Children living with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) face a variety of challenges. Some of these may be developmental, such as building social skills. They may also be at greater risk of mental health problems or substance abuse later in life. This is why it is so important to establish methods to help your child to gain the resilience that empowers them to navigate past or ongoing trauma.
This is, of course, a relatively complex matter. A child with ACEs is likely to need a range of support systems and tools to effectively identify the right solutions for them. Nevertheless, one of the most effective and accessible steps you can take as a parent is to spend time with your children.
Let’s look a little deeper into how quality time can foster resilience in children with ACEs, alongside some approaches you can take.
Hitting the Road
Taking a family trip is a great way to both take a break away from the usual routine and spend dedicated time together. Road trips can be particularly good experiences for helping kids with ACEs to build characteristics of resilience. After all, they have a chance to focus on their needs and build positive memories without potentially stressful or triggering stimuli such as large crowds or noisy airport environments.
One of the most important ways this type of trip helps to foster resilience is as a forum for developing social skills and establishing healthy relationships. Understandably, many children with ACEs find this challenging as a result of traumatic experiences. A road trip isn’t just a chance to strengthen the closeness within your family, though. You can also guide your child through safely meeting new people on the road and making fresh friends from different communities. This will help them now and in the future as they navigate personal relationships independently.
This doesn’t have to be an expensive endeavor. Indeed, as a parent reducing the stress of cost can allow you to focus more on the quality time you spend with your child. Therefore, on road trips, it’s worth taking a few extra steps to counteract high gas prices. Maintaining the correct tire pressure and minimizing your luggage weight can reduce your consumption. Being light on the gas pedal also reduces how much fuel you use while also making for a more pleasant and relaxed journey for you and your kids.
Staying at Home
Spending quality time together doesn’t necessarily mean going far afield. Indeed, taking a vacation at home can be an invaluable component of a resilience strategy for children with ACEs. This can be especially relevant if there are negative local environmental factors that contribute to the child’s experiences of trauma or stress, as safety is an important consideration for children that live with trauma. That said, the strongest benefits don’t always come from stepping away from these challenging environments, but from finding ways to thrive in spite of them.
This doesn’t mean that the time at home needs to be focused on difficult feelings. Planning an epic staycation allows you to connect with your loved ones while having fun. It also tends to be more cost-effective while enabling you to have greater control over the safety of the experiences. You and your child can visit local tourist spots together, eat at nearby favorite restaurants, or explore local parks. Even camping together in the backyard can provide quality time in which you can strengthen your bonds.
One of the most valuable components of a staycation for children with ACEs is the potential for discovering local resources. You can help foster their resilience by showing that even in locations they find challenging, there are nearby spaces for relief, release, and positivity. This is vital not only for empowering them to handle their trauma now but also gaining coping tools in later life.
Maintaining Consistency
There are significant benefits to family vacations, including the ability to build positive memories together that help them to overcome feelings of sadness and grief. These experiences also hold great opportunities to strengthen communication and bonds. Alongside these capsule moments, ensure your kids with ACEs have the tools to navigate their trauma from simple forms of quality time-sharing.
Find some hobbies to perform together. Hobbies tend to be more effective tools when you use them regularly. This might include creative activities, like arts and crafts, which can give a positive focus for channeling the difficult feelings your child lives with. The fact that you spend doing these activities together can also contribute to a deeper trusting connection with one another.
It can also be wise to find ways to just get outside together frequently. Mental and emotional resilience tend to be bolstered by actions like sports, hikes, and nature exploration. You may also find that this is also a forum to develop an open dialogue with one another. When you’re engaged in positive actions in a safe and relaxed environment, your child may find it easier to talk about their feelings and any difficulties they may be having.
Conclusion
Quality time can significantly help a child with ACEs to foster the resilience they need to thrive. Taking road trips together as a family can offer opportunities for social development in relatively safe spaces. On the other hand, staycations can show children that even in challenging local environments they can find positive resources. Remember, though, that performing activities together consistently tends to have more impact. Aside from anything else, both you and your child get to gain stronger bonds and great memories.
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