Let’s Thank Our Teachers
Teaching then… Long before COVID-19, social distancing, or mask mandates, we had teachers. Every August, after a few precious weeks of summer and many projects left unfinished, they showed up in empty classrooms to prepare for the new year. They rearranged furniture, made name plates, and decked out bulletin boards for a brand-new set of […]
A Different Normal
What do I mean, “different normal”? A few years back, I went to a retreat for moms with kids who had experienced trauma and had issues as a result. Two moments really stood out from my first such retreat. The first one happened while we were all getting to know each other. We were laughing […]
Of Hats and Children and This Coming August
So many hats… The teacher hat Like so many of you, I wear a number of “hats” every day. Since March, I’ve worn the teacher hat often. This isn’t foreign to me—I spent ten years in early childhood education—but being Teacher-Mom is a whole new classroom! Two of my students have autism. For them, communication […]
Hitting Pause
The day it all shut down The migraine started around 2 a.m., following a late-night 3-hour drive. I took the pill I’d been prescribed and fell asleep. In the morning, I went for a massage. Some of the tension eased. Still, the bright lights flashed. The pain shot through my eyeball. I came home, closed […]
Child Abuse, Coronavirus, and Mental Health
Mental Health Awareness Month Every May, advocacy organizations such as Mental Health America come together to raise awareness around needs related to mental health. These needs have increased during the coronavirus pandemic. Now that we have entered the month of June, we should reflect on the lessons learned during Mental Health Awareness Month so we […]
Holding Compassion
Blog manager’s note: Carol sent me these thoughts on compassion a little while back, in the height of “shelter-in-place.” I find it speaks to me now, as we all wonder and work toward whatever’s next in a world forever changed by the coronavirus. Learning Compassion One day recently, I was reminded of an exercise from […]
It’s a Pandemic…So Why is My Child So Calm?
Seriously…I don’t get it In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, some parents have asked ATN, “Why is my child so well-behaved?” They are parenting a child impacted by early trauma, and their experience has been that change often heightens the child’s reactive behaviors (more anger, acting-out, raging, withdrawal, etc.) Yet some parents report that […]
Trauma-Sensitive Learning Goes Online
by Dr. Ryan T. Woods for Respectful Ways When learning went online When the threat of COVID-19 arrived, schools responded quickly. Administrators hustled, principals made announcements, and teachers developed lesson plans. In a matter of days, students were learning from home. As any instructor knows, academic content represents just one facet of education. Developing social […]
Trauma-Informed Resources Available During COVID-19 Quarantine
ATN knows that the social distancing going on now can be VERY unsettling for our children impacted by trauma. Their early adversities cause them heightened anxiety when there are changes and when the adults in their world seem tense. Yet, we also have opportunities to increase connection, enhance our relationship with our children and model […]
Wisdom from a Virtual Schooling Mom
Blog Manager’s Note: I don’t know about you, but I know that I have lost count of how many days we’ve been under orders to “shelter in place.” Although absolutely necessary, this isn’t easy, especially as more and more states make the decision to close school doors for the rest of this academic year. Thankfully, […]