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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE's) Traumatic events involve …

- - - - Reduces the ability to respond, learn or figure things out, which can cause problems in school
        
        Symptoms: children may worry that the divorce is their fault. They may fear they misbehaved or they may assume they did something wrong. This will consume all their thoughts and school will be less of a priority because their family structure is crumbling.
        
        Strategies for teachers: Give the child something they can control and build up and be proud of. Show them a future they can make possible.
      - Increases problems with learning and memory, which can be permanent
        
        Symptoms: Teenage years are the transitions years of becoming an adult and those memories before leaving the home can have a lot of impact. The teen may become quite angry about a divorce and the changes it creates. They may blame one parent for the dissolution of the marriage or they may resent one or both parents for the upheaval in the family.
        
        Strategies for teachers: Give the child something they can control and build up and be proud of. Show them a future they can make possible. Teens have the ability to move out and go to university or work or travel. Show them a side of the world away from home.
    - - May cause lasting health problems
        
        Symptoms: Many kids feel neglect during a divorce and this neglect can cause medical issues that have long lasting effects. California family court illustrates that 80% of divorce cases, the kids had problems with child sex abuse, child physical abuse, substance abuse, domestic violence... Some signs would be physical bruises and scaring or malnutrition.
        
        Strategies for teachers: It is very painful to see a student entering a classroom that has lived their entire life in abuse. One thing we can do is contact child services to see what services they can provide to the child in need.
      - Increases stress hormones which affects the body's ability to fight infection
        
        Symptoms: Lack of proper hygiene and reused clothes and messy hair and constantly being sick and not eating. The body is still at its developmental stage and these symptoms compounded on top of each other will keep the child in a constant state of illness.
        
        Strategies for teachers: Calling child protective services and the school nurse is a priority because the child needs to maintain their health. Constantly being sick will not just hurt their education, but the type of future they will live.
    - - Lowers tolerance for stress, which can result in behaviors such as fighting, checking out or defiance
        
        Symptoms: Children of divorce are more likely to experience negative feelings, lower self-esteem, behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, and mood disorders. Boys are more likely than girls to experience emotional disturbances.
        
        Strategies for Parents: Seek counseling or a therapist to able to vent out problems in a relationship. One common reason for divorce is lack of communication between partners. It seems easier to bottle up insecurities, but one day that bottle will pop and cause social destruction within the family and children will learn from that. They might mimic bottling emotions in and only explode when they can't hold it anymore because that's what they saw their parents do.
        
        Strategies for teachers: Children acting out may need someone to talk to so advising them to see a school counselor or build repour with the student and build a social relationship.
      - Increases difficulty in making friends and maintaining relationships
        
        Symptoms: Kids will be exposed to all yelling and fighting. Children learn what they see and by continuing to stay married in a negative environment, setting kids up for relationship failure.
        
        Strategies for Parents: Have a friend group beyond work and the partner's friends. The kids need to be exposed that the adult world has friends and it is not just who their marriage partner is. When the divorce happens, both parties will have a social group for support so the child will learn that divorce doesn't have to be socially destructive and there is a future beyond divorce.
        
        Strategies for teachers: The child may be behaving like a lone wolf and he needs social activities. Encourage the child to enter some of the school clubs or after school programs like sports. Maybe they like to be buried in books, suggest working in the library or join a book club for example.
- - - - Think of a student who challenges you. Have you observed any of these behaviors/symptoms in that student?
        
        Excessive anger
        
        Unusual startle reactions
        
        Loss of appetite
        
        Extreme fatigue
        
        Physical or verbal aggression
        
        Regular tardiness or absence from class
        
        Perfectionistic, controlling or anxious behavior
        
        Difficulty concentrating
        
        Frequent headaches or stomachaches
        
        Low self-confidence
        
        Irritability
        
        Clinginess
        
        Trouble making friends
        
        Self-harm or suicidal ideation
        
        Hoarding
        
        Risky behaviors (including drug or alcohol abuse or sexual acting out)
        
        Panic attacks
        
        Extreme self-reliance
        
        Running away
        
        Defiance
        
        Alienation from peers
    - - Not all children experience child traumatic stress after experiencing a traumatic event, but those who do can recover. With proper support, many children are able to adapt to and overcome such experiences.
        
        As a teacher or other caring adult, you can play an important role. Remember to:
        
        Explain to the child that he or she is not responsible for what happened. Children often blame themselves for events, even those events that are completely out of their control.
        
        Assure the child that he or she is safe. Talk about the measures you are taking to get the child help and keep him or her safe at home and school.
        
        Be patient. There is no correct timetable for healing. Some children will recover quickly. Others recover more slowly. Try to be supportive and reassure the child that he or she does not need to feel guilty or bad about any feelings or thoughts.
    - - Proactively applying trauma-informed classroom strategies benefits all students. Students respond positively when educators get to know their individual circumstances, affirm their identities and cultivate empathy in the classroom. Here are some ideas to consider incorporating in your teaching practice:
        
        Establish social and emotional safety in your classroom.
        
        Social and emotional safety is the cornerstone of positive classroom outcomes. Research shows that students need to feel both physically and emotionally safe to learn. Students experiencing trauma, including bias, bullying and social isolation, are more likely to feel unsafe.
        
        Strategies
        
        Explicit anti-bullying or community-building curricula
        
        Timely interventions in conflicts and hurtful exchanges
        
        Classroom contracts
        
        Teaching and modeling of empathy and active listening skills
        
        Create a behavior-management plan that focuses on positive reinforcement.
        
        Discipline and behavior management are central to classroom culture and often present unique challenges for students responding to traumatic events or experiences. Foster compassion for and among your students. Focus on praising students for appropriate classroom behavior, not on punishment.
        
        Strategies
        
        Implement student-generated agreements and contracts
        
        Adopt “zero indifference” (NOT zero-tolerance) policies
        
        Seek out training in restorative justice techniques
        
        Explore stress-management strategies to diffuse tense situations and help students process feelings in the moment
        
        Give students opportunities to demonstrate their strengths
        
        Increase your self-awareness and trauma competency.
        
        Increase your knowledge about trauma and how it may manifest for your students. Remember, students respond to trauma in different ways, and their responses may be influenced by cultural traditions, religious beliefs or familial relationships. Connect with students and their families to identify resources and services that can inform how best to support students who experience trauma.
        
        Strategies
        
        Share support resources with other educators
        
        Connect with community organizations
        
        Seek professional development on working with specific identity groups
        
        Engage in ongoing self-assessment and reflection on your trauma responsiveness
- - - - Community violence is a type of trauma when it’s describing the kind of violence that contributes to unhealthy development.
      - Community violence is a dimension of trauma when it’s used to designate who is affected by the violence – such trauma can occur at the individual or interpersonal or community level. For example, an individual who has experienced trauma at the individual level such as physical abuse, may also reside in a violent neighborhood, where the trauma of community violence is also present.
    - - • Depression
        • Frequent and intense nightmares about the event.
        • A high level of fear and anxiety upon hearing sounds that are similar to a gunshot, such as a car backfiring or fireworks.
        • Feeling constantly on edge or always on guard, almost as if there is danger lurking around every corner.
        • Having difficulties sleeping. For example, you may feel overly alert, and as a result, wake up in response to even the slightest of sounds
        • Intrusive thoughts or memories about the shooting that are easily triggered by things in your environment (for example, newspaper articles, television shows, movies, conversations about the shooting).
        • Attempts to avoid situations or places that remind you of the shooting. This may especially be the case for places where you feel you could be in danger of experiencing a similar event again (for example, unfamiliar places or crowded places).
        
        :<3:Response Strategies :unlock:
        
        :check:Communication :<3:
        • Establish an open line to communication as this is essential to their well being using the "Four S's" mentioned in the video.
        • Kids know what happened. Keeping it a ‘secret’ or making up a story about it may only add confusion and mistrust. Kids may fear talking about it because it is a “secret or forbidden topic.” To create healthy dialogues, we can invite children to ask adults any questions they might have about what happened or about themselves and their loved ones.
        • Parents, teachers, counselors and other caretakers can talk to children about what happened in simple and reassuring ways.
        • We can explain the traumatic incident to children in simple, non-graphic facts.
        • Create an open atmosphere so that they feel comfortable talking about their feelings.
        • When they do talk, be an active listener - they need to know that their feelings are being accepted and not judged.
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBkOGey2i10
        USA Today, 2019
        
        :check:Reassurance of Safety :<3:
        • Children often worry, “Will it happen to me? Can it happen at our school or in our neighborhood?” We can reassure and comfort children by telling them that this scary event is not an everyday occurrence, and that children are safe.
        • We can reinforce and tell children that adults are working hard to keep all children safe – at home, at school, on the playground, and in the community.
        
        :check:Avoid Hate-Speech or Media Covering it :<3:
        • We can use simple words and simple sentences that avoid hate, racism, and fear. Young children grasp issues better when it is explained in emotionally neutral, brief, and clear ways. We can tell children that this is a very sad event that should never have happened.
        • We can turn our televisions off while children are in the room, and make sure adult conversations take place with only adults in the room.
        
        :check:Encourage Feelings to be Processed & Expressed using Non-Verbal Techniques :<3:
        • We can encourage kids to draw pictures, write a letter, or even give a toy to the families affected. Giving back is very healing, even for children.
        
        :check:Early Intervention :<3:
        • Parents, teachers, pediatricians, ER doctors, counselors, and social workers in schools, shelters, community clinics, and hospitals, who are the first to observe socio-emotional and physical symptoms in children, need to make referrals to community mental health centers as a first step assessment and intervention tool. Early intervention is prevention.
        
        :check:Offer On-Going Support:<3:
        • Establish support groups.
        • Managing and supporting children/teens/youth who have such experiences often begins with patience and understanding, as overcoming the trauma does take time since different situations may trigger the trauma feelings in new and unexpected ways.
        • Children/Teens/Youth may not be able to understand that what they are feeling is connected to an ACE, therefore, as adults we should be prepared for these relapses.
        
        :check:One Step at a Time:<3:
        • With careful consideration to a child's/teens'/youths' emotional state, encouragement to resume to normal routines should be done gradually as this is an important step in processing and moving on from the trauma.
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2bbcqTk3Wk
        WHAS11, 2019
    - - :!:Well Being
        Increases risk of PTSD, and “pathological adaptations” such as fatalistic thoughts, desensitization to violence and truncated moral development.
      - :!:Education
        Disturbs sleep patterns resulting in trouble concentrating, diminished academic performance, educational and career aspirations, and affects brain development.
        
        :!!:Consequences of Community Violence on Learning and Development
        •Difficulty forming trusting relationships
        •Inability to differentiate between threat and safety
        •Reduced academic performance, lower education and career aspirations
        •Inhibited development of confidence and a secure sense of SEL
        •Impaired development of the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for executive functions such as making and following plans, focusing attention, controlling impulsive behaviors, and integrating information to inform decision-making)
      - :!: Healthy Communities
        Influences whether parents allow children to walk to school or play outside. Undermines healthy eating and active living which increases risk of onset of chronic disease.
      - :!:Criminal Justice
        Increases likelihood of delinquent behavior; teens respond with “protective behavior” like arming themselves, or joining a gang
      - :!:Health
        Increases engagement in high-risk behaviors such as: substance and alcohol abuse, promiscuous sex, and experience of chronic illness.
- - - - Strategies
        Wait before reacting. Oftentimes, students who are consistently defiant, rebellious, or rude become constant worries to their teachers. Do not act preemptively and assume the worst of such children. Instead, allow students to have a clean slate, and address defiant behavior as it comes. When students do act defiantly, find ways to address the student privately and quietly. Address the student's unwanted behavior, express an example of replacement behavior, and why this change of behavior is important ("Your feedback is important during morning meeting! I want to hear your feedback when it is your turn.")
    - - Strategies
        Create opportunities in your class for students to take pride and responsibility in the classroom. For example, for a student who exhibits low self-esteem, try to find out his or her interests. If the student is exceptionally interested in pets for example, allow this student to be the pet monitor and lead small group trainings for other students on how to care for the pets. Giving insecure students the opportunities to grow and take pride in themselves will create a positive class environment.
    - - Strategies
        Approach students who are reluctant to go home with sympathy. Offering a chance for the student to talk one-on-one with yourself or the school counselor will likely help to uncover the root cause of student's desire to stay at school.
- - - - Older students mentor younger ones as Suicide prevention ambassadors
        
        Ref. Nearly 1 in 5 teens seriously considers suicide, PBS NewsHour. (2018)
      - An example of micro-intervention
        
        A student declares himself “a reader,” the equivalent of “soft.” Anther student tells him to sit down and that he was a liar. After the class, I tell the second student how a comment like that could make someone hide their brilliance forever.
      - Mister Roger's speech
        
        State the positive opposites in Freddish
        
        State your expectations as clearly as possible. It is bad to make other people feel bad.
        
        Rephrase in a positive manner. It is good to consider whether your action will hurt other people's feelings.
        
        Rephrase you idea to eliminate all elements that could be considered prescriptive, directive, or instructive. We invite you to think before you act.
        
        Add a simple motivation idea that gives students a reason to follow your advice. We invite you to think whether your words will hurt another person. Other people will return the favor to you.
        
        Rephrase to relate your idea to some phase of development students can understand. We invite you to think about others before you act. Other will do the same to you. It is important to try to act with compassion, and having compassion is an important part of growing up.
        
        Ref: Mister Rogers had a simple set of rules for talking to children. King M. (2018) The Atlantic.
- - - - How does this present in a classroom? https://www.uky.edu/concern/disruptive-threatening-or-violent-behavior
        
        Examples of Violent / Aggressive Behaviour
        
        Yelling / answering out of turn
        
        Using inappropriate responses / profanity
        
        Waving arms / fists (in my class: imitating guns)
        
        Verbally abusing others
        
        Solutions / Strategies: This should always be a collaborative approach with other professions.
        https://www.thoughtco.com/the-aggressive-child-3110252#:~:text=Avoid%20power%20struggles%3A%20Never%20ignore%20inappropriate%20aggression%2C%20but,what%20they%20really%20want%E2%80%94the%20right%20kind%20of%20attention.
        
        Avoid power struggles: Never ignore inappropriate aggression, but do not get drawn into a power struggle with the aggressor.
        
        Be firm, but gentle: The child who exhibits aggressive behavior can handle your tough side, but they will succumb to gentleness. That's what they really want—the right kind of attention.
        
        One-on-one: Deal one-on-one with the child. They will thus receive the full attention they crave, their reputation in the class won't sink even lower, and they will feel respected by you.
        
        Be genuine: Successful teachers know that when they establish a one-on-one relationship with the child, where the child feels genuinely cared for by the teacher, success soon follows.
        
        Responsibilities and praise: Provide opportunities for this child to act appropriately and get some strongly needed attention; give them responsibilities and provide praise.
        
        Search for positives: Catch the child behaving well and provide immediate, positive feedback. In time, you will see that the aggressive behaviors will start to diminish.
        
        Leadership: Provide the child with activities that bring forth leadership in a positive way, always let them know that you trust, respect, and care about them. Remind the child that it's only the inappropriate behaviors (and not them) that you don't like.
        
        Help them own it: Provide many methods for the child to take ownership of their inappropriate behavior. Help them devise a plan to take control of their own behavior, and suggest how such conflicts can be handled the next time.
    - - How does this present in a classroom? https://allbelong.org/depression-in-the-classroom/
        
        Examples of Depression
        
        Expressionless face, no smiles
        
        Quick to become tearful
        
        Reports lots of aches and pains
        
        Lose their appetite
        
        Stop doing the things they used to enjoy
        
        Become irritable and moody
        
        Have trouble sleeping - tired and lethargic in the classroom
        
        Express feelings of hopeless, worthless, or guilt (also known as survivors guilt)
        
        Avoid peers at recess and lunch
        
        Demonstrate low self-esteem
        
        Try to hurt themselves or talk of suicide
        
        Have trouble concentrating
        
        Solutions / Strategies: This should always be a collaborative approach with other professions. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct10/vol68/num02/Responding-to-a-Student%27s-Depression.aspx#:~:text=Strategies%20to%20Help%20Students%20with%20Depression%201%20Give,school.%205%20Develop%20modifications%20and%20accommodations%20to%20respond
        
        Give frequent feedback on academic, social, and behavioral performance.
        
        Teach the student how to set goals and self-monitor.
        
        Teach problem-solving skills.
        
        Coach the student in ways to organize, plan, and execute tasks demanded daily or weekly in school.
        
        Develop modifications and accommodations to respond to the student's fluctuations in mood, ability to concentrate, or side effects of medication. Assign one individual to serve as a primary contact and coordinate interventions.
        
        Give the student opportunities to engage in social interactions.
        
        Frequently monitor whether the student has suicidal thoughts.
        
        Develop a home–school communication system to share information on the student's academic, social, and emotional behavior and any developments concerning medication or side effects.
    - - How does this present in a classroom? https://lifecarecity.com/physical-disabilities-in-children/
        
        Examples of Physical Disabilities
        
        Physically handicapped - loss of limbs due to landmines - the most landmine victims per capita in the world of which 25% are children https://www.halotrust.org/where-we-work/europe-and-caucasus/nagorno-karabakh/
        
        Visually impaired
        
        Hearing impairment
        
        Speech impairment
        
        Intellectual disability / brain damage
        
        Solutions / Strategies: This should always be a collaborative approach with other professions.
        
        INTEGRATED EDUCATION!
        
        Make sure that the learning objectives you have established correspond to the level of development of the children.
        
        Walk around the class and provide feedback / reinforcement to children who follow your instructions.
        
        Ask more questions.
        
        Maintain an energetic rhythm of explanations.
        
        Associate material with everyday life.
        
        Illustrate the material with stories.
        
        Sometimes ask the children to respond in chorus.
        
        Organize activities that cause curiosity.
        
        Remember frequently what behavior you expect from students.
        
        Sometimes, divide the class into pairs: allow the students to give an answer for two.
        
        Use praise much more often than criticism. In addition, praise must be specific (it must be clear to whom and what is to praise), immediate (immediately after the desired behavior), frequent (at least once per lesson for each student), etc.
    - - How does this present in a classroom? https://edu.stemjobs.com/ways-to-help-students-manage-anxiety-in-the-classroom/
        
        Examples of how this may manifest in the classroom.
        
        The student worries about school performance, to the point of perfectionism
        
        The student has difficulty speaking in front of others, whether peers or the teacher
        
        The student performs compulsive rituals to alleviate stress
        
        The student has difficulty working with or being around peers, whether socializing or in class work
        
        The student has irrational fears
        
        Solutions / Strategies: This should always be a collaborative approach with other professions.
        
        Create a "safe" place for the child to go when anxiety symptoms are high or during stressful times. This may be the nurse's office or a staff member's office. Establish rules for the use of the "safe" place. These rules should include items such as, the student must inform the teacher they need a few minutes to calm down, and a set time limit.
        
        Be aware of physical symptoms of anxiety and provide activities to distract the child. Calming activities, such as, reading or listening to music may help to alleviate some of the physical symptoms and allow a child to return to class work after a period of time.
        
        Allow a few minutes at the beginning of the day for the child to transition into the school day. Additional transitional periods might be necessary for other times when routine is disrupted. This can be providing five to ten minutes for the child to prepare their papers and school supplies or simply a few minutes for the child to sit quietly before the school day begins. If the time before school is difficult for the child, it may be beneficial for them to either enter the classroom a few minutes before or a few minutes after the rest of the class arrives.
        
        Talk to the student about what interventions they would find helpful. Having the student discuss strategies may help them to be involved in reducing their anxiety symptoms. This also provides the child an opportunity to talk about situations that cause anxiety symptoms as well as for them to be more aware of their symptoms.
        
        Teach the child relaxation techniques they can do at school, such as deep breathing exercises. Talk with parents about the techniques used at home and try to incorporate them into the classroom.
        
        For children avoiding school because of anxiety, offer suggestions such as coming to school for a shorter day. The longer the child avoids going to school, the more difficult it is for them to return. Allowing them to come to school for shorter periods will give them a chance to face their fears but may make it easier if they know they will be able to return home at lunchtime.
        
        Use small group activities throughout the day. Children with anxiety may be better able to cope with small groups of a few students rather than large classroom study. Have the class break into small groups to complete class work to encourage participation.
        
        Reward effort by a student with anxiety. When a child shows effort or is able to control their anxiety symptoms through interventions, let them know you have noticed and are proud of their efforts.
        
        Create group activities that role-play appropriate behaviors. Teach young children what to do in specific situations. This can help all students learn how to handle situations such as anger management, stress reduction, test anxiety. Providing instruction to the entire class will decrease the focus on the child with anxiety.
        
        Decrease situations that induce stress. Teachers can restructure assignments to decrease the amount of stress for a student. For example, instead of having a child stand in front of the class to read a report, find creative ways to complete reports. Allow students to make posters or record presentations at home on a tape recorder.
        
        Discuss anxiety symptoms privately with the student. Never single out a child or call attention to their anxiety in front of the class. This can cause humiliation or embarrassment and increase anxiety symptoms.
        
        Discuss alternative ways of handling situations. Talk to the student after an anxiety attack about how the situation could have been different or what strategies could have been used (by both the student and the teacher) to make the situation better.
        
        Find books that address children with anxiety. Incorporate these books into reading curriculum. This not only helps the child with anxiety to feel better about their anxiety but also can help the other students in the class be more understanding of the condition.
        
        Teach positive self-talk to the entire class. Helping children to be aware of the negative way they talk to themselves, such as the use of "I can't" and help them to develop a more positive way of talking to themselves.
        
        Post the daily routine in the classroom and let students know in advance any changes in the schedule. Letting students know exactly what is expected will help lessen anxiety. For a student with anxiety, a sudden change can cause a panic attack. Knowing in advance what the day will be like will help in transitions.
        
        Help students break assignments down into smaller segments. This can help to decrease feeling overwhelmed by large assignments and help a student work on each section.
        
        Play soothing music during down time. Many times playing soft music can help children to calm down and can relieve stress. During quiet activities or seatwork, use soothing music.
        
        Incorporate exercise into the school day. Stop lessons for a few minutes or do stretching exercises in between lessons. This can help reduce stress.
        
        Use computerized reading programs. Allowing children time to work on their own rather than in a large group can reduce stress and anxiety.
        
        Discuss what sections of a book will be read aloud with a student before calling on them to read. If reading aloud in the class causes stress and anxiety, plan ahead of time and let a student practice a small selection the night before.
    - - How does this present in a classroom? https://www.learningandthebrain.com/blog/ptsd-in-the-classroom/
        
        Examples of how this is currently manifesting in Sabis, Azerbaijan classrooms. These are only two examples which we currently experience and certainly not exhaustive of all manifestations.
        
        Student seems withdrawn, sad or distracted in class.
        
        Student is overly aggressive with other students.
        
        Solutions / Strategies: This should always be a collaborative approach with other professions. https://www.verywellfamily.com/ptsd-trauma-4685816
        
        Change your perspective as a teacher!!
        
        Find Alternatives to Traditional Discipline
        
        Focus on Positive Attention
        
        Be Predictable
        
        Ask How You Can Help
        
        Remain Neutral and Not Judgmental
- - - - Follow-up and professional treatment, by health and mental health professionals. Normally it is very necessary for the correct education and reintegration of these children
      - Tutoring or seeking a support to replace the family, or reconciliation with the family when possible. Emotional and financial support is necessary so that these children can be constant in their education
      - Temporary internment in the educational center, sometimes necessary so that they interact well with teachers and tutors and get used to school discipline.
      - Personalized education, extra private lessons and a lot of patience. The disruptive behavior of these children should not be judged, most of the time it is a self-defense strategy. In order to educate these children, it is extremely necessary to gain their trust.
- - - - In a healthy parent-child relationship, the parent takes on the role of the caregiver, providing physical shelter, emotional support, and financial security for a young person who is still developing. In parent-child relationships that involve substance abuse, however, these roles are often reversed, and the child assumes the role of the caregiver. Many children are not even aware that they have taken on this responsibility.
      - Encourage students to find an adult to confide in that they respect and trust, someone who understands you and makes you feel valuable. It could be a teacher, counselor, a coach, a favorite aunt or uncle, or a neighbor. Let them know about your fears, and ask them if they would be willing to help.
      - Encourage student to keep a journal. Writing down your feelings — either in a paper journal or an online blog — and recording the things that happen to you might feel scary at first, but it’s a good way to work through your fears. A journal can also be a good way to remember things that have happened when you make the decision to talk to someone. If journaling isn’t your thing, try expressing yourself in other ways, like recording videos, composing poems, making art, or writing songs.
      - Encourage students to participate in activities that make them feel good about themselves. Are you a fast runner? A gifted photographer? A music lover? Find the activities that make you feel confident and happy, and spend more time participating in those things.
      - Inform students of their rights.
        
        "I have the right to get help."
        
        "I have the right to be loved."
        
        "I have the right to speak up."
        
        "I have the right to be safe."
      - Tell students at every turn that "IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT." When you find yourself feeling guilty or upset about a parent’s substance use, remind yourself that you are not the cause of your parent’s problem. You can’t control another person’s substance use. You can’t cure them of the disease of addiction. What you can do is build your own strength by reaching out for help.
      - How parental substance abuse affects children
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJNXqHS2dlI
      - TED Talks presentation from child of an addicthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXNrrcmsWYY
    - - A child's health might be compromised by a parent's drinking or drug problem. The child might develop stress-related health problems like gastrointestinal disorders, headaches, migraines or asthma.
      - Children of substance abusers may avoid bringing home friends or going out in public with their parents. They may shy away from making friends because they lack social skills or out of fear that someone will find out the truth.
      - Despite the suffering these children endure, many blame themselves for their parent’s substance abuse. They believe it when their parents scream that they wouldn’t drink so much or use other drugs if the children didn’t fight, or rooms were kept clean or grades were better.
      - Sleep disturbances, flashbacks, anxiety, and depression are associated with children who witness parents on substance abuse.
      - Many times, children of substance abusers are frightened. They may witness violence - frequently alcohol and drug abuse go hand in hand with domestic violence.
      - These children are not only frightened for their own well-being - they may also harbor urgent concern that their parent may get sick or die as a result of the drinking or drug use.
      - On the other hand, some young people use friends as buffers, relying on their leadership skills to take on key positions in school and extracurricular activities. These young people are often among the most difficult to identify because their achievements make them seem so "well-adjusted."