Recently a friend asked if it was okay to let her child offer comfort to her when she was upset. The scenario was her seven-year-old had walked into her bathroom and caught her crying after some particularly stressful few days. “Mommy! Mommy! Are you okay?” This mom said her immediate instinct was to cover up […]
Do You Know What It Means to Parent Gently?
I was struck by a sermon I heard this week in which the pastor talked about how the quality of gentleness has been emphasized repeatedly in the Bible. Basically, we are admonished to be gentle, even when facing times of frustration, impatience, disappointment, and anger. (If you Google the Bible and put in the keyword […]
What Is Trauma Care for Families and Systems? No Person Is an Island.
Whenever we encounter trauma-impacted children or adults, we realize that it is often not enough to treat only the traumatized child or adult. Trauma occurs in the context of a family or a community. It normally does not occur in isolation from other relationships. Likewise, trauma should not be treated without the inclusion of the […]
