Children

Our lives are just about back to full throttle these days, and for parents, summertime presents a major challenge to keep their children busy. For many children and families who live in cities like Miami – with an extremely high cost of living – the prospect of a summer vacation or overnight camps in the northeast might be out of reach. But that doesn’t mean summer camps are not accessible. There are literally hundreds of low-cost or free summer camp options across Miami-Dade County, many of which are funded by The Children’s Trust.

Research has shown that summer camp for children of all ages can result in marked academic improvement and, perhaps even more importantly, big gains in social-emotional learning. An online story from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, identified five ways that summer camps help children and youth improve their social emotional learning: introducing children to a different group of kids, different than what they might be used to; providing opportunities to make new friends; creating space where campers can be silly, without fearing bullying; taking a break from technology and modeling teamwork or sportsmanship.

Ever feel guilty for yelling at your child -- which didn’t even help? Children need thoughtful discipline to understand consequences but there are boundaries to be set. Even the most loving parents could use checks and balances to ensure their discipline teaches children and never --even unintentionally-- harms them physically or emotionally. In honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, here’s guidance to safeguard children’s wellbeing and avoid actions that could cross the line to abusive territory.

The bond between humanity and Mother Nature is explored in depth in this month’s Miami-Dade Public Library System’s Staff Picks. Ahead of Earth Day, pick up these books and use them to teach your children about their relationship with nature and how it is our responsibility to care for our planet. The books are an excellent way to sharpen their appreciation and understanding of how wonderful the world around us is and how must all cherish it.

The word "autism" – a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – stems from the Greek noun autos, which means "self." The CDC further states that people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have problems with social communication and interaction, which is why autism can be defined as "a state of being oneself;" or, in other words, ‘a state of being alone’. This, however, doesn’t mean that if your child has been diagnosed with ASD, you have to go it alone.

And your child is certainly not alone. The latest data from the CDC shows that 1 in 44 children in the US is autistic. Upon receiving an ASD diagnosis, most parents leave the neurologist’s or developmental pediatrician’s office feeling overwhelmed and confused, while struggling to know where to begin to seek support. In an effort to build more understanding about the signs, challenges and realities of ASD, April has been designated as Autism Awareness Month. And in Miami-Dade County, numerous programs and resources are available to guide and support parents and caretakers of children in the spectrum, including:

Miami-Dade County’s Coronavirus page on where and how to sign up to get COVID-19 Vaccine:

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has a special web page with Coronavirus information,

Florida Department of Health’s Coronavirus page.

To learn more visit TheChildrensTrust.org or call 211.