Okay, so we all are hearing of the end of life as we have come to know it for the past 14 months. The social isolation, physical distancing, mask-wearing, business shutdowns, country lockdowns, and travel bans are what we in the region have endured since March 2020.
The disruption of life from Covid-19 is expected to come to a close as more than one vaccine has been approved and is being used in the Caribbean. As we adults relish in the return to school of our children, our return to gainful employment, and a sense of "normalcy", it is so important that we appreciate the effects this last year has had on our children.
With the proposed reopening of educational institutions across the Caribbean, children, youth and young adults will return to interacting with one another and will have stories to share. They will also have Trauma! And so will their teachers.
Being aware of this fact, and that the past year qualifies as an ACE for many children and as traumatic for many adults, will help us better deal with the emotional fallout from Covid-19 which lies ahead.
Forbes recently published an article by Leah Campbell titled, "For Some Kids, This Last Year Qualifies As An Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE)".Although directed to parents, the tips contained in the piece will be helpful to all persons who look after children in school or childcare settings.
In it, she writes: "Kids have been asked to sacrifice a lot this last year. In-person school, playdates with their friends, travel and sporting activities, and fun extras like trips to the movies. On top of all that, many have been trapped inside with parents facing their own stressors: trying to work from home, keeping businesses afloat, and even just paying the bills after work has dried up.
Our kids have been soaking it all in, taking on plenty of that stress themselves. For some, the experience of adjusting to Covid-19 life has been a truly traumatic event. The kind [of an event] it may take years for them to fully recover from."
Ms. Campbell explores ACEs, looks at 2020 and Covid-19 through an ACEs lens, shares practical tips for parents to help their children through sustained trauma, and outlines some of the Protective Factors which have been found to help children cope.
Read the full Forbes article here, "For Some Kids, This Last Year Qualifies As An Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE)".
If you would like information about the ACEs Caribbean Community or wish to join this Community, please reach out to me via email at acescaribbean@yahoo.com. I am always happy to help out. Bye for now! 
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