As a Child Life Specialist the thing that can be the most challenging is when a child dies. While we have been professionally trained in helping children and families cope with death and dying, it still can be a challenge and it definitely my least favorite thing to do. However, when it happens, I know that my role is to help the child or family I am working with. Knowing what my role is and focusing on that allows me to better help the families and is also my way of coping with what could be the most difficult thing in their lives.
This particular book,
The Next Place by Warren Hanson, has been a favorite tool of mine when helping families cope with death. It is often given to families after their child dies and is often used with siblings or other children involved to help them understand and cope. Waldman House Press, described
The Next Place as a book that "...brings gentle verse revealing a safe and welcome destination free from earthly hurts and filled with wonder and peace. A comforting message of hope and a gift of compassion for the bereaved". I love this book so much because it is so general and non-offensive to all religions, races, creeds, and backgrounds.
It is also special to me in particular because it was given to my family in early 2000 when my younger cousin, Dexter, lost his battle with cancer. It still sits in the curio cabinet at my grandmothers house and means a lot to myself and my family. I encourage all of you to read this book or share it with someone you know that has a child trying to cope with the loss of a loved one.
Bibliotherapy is amazing and works wonders for children! It gives them the opportunity to see someone else going through what they are experiencing, clears up any misconceptions they may have, and also helps parents communicate with their children by opening up the door for conversation.
Here is a link to books on several different topics that you all may find useful!
CLICK HERE FOR BIBLIOTHERAPY BOOK LIST
~Kels~
In case you haven't figured it out...the picture above is a painting of me. It was painted by a little girl that I met during my internship at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Carolina in Greenville, NC. For privacy reasons, I'll call her "Little K".
Little K was hospitalized for a little over thirty days during my internship due to complications that she had with her kidney transplant. The thing that made her so special with me, was that she was the first child during my career as a Child Life Specialist that I was able to really build a connection with. Prior to starting my rotation on the General Pediatrics floor, I had completed rotations on all of our outpatient units. Therefore, I was never really able to build long term connections with the children and families I saw. It was more of an in and out type of thing. However, with Little K, I spent three and a half weeks on the unit with her and her family. I was able to spend lots of time working with her and her family and they made such an impact on me personally and professionally.
Little K's last day in the hospital, was also the last day of my internship. It was an exciting time for the both of us, but sad also. We had to say goodbye, but we were both looking forward to what the future held for us. Shortly before it was time for me to leave I was paged to the unit. When I walked on to the floor I was greeted by Little K and her family, and she was holding this painting to give to me. She wrote a really sweet message on the back of the picture and told me that she painted the picture for me, so that I would never forget her.
She is such an amazing little girl. She has been dealing with her illness since she was very young, and now as a teenager she continues to fight. She is so very optimistic about life and about her future. She is truly an inspiration to me which is why I wanted to share this picture with all of you!
~Kels~
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