Today was our last day in the LAC. Lake Isabella, Kernville, Squirrel Valley and South Lake will forever hold a place close to my heart. These towns have such a strong sense of community and I will always be thankful for my time spent there. The LAC had so many different resources present to provide to […]
Day 7: Packin’ Up and Headin’ Home Read More »
I have been so fortunate to have heard so many of these children’s “stories”. Some children come running into the center and yell, “Stupid Fire!” And then immediately engage in play. Some children express minor details of the fire during dramatic play and then quickly state, “And that’s the end of that story.” While other children sit
Day 6: Story Telling Read More »
This is such a common phrase used in the field of Child Life. We have been seeing significantly low numbers here in the Local Assistance Center (LAC) since setting up, however, I don’t think that has anything to say in relation to the quality of interventions provided. Almost all of the children we have seen
Day 5: Quality vs. Quantity Read More »
Today consisted of travel, travel and more travel! Everything went very smooth. We are so fortunate to partner with some unbelievable organizations that help to make these volunteer trips a reality. The Red Cross and Children’s Disaster Services organized all travel plans. I simply had to be flexible and be at the right place, at
Day 1: Heading West Read More »
Tomorrow I head off to Kernville, CA to provide support to the children and families affected by the Erskine fires. I have been feeling a range of different emotions since I finally received confirmation of my travel plans; (excited, eager, nervous, honored, and extremely grateful that I have this opportunity). I’ve already figured out that
Minnesota Child Life Specialist Deploying to CA Wildfires Read More »
I’m really glad I went and it was so evident how impactful my child life education and skills were. My team was made up of wonderful retired elementary teachers, special education teachers, preschool teachers, etc. I could see how the education and experience in critical settings that we get as Child Life Specialists was unmatched
California Wildfires September 2015 Read More »