According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative, about two-thirds of children experience at least one traumatic event by the age of sixteen. Trauma is one or more events or situations that feel physically or emotionally harmful or threatening. Common causes of trauma include child abuse (physical, emotional, sexual), grief, being a witness or victim of violence, neglect, war/terrorism, medical trauma, mental illness, bullying in school, or separation from loved ones. Trauma-Informed Mentoring understands and considers the nature of trauma and promotes environments of healing and recovery rather than practices that may inadvertently re-traumatize.

Trauma can cause youth to have intense physical and psychological stress responses. The impact of trauma can have significant effects on the developing brain, such as, the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) which helps us to process thoughts; the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) which helps us to regulate our emotions; and the Amygdala which helps us to regulate fear. Youth suffering from trauma effects can have long-term impacts:

• Affects the perception of reality
• Wires brain to expect danger
• Takes away a sense of safety
• Triggers flight, fright, or freeze response
• Creates a sense of helplessness
• Creates relationship problems
• Results in serious behavior problems

There is evidence that suggests strong mentoring relationships can help youth to recover and thrive after experiencing trauma. Mentors can help youth build resilience through the following strategies:

Comfort – Be patient and calm. When children are not under stress, try practicing activities that can help them cope when they do feel stress.

Listen – Be open to their ideas and opinions. Ask open-ended questions that require more than a yes or no answer. Ask clarifying questions if you’re unsure of what they meant.

Inspire – Ask them who their role models are and what they like about them. Help them focus on what qualities they admire in other people.

Collaborate – Engage them with a step-by-step problem-solving process until you reach a solution.

Celebrate – Encourage trial and error problem-solving skills to teach them how to persevere. Celebrate the process and the effort even when things don’t go as planned.

Below are some additional recourses for mentors to learn more about trauma-informed mentoring:

Mnetorvt.org | Bigmentoring.org | SAMHSA.gov | Mentoring.org

2020 has been a challenging year for many due primarily to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have all been affected by it in one way or another. We can go on for days about the negative impact the pandemic has had on individuals and our community, which is true, but it’s also important to have gratitude for the positive outcomes that have resulted. Sometimes, looking for the silver lining in negative circumstances can help to reduce anxiety and stress.

In the month of November, gratitude is a common theme that comes up, and it allows us to reflect and to give thanks for the positives in our lives. Examples of positive aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic may include:

• Increased sense of community—people are coming together in communities.
• Positive environmental effects — pollution has decreased.
• Positive relational affects — many people feel more connected or are having deeper relationships with family, friends, & coworkers.
• Families have been able to spend more quality time together.
• New technological innovations have occurred.
• Street crimes have decreased.

This is a great opportunity to open up a conversation and model looking at a positive silver lining with your Little.  Below are some fun activity ideas that you and your Little can do together which may help your Little learn about the importance of thankfulness, mindfulness, and how to better cope with stressors in their lives.

1. Identify The Positives – Help your Little identify what they have to be grateful for in life.
2. Create A Gratitude Journal – Gratitude journals are great ways to encourage children and teens to identify and express appreciation in a creative way.
3. Play A Game of Gratitude Charades – It can be played just like regular charades, but with a twist. Instead of having everyone write down answers to a category, have them think of different ideas related to gratitude.
4. Perform Random Acts of Kindness – No matter what our situation in life, we can find happiness through practicing kindness to others. Check out this list of 50 simple acts of kindness ideas!
5. Create A Gratitude Jar – Creating a gratitude jar is a simple, yet effective activity on gratitude. It encourages youth of all ages to take the time to really think about what they are grateful for.

Article by Shanice Gooden, Program Quality/Data Integrity Specialist at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay

The second week of November represents Transgender Awareness Week. During this week transgender people and their allies take action to bring attention to the community by educating the public about who transgender people are, sharing stories and experiences, and advancing advocacy around the issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community.

To be an ally to transgender youth, we need to be informed and learn more about transgender issues. Recognize that every person is different and has a unique experience, identity, and needs.

Gender Identity is a person’s internal, deeply held sense of their gender. For transgender people, their own internal gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. Most people have a gender identity of man or woman (or boy or girl). For some people, their gender identity does not fit neatly into one of those two choices.

To become better informed on Transgender matters  here are some resources to get started:

Glaad.org/| Transequality.org | Genderspectrum.org | GLSEN.org | www.pflag.org. 

Article by Shanice Gooden, Program Quality/Data Integrity Specialist at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay

November is Child Safety and Protection Month and is an important time to raise awareness around potential dangers that children face day-to-day. Take time this month to learn smart tips to keep kids safe.

Household Safety

Accidental poisonings through the ingestion of medications and chemicals is a common hazard. Keep cleaning materials and medications out of reach. These recommendations from the American Association of Poison Control Centers will help make your home a safe environment.

• Store cleaning supplies, medicines, garden chemicals, and toxic art supplies stored on a high shelf or locked away, and put them away immediately after use.
• Purchase medications with childproof lids. It’s best to keep these on a high shelf or locked in a cabinet rather than on a bedside table.
• Don’t use food containers to store nonfood substances.
• Keep the phone number for Poison Control on your phone (1-800-222-1222).

Secure your bathroom. Keep the water heater temperature low to avoid any risk of burns. Ensure all razors and medications are secured. Installing a slip mat in the bathtub helps prevent dangerous slip-and-falls.

Cover electrical outlets with childproof covers and keep electrical cords out of reach. Teach children to avoid touching these items.

Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are functioning. Install detectors throughout your house and check the batteries regularly.

Swim Safety

Pools and beaches are popular destinations for Floridians. Keeping child safety in mind when you are near the water is essential.

• Be aware of all bodies of water, big or small. Swimming pools, bathtubs, ponds, ditches, fountains, watering cans, kiddie pools, and even large water buckets can be dangerous for small children when left unattended.
• Have clear safety rules around the water, such as no running, no pushing, and no holding others underwater.
• Children should always be supervised by an adult when they are swimming. Infants and toddlers should be held in they are in and around water.
• Children should always wear lifejackets when they are riding in a boat. A lifejacket fits properly if you can’t lift it off over your child’s head after they have been fastened into it.
• Eliminate distractions while children are in the water. Talking on the phone, working on the computer, and other tasks should wait until children are out of the water.

Bike Safety

Bike riding is an excellent activity to do with kids. It’s a fun way to get active while exploring the community. Keep these tips in mind to reduce the risk of injury while biking.

• Wear a properly-fitted helmet.
• Ride on the sidewalk when you can. If not, ride in the same direction as traffic as far on the right-hand side as possible.
• Use hand signals and follow the rules of the road.
• Wear bright colors and use a bike light, especially when riding at night or early in the morning. Reflectors on your clothes and bike will help you been seen.
• Stick together until you are comfortable that your kids are ready to ride on their own

Internet Safety

Teaching children about online risks and how to avoid or report unsafe behavior is important in keeping kids safe online.

• Talk to kids about online dangers, such as inappropriate websites, malware, online frauds or scams, and sexual predators. Keep an open dialogue with your kids about their safety and what they are doing online.
• Set clear rules about internet use. Some examples are:
  • Never give out personal information.
  • Do not post your photo on public sites.
  • Do not open emails from someone you don’t know.
  • Report inappropriate messages to a trusted adult
  • Don’t respond to hurtful, insulting, or bullying messages.
  • Never agree to get together with someone you’ve only met online.
  • Set time limits for being online
• Keep your children’s computers in a common area of the home to monitor their activity.
• Check your child’s browser history.
• Activate privacy features through your browser or devices your child is using
• Know your children’s passwords
• Watch for changes in their behavior that may indicate cyberbullying or contact with an online sexual predator.

Child Safety Resources

Safe Kids Worldwide

CDC: Information on Safety in the Home & Community

Kids in the Know

Child Safety Tips & Resources

National Child Safety and Prevention Month Tips

Internet Safety for Kids