I wanted to share this video because it really moved me and transformed the way I see children who have gone through similar situations. It captures abuse and foster care in such a raw and emotional way that it is hard not to be moved by it. It’s easy to put these children in a box; a box that is labeled “defiant” or labeled by having dramatic outbursts or as being a “bad student”. We, as humans, tend to do this to try and understand things better. But is that really fair? We may know the children’s past and draw conclusions about their behaviors based on their past, but do we really understand? A lot of us don’t know what it’s like, and we shouldn’t pretend to, but that doesn’t mean we should give up or put them in a labeled box because it’s easier for us to make sense of it. Sometimes all these children need is one person. One person to tell them it’s going to be okay. One person to care for them. One person to hear their cry for help. One person to trust. One person to celebrate good times with and grieve through the bad. One person that’s never going to leave. Because sometimes, they have never known one person like that. Something said by Zoe, the little girl, really hit me. She said “My past defines me. This is who I am. I am unseen, unheard, unwanted. That is what I am, if even I am anything.” This captures such a strong sense of pain and hurt that these children go through. It helped me take children I know in similar situations out of their labeled box and really see them. They need someone to tell them that their past doesn't define them, that they are SEEN and HEARD and WANTED, and all of us in this field can be the person to tell them that. This video is a great source not only for us as professionals in the field but even the general population as well. Every child deserves to feel cared about.
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