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It’s shocking: Preschoolers are three times more likely to be expelled than children in elementary, middle and high school, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Boys are four times more likely than girls to be kicked out, and African American children are twice as likely as Latinx and White children. One organization with childcare centers and mental health providers in Kentucky and Ohio began a long journey 15 years ago, when they began hearing about...

Some of you may have heard my “call to action” story while I was at a WA state conference on ACEs with Dr. Rob Anda in Winthrop, WA on October 3, 2007 (yes, I remember the date!). Although I had already been active in using the ACE Study locally, in a research project at our Juvenile Justice Center (JJC), it was Dr. Anda looking straight at me (or so it felt), pointing his finger at me (at least I thought he was) and saying, “Go home and make something happen!” I almost saluted, reacting to...

From Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, May 2021 The scientific evidence is clear and growing: racism imposes unique and substantial stressors on the daily lives of families raising young children of color. Understanding how these stressors affect child health and development provides a compelling framework for new ideas about how communities, policies, programs, and funding streams might confront and dismantle these inequities and build a stronger future for us all. This...

Do your child’s public tantrums leave you hesitant to go to the grocery store? You’ve probably noticed by now that the words “calm down” do little to relax an overwrought toddler. If you want a less stressful parenting experience, teaching your children to identify and manage their feelings is vital. Here are eight smart ways to teach your children emotional regulation and help them succeed in life. 1. Work It Out People often talk about the fight-or-flight response to stress, but in...

I am excited to announce a special edition, free pop-up workshop for July! Register for Affirmation Hour by clicking here . Everyone will find something for them during Affirmation Hour - show up as you are, and bring your children if you'd like! Please invite other folks to join us for this meaningful time together. July 22nd at 11am PT/2pm ET. Visit Rise to Resilience for more information and events. Image description: a gray background with bright blue text that reads POP UP WORKSHOP...

John and Adam longed to follow the advice of their favorite parenting podcast and teach their 18-month-old daughter Avery to play independently. But when John left her in her playpen to go make dinner, or Adam sat on the couch doing work while Avery played at his feet, they relented to her protests within seconds. They felt torn between a wish to follow what they called “attachment parenting” where they responded to her every need, and to give her space. I began working with them when Avery...

Think about any of dozens of tough moments during your day. The dog is barking, the baby needs a diaper change (again), it’s an hour past dinner time, and you’re really hungry. On most days, you’ve got this. You have the coping skills you need to take a breath, change a diaper, or make a sandwich without breaking down into tears or yelling at everyone in frustration. Babies don’t have these coping skills yet. Even though babies’ brains are growing very fast and they are learning a lot about...

I realize this is a significant change in the way we “serve” children and families currently. However, there is a concern that by “finding something wrong” with a child we are doing more harm than good. We are “evaluating children ” instead of “understanding them” and we are “diagnosing” instead of accepting them for who they are at the moment and meeting them in the “zone of proximal development”.

Aristotle believed, "Courage was the first of human virtues because it makes all others possible." The need for courage is paramount in today's new world. While some wish to return to 'normal' I believe it’s a time to take advantage of being out of our collective comfort zone and embrace our growth as individuals and as a society. Change takes courage and it is no coincidence that this is our first character value in the formula for Choosing Love! As American poet laureate and legend Maya...

Our faith in humanity has been restored! An older gentleman named Gene, who has dementia, sits outside his home nearly every day and waits for the school bus to drop off the neighborhood kids so he can say hello to them. A woman shared a clip of Gene via TikTok , explaining that every day Gene "makes his way outside, not even knowing why," but that something "every day tells him to go outside and wait." She also shared that "Mr. Gene's memory resets" about every 15 minutes, but he somehow...

Early childhood trauma or adverse events in the absence of natural supports or a nurturing caregiver may interrupt and negatively impact brain development and affect behavior and long-term emotional and mental health. Early experiences in life that are positive and negative shape the architecture of the brain. When a an infant or young child is exposed to chronic stress or traumatic events, the brain's emotional center, the amygdala, reacts. In a state of constant fight, flight or freeze,...

Our Skin: A First Conversation About Race is the book we’ve been waiting for! The team (Megan Madison, Jessica Ralli, and Isabel Roxas) did an incredible thing: they explained race and racism to young children. Not only did they do it in a few pages of a board book, but they also provided guidance to the adults who will read it to children. As soon as you open the book, the reader is greeted with colorful representations of the authors and illustrator, as well as a note on the purpose and...

Trauma-Responsive and Resilience Building Practices for Early Childhood Educators (ECE), Leaders, Organizations, and Systems: A Three-Part Program Our region is excited to partner with the Center for Optimal Brain Integration (COBI) to provide a three-part virtual training series (an opening institute, a six-part community of practice, and a closing institute) for early childhood educators, organizations and system leaders. Join us as we deepen our advocacy for and increase trauma-informed...

By Sally Weale, Photo: Blend Images/Rex/Shutterstock, The Guardian, June 14, 2022 Children who learn to play well with their peers by the age of three are likely to enjoy better mental health later in childhood, according to research from the University of Cambridge . The study is said to be the first to establish a connection between “peer play ability” before children go to school and improved mental health at the age of seven. Researchers say it is the quality – rather than quantity – of...

By Aristos Georgiou, Photo: Stock image, Newsweek, October 15, 2022 Childhood trauma occurs more often than you might think and if it goes unaddressed, the potential consequences can be devastating, affecting the individual's life well into adulthood. Nothing matters more to a parent or caregiver than their child's happiness and wellbeing . But dealing with a child who has been traumatized can be a challenging experience and often the the signs may go unnoticed. In her book, Has Your Child...

Crime is a complex subject. Protecting children from Adverse Childhood Experiences prevents crime and strengthens communities.

Outdoor play is key to the health and well-being of children. Getting muddy and staying out till sunset is great for children’s development and can help them refine their motor coordination skills. Kids who play outdoors have improved cognitive skills, too. A recent systematic review found that children who have regular access to green spaces show improved “mental well-being, overall health, and cognitive development.” Children who play outside also had better self-discipline and showed...

[Editor's note: Dr. Harise Stein at Stanford University edits a web site — abuseresearch.info — that focuses on the effects of abuse, and includes research articles on PACEs. Every month, she posts the summaries of the abstracts and links to research articles that address only ACEs, PCEs and PACEs. Thank you, Harise!! — Rafael Maravilla] Domestic Violence – Effects on Children Makris G, Eleftheriades A, Pervanidou P. Early Life Stress, Hormones, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Horm Res...

In 2007, at the start of my son’s fourth grade year, the teacher who I will call Ms. L, gave the class an assignment. They were to write letters to their “future selves” outlining the things they envisioned and hoped for over the course of the coming year. Ms. L. would give the letters back to the children at the end of the year so they could see how their “future selves” aligned with the vision they held at the start of the year. Though my son, ten at the time, showed no outward signs of...

(This is a review of what I believe is an important new resource for the PACEs [for positive and adverse childhood experiences] science movement. Opinions expressed are my own, and are shared as a parent, advocate, author, and longtime student of trauma, healing, and prevention. Thoughts are also shared through my lens as someone who believes, deeply, in the incredible importance of and value in building healthier, more compassionate communities to support and nurture pregnant and new...

The brain doesn’t fully develop until about the age of 25. This fact is sometimes quite surprising and eye opening to most adults. It can also be somewhat overwhelming for new parents and professionals who are interacting with babies and young children every day, to contemplate. It is essential to realize however, that the greatest time of development occurs in the years prior to kindergarten. And even more critical to understand is that by age three 85 percent of the core structures of the...