimes kids have grandparents that take care of them. Sometimes children are adopted. Sometimes children are living with other relatives. It shows that children have friends and others that care about them.