The Damage Looks After Me – Michael Rosen

I read this Tweet by Michael Rosen and it made me think about the children in our schools who will be feeling exactly like this.

Some will cope and will have support networks out of school that help them to work through the feelings they are experiencing.

Some will use it to give them strength to help them succeed and overcome their past experiences.  They will move through life with a determination and with courage.

Some will show their emotions through their behaviour ……. shouting, swearing, hitting, kicking, verbally abusing, trashing rooms ……… putting up a barrier so no-one gets close to see the damage that has been done to them.

Some will ‘shut down’ and refuse to speak to anyone, shutting the world out.

Some will try to run away from any situation that they feel is difficult because they are too emotionally fragile to deal with anything else, no matter how small it may appear to others.

When we see behaviours in children (and adults), try to find out what the behaviours are communicating.  Find the child behind the behaviours.  Help them to cope in a healthy way with their experiences.  Help them to see that they are unique, and their experiences make them who they are but do not need to define them.  Help children to learn ways to cope with their emotions; give them strategies that they can use in everyday life.