Winning Strides is a wonderful program right here in HTE's back yard! Winning Strides uses Equine Assisted Learning and Counseling techniques to help children and families with communication, team work, confidence, and many other things.
They are offering a series specifically for step families - you can go for all 9 sessions or any number of individual sessions. Click the following link to access my 'shared documents'...look for "Stepfamilies-Blending Families for Success!"
I have experienced Winning Strides and think they offer wonderful programs and services. Check out their website: www.winningstrides.net
Showing posts with label Family Changes/Divorce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family Changes/Divorce. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Free Camp for Grieving Chidren (and Parents)
Camp Majik is a free camp for children who have experienced the death of a parent, guardian or other close family member. There are 2 upcoming sessions that happen over or right after the RCPS Fall Break (Camp Woodland, Temple, GA, 10/2-10/4; YWCO Camp, Clarkesville, GA, October 16-18.
Camp Majik Website
www.campmagik.org
Applications in English & Espanol can be found by clicking here.
The students and parents who have done these have said they were wonderful experiences! I'm happy to print and fax applications here at school if that helps you out.
Camp Majik Website
www.campmagik.org
Applications in English & Espanol can be found by clicking here.
The students and parents who have done these have said they were wonderful experiences! I'm happy to print and fax applications here at school if that helps you out.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Children's Understanding of Divorce by Karen Gannon Griffith
Preschoolers and Early Elementary
Understandings
+ Preschoolers recognize that one parent no longer lives at home
+ Elementary school children begin to understand that divorce means their parents will no longer be married and live together, and that their parents no longer love each other
Feelings
+ Will likely blame themselves for the divorce
+ May worry about the changes in their daily lives
+ Have more nightmares
+ May exhibit signs of sadness and grieving because of the absence of one parent
+ Preschoolers may be aggressive and angry toward the parent they “blame”
+ Because preschoolers struggle with the difference between fantasy and reality, children may have rich fantasies about parents getting back together
What Parents Can Do
+ Repeatedly tell children that they are not responsible for the divorce
+ Reassure children of how their needs will be met and of who will take care of them
+ Talk with children about their thoughts and feelings; be sensitive to children’s fears
+ Plan a schedule for time for children to spend with their other parent. Be supportive of children’s ongoing relations with the other parent.
+ Read books together about children and divorce
+ Gently, and matter-of-factly, remind children that the divorce is final and that parents will not get back together again.
Preteens & Adolescents
Understandings
~ Understand what divorce means but may have difficulty accepting the reality of the changes it brings to the family
~ Although thinking at a more complex level, still may blame themselves for the divorce
Feelings
~ May feel abandoned by the parent who moves out of the house
~ May withdraw from long-time friends and favorite activities.
~ May act out in uncharacteristic ways
~ May feel angry and unsure about their own beliefs concerning love, marriage, and family
~ May experience a sense of growing up too soon
~ May start to worry about “adult matters,” such as the family’s financial security
~ May feel obligated to take on more adult responsibilities in the family
What Parents Can Do
~ Maintain open lines of communication with children; reassure children of your love and continued involvement in their lives
~ Whenever possible, both parents need to stay involved in children’s lives, know children’s friends, what they do together, and keep up with children’s progress at school and in other activities
~ Honor family rituals and routines
~ If you need to increase children’s household responsibilities, assign chores and tasks that are age-appropriate; show appreciation for children’s contributions
~ Avoid using teenage children as confidants; plan special time for yourself with adult friends and family members
~ Tell children who will be attending special occasions, especially if you plan to take a new romantic partner
Understandings
+ Preschoolers recognize that one parent no longer lives at home
+ Elementary school children begin to understand that divorce means their parents will no longer be married and live together, and that their parents no longer love each other
Feelings
+ Will likely blame themselves for the divorce
+ May worry about the changes in their daily lives
+ Have more nightmares
+ May exhibit signs of sadness and grieving because of the absence of one parent
+ Preschoolers may be aggressive and angry toward the parent they “blame”
+ Because preschoolers struggle with the difference between fantasy and reality, children may have rich fantasies about parents getting back together
What Parents Can Do
+ Repeatedly tell children that they are not responsible for the divorce
+ Reassure children of how their needs will be met and of who will take care of them
+ Talk with children about their thoughts and feelings; be sensitive to children’s fears
+ Plan a schedule for time for children to spend with their other parent. Be supportive of children’s ongoing relations with the other parent.
+ Read books together about children and divorce
+ Gently, and matter-of-factly, remind children that the divorce is final and that parents will not get back together again.
Preteens & Adolescents
Understandings
~ Understand what divorce means but may have difficulty accepting the reality of the changes it brings to the family
~ Although thinking at a more complex level, still may blame themselves for the divorce
Feelings
~ May feel abandoned by the parent who moves out of the house
~ May withdraw from long-time friends and favorite activities.
~ May act out in uncharacteristic ways
~ May feel angry and unsure about their own beliefs concerning love, marriage, and family
~ May experience a sense of growing up too soon
~ May start to worry about “adult matters,” such as the family’s financial security
~ May feel obligated to take on more adult responsibilities in the family
What Parents Can Do
~ Maintain open lines of communication with children; reassure children of your love and continued involvement in their lives
~ Whenever possible, both parents need to stay involved in children’s lives, know children’s friends, what they do together, and keep up with children’s progress at school and in other activities
~ Honor family rituals and routines
~ If you need to increase children’s household responsibilities, assign chores and tasks that are age-appropriate; show appreciation for children’s contributions
~ Avoid using teenage children as confidants; plan special time for yourself with adult friends and family members
~ Tell children who will be attending special occasions, especially if you plan to take a new romantic partner
Helping Children Understand Divorce by Karen Gannon Griffith
HELPING CHILDREN UNDERSTAND DIVORCE
When parents decide to divorce, children need to know. The manner in which parents inform children of the divorce impacts the reaction of the children. It is important for parents to think carefully about how and what the children will be told. Divorce is an event which is traumatic to the children. It is worth the extra time and thought necessary to present it well to the children.
SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS IN DIVORCED FAMILIES
After a divorce, brothers and sisters may begin to interact differently. Some siblings become closer, while others may argue more and become emotionally distant. As parents become more focused on their own needs, the amount of attention given to the children may lessen. Some children respond by engaging in more conflict because they are competing for their parents’ attention. Other children engage in more conflict due to their own confusion and anger, venting those feelings on siblings. Still others turn to each other for emotional support.
Parents can help by:
• Talking with the children
• Listening to the children
• Spending time with each child individually
Remember that younger children are often better able to express their feelings. Be sure to talk with older siblings, even if they do not appear upset.
HOW TO TELL THE CHILDREN
When possible, the entire family should meet together so that both parents can answer children’s questions.
Set aside time to meet as a family.
Plan ahead of time what to tell the children.
Stay calm.
Plan to meet again.
WHAT TO TELL THE CHILDREN
• Do not give out too much information at once.
• Limit initial discussions to the most important and most immediate issues:
• Tell them their basic needs will be met – meals, help with homework, tucking them in at night
• Tell them their relationship with both parents will continue (if this is true).
• When there are going to be several changes, emphasize what will stay the same.
• Give reassurance with words and actions that parental love will continue even though there will be changes in family routine.
• Emphasize that the divorce is final – avoid giving false hopes of reconciliation.
• Emphasize that the divorce is not the fault of the children. The reassurance will need to be repeated over time.
• Ask the children about their fears and worries.
• Listen to the fears and worries of the children – really listen!
• Acknowledge the impact of the divorce on the children’s lives.
When parents decide to divorce, children need to know. The manner in which parents inform children of the divorce impacts the reaction of the children. It is important for parents to think carefully about how and what the children will be told. Divorce is an event which is traumatic to the children. It is worth the extra time and thought necessary to present it well to the children.
SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS IN DIVORCED FAMILIES
After a divorce, brothers and sisters may begin to interact differently. Some siblings become closer, while others may argue more and become emotionally distant. As parents become more focused on their own needs, the amount of attention given to the children may lessen. Some children respond by engaging in more conflict because they are competing for their parents’ attention. Other children engage in more conflict due to their own confusion and anger, venting those feelings on siblings. Still others turn to each other for emotional support.
Parents can help by:
• Talking with the children
• Listening to the children
• Spending time with each child individually
Remember that younger children are often better able to express their feelings. Be sure to talk with older siblings, even if they do not appear upset.
HOW TO TELL THE CHILDREN
When possible, the entire family should meet together so that both parents can answer children’s questions.
Set aside time to meet as a family.
Plan ahead of time what to tell the children.
Stay calm.
Plan to meet again.
WHAT TO TELL THE CHILDREN
• Do not give out too much information at once.
• Limit initial discussions to the most important and most immediate issues:
• Tell them their basic needs will be met – meals, help with homework, tucking them in at night
• Tell them their relationship with both parents will continue (if this is true).
• When there are going to be several changes, emphasize what will stay the same.
• Give reassurance with words and actions that parental love will continue even though there will be changes in family routine.
• Emphasize that the divorce is final – avoid giving false hopes of reconciliation.
• Emphasize that the divorce is not the fault of the children. The reassurance will need to be repeated over time.
• Ask the children about their fears and worries.
• Listen to the fears and worries of the children – really listen!
• Acknowledge the impact of the divorce on the children’s lives.
Divorce & Family Changes - Karen Griffith Resources
Karen Griffith is a professional school counselor in Duluth, GA (and previously worked right here in Rockdale County). She shared this list at the GSCA Fall Conference in 2006 (Georgia School Counselor Assoc.). She has lots of wisdom and was named one of the 10 finalists for ASCA's prestigious award of 2009 School Counselor of the Year.
Resources for Changing Families
Books for Adults
Resources for Changing Families
Books for Adults
Changing Families: A Guide for Kids and Grownups by Fassler; Waterfront Books, 1988
For the Sake of the Children by Kline and Pew; Prima Publishing, 1992
Helping Children Cope with Divorce by Edward Teyber; Jossey-Bass, Inc., 1992
Kids are Non Divorceable (workbook) by Bonkowski; ACTA Publishers, 1987
Make It as a Stepparent by Berman; Harper Perennial, 1986
Surviving the Break Up: How Children and Parents Cope with Divorce by Basic Books, 1990
The Parents’ Book About Divorce by Gardner; Bantam Books, 1991
Books for Adults to Use with Children
All About Divorce by Mary Blitzer Field; Center for Applied Psychology
All Kinds of Families by Simon; Whitman and Co. 1976
Dinosaur’s Divorce by Brown and Brown; Little Brown and Co., 1986
Families are Different by Nina Pellegrini; Scholastic, 1991
How It Feels When Parents Divorce by Jill Krementz; 1984
Let’s Talk About It: Divorce by Fred Rogers; GP Putnam’ Sons, 1996
Mommy an Daddy are Fighting by Paris; Center for Applied Psychology
My Mom and Dad Are Getting a Divorce by Florence Bienenfeld; EMC Corporation, 1980
My Mother’s House, My Father’s House by C. B. Christiansen; Puffin Books, 1990
My Wicked Stepmother by Leach and Browne; MacMillan, 1992
When Mom and Dad Separate by Marge Heegaard; Woodland Press, 1991
When Your Parents Get a Divorce: A Kid’s Journal by Ann Banks, Puffin Books, 1990
Where Has Daddy Gone? By Trudy Osman; Ideals Children’s Books, 1989
Why are We Getting a Divorce? By Peter Mayle; Harmony Books, 1988
Agencies for Parent Support
Resource Center on Child Protection and Custody in Domestic Violence Situations
PO Box 8970
Reno, NV 89507
(800) 527 – 3223
Single Parent Resource Center
141 W 28th Street #302
New York, NY 10001
(212) 951-7030
Joint Custody Association
10606 Wilkins Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 475 – 5352
National Fathers Network Kindering Center
16120 NE 8th Street
Bellevue, WA 98009-3937
(206) 747 – 4004
Children At Risk Today
Self Help Improvement
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