DCRC Blog

The importance of this year’s International SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) Day theme, “Building Bonds, Reimagining Communities,” cannot be underestimated. As Americans confront the devastating consequences of racial injustice and the COVID-19 pandemic, we must acknowledge that a brighter future depends on all of us bonding together, and reimagining a future for our communities that is different from the past.

Traditionally, the holidays are a time for family and friends to gather together to celebrate the season and make lasting memories. While this year’s festivities may look a bit different due to COVID-19, Devereux Center for Resilient Children Director Susan Damico says that doesn’t have to stop you and your family from finding creative ways to make the season special.

In this blog series, DCRC Director Susan Damico, M.A., discusses the mental health effects of the pandemic on children, educators and families. She also offers a few strategies to help all of us get through these challenging times … together.

The DCRC Team is glad to have this blog post entry from The SOURCE – Elkhart County’s System of Care. They have put together this brief social story for those children still attending childcare, helping them understand what’s going on while also reassuring their safety and the safety of their “School Family.”

Everyone wants to be helpful, and everyone has great ideas. So do you really need another reminder to breathe; practice gratitude; create structure; go outside; connect with ones you love; read; meditate; journal; set boundaries; exercise; laugh; and be gentle with yourself? My answer is “yes,” – and “no”!

From the time a baby is born until they establish themselves as adults, many parents are at least a little concerned with how intelligent their child will be (I know I sure do!). While it is important that children learn their ABCs and 123s, and pass college entrance exams, developing a child’s emotional intelligence is an aspect of our child’s development that we must consider in an ongoing, intentional manner.

If you are a parent, we often feel as though there is never enough time in a day to complete all of the tasks on our to-do-list and take care of our children and families. We might want to think about the message we are sending our children as we hurry through our days without taking time for each other.

To help ward off the stress of the season, Devereux Center for Resilient Children (DCRC) Early Childhood Specialist and National Trainer Nefertiti B. Poyner, Ed.D., offers tips for families to slow down and focus on being present, not perfect.

In Spring of 2018, the DCRC team read the book, The Deepest Well: Healing from Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity, by Nadine Burke Harris. Prior to reading this book, I certainly had some knowledge about the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study and ACEs. Burke Harris’s stories and experiences as a medical professional and practitioner in a high-risk neighborhood in San Francisco, CA brought my understanding to a whole new level.

My mom and I were talking recently about my daughter’s development. She was wondering if I thought Madison (who is 4 years old) was ready for kindergarten. Lately, we have seen her become a lot better at letter and sound recognition. We are now working with her on her numbers … it’s a brutal process! To say that she is not interested would be an understatement.