September Blog

When Lucy wakes up on a crisp fall morning she looks out her window to see leaves falling and notices the orange and red ones. She suddenly feels sad and starts to think of her mom whom she hasn’t seen in awhile. She came to live with her grandmother some time around last Halloween. She remembers because she had to have her grandmother buy her a costume last minute so she wasn’t left out of the festivities with her friends. As she sits in her bed, tears start to fall as she  feels the cold outside of her window, she remembers her mom getting her coat for her. She remembers when her mom would play in the leaves with her and bake apple pie. When her grandmother comes to get her up for the day, she cant talk, she cant smile. She just stares and remembers.

 As the weather gets a little colder and the sunshine feels a little farther. A lot of people feel a change in emotion as well. While fall brings about may positive emotions for some, it can also bring about the opposite for others. For the children you are caring for, senses can feel overloaded especially as smells, tastes, and memories run full force. Lucy’s story is a prime example of what are “seasonal triggers.” For kids who have been removed from their family of origin, triggers can be seen every day but the triggers that come with the holidays like the smell of pumpkin spice and  the taste of mamas apple pie, those can be extremely overwhelming. As a caregiver, remember how the children in your care could be effected and meet them where they are at. Every child is different and may need to be given a chance to remember or a distraction for some. Remember to have grace with them during this time and be there even when they might not be easy to be around. Having you as a constant in their lives helps more than you could ever know. Our kinship navigators are here for you during these moments, if you are struggling, please reach out.