Message from Board Chair Janet Lawson & CEO Ann Kalass: In these troubling times, we lean on our Starfish core values of compassion and respect. And we look to our Starfish community for guidance as our hearts cry out for justice. Starfish Family Services stands resolute in our mission of strengthening families to create brighter futures for children. Our beloved founder Ouida Cash built the foundation for an inclusive and humble Starfish community. Ouida believed that staff should walk hand in hand, alongside Starfish families, recognizing we can learn as much from our families as they can learn from us. Never before has it been so important to listen and learn. To feel each other’s hearts. To contribute to healing and creating a community and country where our Black colleagues, friends, and families can thrive without fear and prejudice due to the color of their skin. Our hearts ache for the continued acts of hatred, murder, and violence against the Black … [Read more...]
Starfish Blog: Why are people wearing masks?
As COVID-19 restrictions slowly begin to ease up, many of us are venturing into public spaces. Those public spaces, however, look far from normal. As grownups, we know we're required to wear face coverings for safety and health reasons. But it's unsettling---especially when we're used to small moments of connection we make through a friendly smile. If it's strange for us, what does a child think? And how do we answer their questions? Below find tips from Rebecca Parlakian, senior director of programs at Zero to Three. See original article. For toddlers, it’s important to answer only the questions they ask. Avoid sharing "too much" information that might be confusing (e.g., what does contagious mean). Some common questions might be: Is the mask a costume? (No, sometimes people wear masks when they are sick or to help keep them safe so they won’t get sick.)Can the person still talk? (Yes. The mask covers their mouth, but they can still talk. Just like if I put my hand over my … [Read more...]
Coronavirus is isolating children. How to help them thrive.
Brie Zeltner, Bridge Michigan | Published online May 14, 2020 In the Sterling Heights condominium complex where Mary Johnson lives with her 9-year-old son and husband, kids began playing together outdoors as soon as the weather improved. The sounds of shouting and giggling drift in through Johnson’s windows, a siren call to play that is nearly impossible for a child to ignore, especially when the coronavirus pandemic has severed ties to school, classmates and friends. But Johnson’s son Nathan, a third-grader and only child, hasn’t been able to join in. “Most of the kids outside playing are siblings,” Johnson told Bridge Magazine. Nathan “hasn’t been able to play with anyone since this started.” Only children are just one group of kids who are more vulnerable to the isolation and stress caused by the pandemic, experts told Bridge. Kids with pre-existing anxiety or depression, kids with developmental and learning disabilities, and those living in … [Read more...]
Starfish Blog: Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week “Helping Kids Cope at Every Age”
Our children are struggling right now. But how that struggle looks is different at different ages. Toddlers to Teens: How to Help Kids Cope with Stress from COVID-19 from Healthline provides some common responses children and teens are having to COVID-19, as well as some helpful parenting tools. Younger children may be regressing and are in need of age-appropriate explanations about what’s going on.Depression among teenagers may be on the rise as a result of physical distancing and missing events.Online counselors and therapists are providing telehealth appointments in a format that’s far more comfortable to the younger generation than parents may realize. If you and your child would like some additional support coping, please reach out to our behavioral health team at 888-355-5433. Coping strategies: for kids of every age When we feel overwhelmed by our emotions it can be easy to start to think unhelpful thoughts and use unhelpful behaviors. Add in the additional … [Read more...]
Starfish Blog: Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week “Put your oxygen mask on first”
Raising or taking care of children can be stressful. As parents or caregivers, we can feel stressed when we're worried about paying the rent or worried about a sick family member or when our child is having a tantrum. We may try to protect our child from the stress we're feeling, but children are very sensitive to our emotional states. If we are feeling stressed, most likely our child is also feeling that stress. They might not know why you are stressed or why they feel stressed, but they feel the stress. This doesn’t mean you need to share every detail with your child about what is stressing you out, but it does give you a chance to tell them you are feeling stressed and to show them what you do to feel better and calmer. Manage your stress first The best way to help your child manage their stress or other big feelings is for you to manage your stress or big feelings first. Have you ever been on a plane or watched a movie where the flight attendants remind caregivers … [Read more...]
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