Kinship Link
Volume 8, Issue 4
Pro Kinship
for Kids
Inside this issue:
Do All You Can For
Kids!
2
Let’s Nurture Our
Children
2
Pro Kinship for Kids
Lower level Our Saviors
Lutheran Church
1400 S. State Street
P.O. Box 666
New Ulm, MN 56073
Phone 359-2445 or
1-800-642-5779
Website:
www.prokinship.org
Newsletter by
Kari Beran, Director
April 2012
April is Child Abuse Prevention
Month
We all need to keep in
mind as we go about our
daily lives that helping
children helps us all.
adulthood. The
interactions a child has
in his or her home,
school, and community
become part of this
You may think why
intricate brain structure.
should we care about
Toxic stress, such as
other people’s children?
neglect or abuse,
The answer seems
damages the developing
obvious, but when we
brain and leads to
help all children do better problems in learning,
today, we all do better
and behavior, and
tomorrow. The
increased susceptibility
expression “children are
to physical and mental
our future” has been
illness. The ability to
around for quite some
change brain structure
time and never more true and behavior decreases
than now. It takes
over time, so getting it
everyone of us to raise
right early is less costly,
healthy and happy
to society and
children. We know that
individuals, than trying
child development is a
to fix it later. Preventing
foundation for
abuse and neglect
community and economic minimizes the costs of
development. This is
long-term intervention
because children grow to for crime, corrections,
become the foundation of truancy, hospitalization,
a prosperous and
special education, and
sustainable society.
mental health care.
We know that the basic
structure of the brain is
constructed through an
ongoing process that
begins before birth and
continues through
with things as simple as
a smile at a child or
parent. You can
encourage positive
environments for
children and adults.
These are safe places for
children and adults to
play and interact. It is a
great time to create these
peaceful and thriving
communities around us.
You can even give a
hand to a parent by
offering assurance
through a smile or
positive comment when
you see a child and adult
struggling in public.
You can avoid negative
judgment and show
empathy instead.
Imagine yourself in that
other person’s shoes.
Offer encouragement by
saying something
positive about the
children and adults you
see. Distract and
redirect a child and
So what are you doing in adult’s attention when
your family or around
you see a stressful
you to help take action to situation happening.
keep abuse and neglect
from happening in the
Do All You Can For
first place. You can help Kids!!!
Page 2
Kinship Link
Do All You Can For Kids!
Did you know that there are things you
can do to help prevent the occurrence
of child neglect and abuse from
happening in the first place? Knowing
what can help is doing all you can for
kids.
others and communicate his or her
of need. Who are you a support
emotions effectively helps adults
to?
to be more responsive to needs.
4. Help yourself. When the big and
Knowledge of parenting and of
little problems of your everyday
child and youth development helps
life pile up to the point you feel
us to know to look for how we can
overwhelmed and out of control,
help children reach their full
take a time out. Take a deep
Here are some things to know:
potential within their own cultural
breath. Turn on some music.
1. Be a nurturing adult. Children
identity and age.
Know who to call for support.
need to know that they are special, 3. Help a friend. Being a parent isn't
Parental resilience is what needs to
loved, and capable of following
easy. Someone you know may be
develop. It is a parent’s ability to
their dreams.
struggling with his or her
bounce back from the stress.
2. Learn about how children grow
parenting. Offer to take care of the
Recognizing the signs of stress in
and mature. Have realistic
children so the parent can take a
your own life and enhancing your
expectations as an adult of what
break. Caregivers with family,
problem-solving skills can help all
children can and cannot do. Learn
friends, and neighbors, their social
of us continue to have courage
about children’s social and
connections, to depend on have a
during and after a crisis. It is
emotional development. A child’s
better support system in their times
helping - ourselves.
ability to interact positively with
Let’s Nurture Our Children
Nurturing our children is what we need PROVIDE PHYSICAL
events and days, celebrations,
to do for our children and especially
friends
SECURITY
for children who have been abused in
Provide food, shelter, clothing
Include your children in your
any form. Nurturing is loving and
Teach personal hygiene and
activities
caring for children. Here are some
nutrition
Reveal who you are to your
ways to nurture your children or
Monitor safety
children
children you see around you.
Maintain a family routine
Attend to wounds
ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT
Be affirming
TRUST AND RESPECT
Acknowledge children’s right to
Encourage children to follow their
PROVIDE DISCIPLINE
have their own feelings, friends,
Be consistent
interest
activities, and opinions
Ensure rules are appropriate to age
Let children disagree with you
Promote independence
and development of children
Recognize improvement
Allow for privacy
Be clear about limits and
Teach new skills
Respect feelings for other parent
expectations
Let them make mistakes
Believe your children
Use discipline to give instruction,
not punish
CARE FOR YOURSELF
Give yourself personal time
PROMOTE EMOTIONAL
Keep yourself healthy
SECURITY
GIVE AFFECTION
Talk and act so that children feel
Express verbal and physical
Maintain friendships
safe and comfortable expressing
affection
Accept love
themselves
Be affectionate when your children
Be gentle
are physically or emotionally hurt
Be dependable
GIVE TIME
Participate in your children’s lives:
activities, school, sports, special