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I think I might be in a time warp…how is it that school is starting next week!? I should have seen this coming when the first backpack was dropped off for our annual Back to School Angels program, but I didn’t. I should have realized it when the training room started to be lined with backpacks, but it didn’t dawn on me. And now all the backpacks are gone. They are with the children, getting packed and repacked and tested out for the first day of school.
You would think this was evident when we went school supply shopping for my own son. But no, it still seemed so far off. Now the carefree summer days are waning and it’s time to get back to the structure and predictability of school. Which honestly, isn’t such a bad thing. As fun as summer is with staying up late and flowing through the day with no real plans, children need the structure. Structure helps us all, actually. It provides consistency, boundaries, and predictability. These are things that help us to feel psychologically safe.
This is especially true for children experiencing trauma. Trauma is unpredictable, chaotic and scary. For children living in a home with domestic violence, they never know when something bad might happen. It could be perfectly fine one moment and then terrifying the next. School provides respite from uncertainty with a consistent schedule and clearly defined expectations. For some children, it also provides meals they can count on and a safe adult who believes in them.
These are things many of us take for granted. So, I guess the return to school is a GOOD thing! Although I’ll still miss late night mini-golf and surprise ice cream outings. Here’s to summer rolling into fall and the comfort of safe spaces.
In Peace,
Jennifer
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