Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Raising awareness for grieving kids and teens

There are many observances throughout the year, but next month we celebrate a day that is near and dear to the heart of the VNA of Hanover and Spring Grove. Children's Grief Awareness Day is observed every year on the third Thursday in November - this year, the date is Nov. 15. This time of year is a natural time to increase support for grieving children, as the holiday season can prove to be an especially difficult time after the death of a loved one.

Children's Grief Awareness Day seeks to bring attention to the fact that support can make all the difference in the life of a grieving child. Every school and every community has children who have experienced some type of loss. Even if they keep their loss and experience to themselves, there are many children who are grieving among us. Children's Grief Awareness Day provides an opportunity to recognize and support the millions of grieving children across the nation and the grieving children in our own lives by increasing awareness and making sure that these children receive the support they need. Blue is the official color of Children's Grief Awareness Day, so wearing blue on Nov. 15 is an easy way to show support for grieving children.
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One child out of every 20 will have a parent die before graduating from high school. When you take into account the number of children who experience the death of a sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or friend, it becomes clear that nearly all children will experience a significant loss early in life. Children who have had someone die - especially a close family member - can feel the loss forever. On the surface, it may look like the child has returned to "normal," but the child may still be struggling with how to deal with his/her feelings.

This struggle often gets worse during the holiday season when the ongoing feelings of longing and pain become intensified and when memories of past holidays contrast sharply with the loss of the present holiday. This is a time of year when the grieving child can feel more alone than ever.

With this in mind, the VNA of Hanover and Spring Grove is pleased to offer a free workshop on Saturday, Nov. 17, from 1 to 4 p.m., at the VNA at 440 N. Madison St. in Hanover. The Children's Holiday Grief Workshop is open to children ages 5 to 13 and their parents or guardians who live within our service area of southwestern York County and all of Adams County. The workshop's activities will be facilitated by trained bereavement staff and volunteers and will include crafts, snacks, and storytelling, all focused on helping children deal with grief.

Younger children are also welcome to attend the workshop under the supervision of a parent or guardian. There will also be a separate adult support group meeting during the children's activities.

If you know a child who has lost a loved one and may be struggling with grief, please let his/her parents or guardians know about this event. For more information, contact Elizabeth Gordon or Carol Wallen at (717) 637-1227. Registration forms for this event are available online at www.vnahanover.org. The registration deadline for this event is Nov. 5.

Elizabeth Gordon, LSW, is the Bereavement Counselor for the VNA of Hanover and Spring Grove Hospice program.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Periodically as an educator

Periodically for an educator, I've put in a tiny little bit of your time chaperoning a lunchroom filled with teenagers. apart from their hi-jinks and giggles, i've been rather attentive to how a team of 400 folks go about organizing, prioritizing, and ingesting their food. it seems this appears strange, however it assists me maintain my concentrate and my sanity as I patrol. in scenario you feel everybody is alike, all you need to do is sit back and watch a huge group, any huge group, any get older consume a meal. everyone does it differently. everyone has their very own ingesting "quirks".

In my journey to categorize and content label the globe of eaters i've discovered the pursuing subgroups exist:

Desert Firsters-- These eaters consume desert or whatever sweet first. does not make any difference what the major course, they dig to the sugary treats. They go for that surge, after which select in the relaxation from the meal. This team won't deny independently immediate and instant pleasure. No waiting, just do it.

Ketchup Stylists -For the ketchup lover, it is exactly about personal style. With French fries for example, do you understand some folks shift their fries away on the part from the plate after which squeeze a "load" of ketchup over a blank portion from the plate and proceed to dip and eat? yet another team squeezes the ketchup all more than the pile of fries after which eats. The 3rd group, which I uncover essentially the most fascinating (at smallest inside a university cafeteria) opens a packet of ketchup and loads each and every fry individually with ketchup and eats it. They repeat the method more than and more than and more than yet again till complete. it is exhausting to watch:a painstaking process-all for that ideal queue of ketchup with French fry.

Liquidizers-Some folks sip liquids gradually in the program of their food being a "wash-down"; some folks consume their liquids 1st being a "thirst-quencher"; and some folks finish their food having a "chug-down" of whatever not consumed during.

"Condimentally" Preferred- Some folks go with condiments proper out the packet or jar; some acquire packet products and combine and fixture for making their very own individual combos of goodness, like ranch dressing and ketchup (Russian dressing). Some folks also consume condiments unconventionally: They consume them right out from the wrap up (probably a great deal more favored through the 12-13 12 months older population), they distribute them on meals that 1 wouldn't feel requirements additional support (like ranch dressing on pizza), or warm sauce on French fries.

Same factor each and every Day'er--Some folks are creatures of foods habit. They consume the exact same supper each and every individual day. does not matter. Same. Same. Same. They might not even seriously like it, but it is their foods habit. absolutely nothing new will adjust them. 1 path; 1 lunch. Period. No discussion.

Sandwich Insiders-This team only eats several bites from the insides from the sandwich. acquire a few bites. place it down. On on the other half. by no means crust eating. possibly only consume ¼ of sandwich. appear to appreciate searching at "bite" styles in sandwich a great deal more compared to eating.

Drinkers-This team does not like utensils. They often "drink" their meals, even though they are not liquid. They maintain the container as much as their mouth and slurp it.

Never sufficient "Chocolaters"-If ingesting coco puffs, this team utilizes chocolate brown milk as their liquid. by no means sufficient chocolate. Never. Not kidding.

Never sufficient "Dressing'ers"-One packet, two packets, nope-they go for that fats overload. it is a great deal more in regards to the dressing compared to salad or sandwich.

No, No to Napkins-Aren't necessarily neater than anybody else. Just do not at any time opt for to utilize napkins. do not vacation resort to finger-licking. both abandon with "foody" fingers or wipe on clothes.

Players-It's a great deal more about a actively playing encounter than an ingesting experience. Some have rituals with relocating foods all over or actively playing with it rather or just before ingesting it. generating certain it is right around the plate; or simply appreciate fooling with it to maintain busy.

Talk a great deal more than Eaters-Twenty mins can go by and so they haven't used a bite. continually talking-and not eating. a minimal of do not speak with mouth full. continually entertaining. supper is a great deal more about getting cultural than nutrition. The foods in top of them is simply a portion from the setting.

Eat a great deal more than Talkers-Never talk. Only dig into meal. consume methodically and with purpose. If request a question, grunt answer.

Traders-Take amazing pleasure at selecting food to buy, then make trades all components of food for some thing completely different. For these long term Donald Trumps it is the artwork from the offer and never lunch.

Two Biters-Doesn't make any difference what they're ingesting or what morning it is-take two bites and therefore are full. by no means finish; toss a great deal more aside than eat.

Fingers Only-Regardless of food, by no means use outdoors utensils. continually use fingers. try out chili fries with fingers. it is an effective trick.

Would instead toss It than consume It-this 1 speaks for itself. all of us know the type.

Ritualistic Eaters-These folks have a very distinctive ritual for his or her mealtime. Napkin lower as location mat. "Spork" location around the side. independent food, so it does not touch. Methodically assault meal, exact same way, each and every day. No variation, ever.

Food Stealers-Doesn't make any difference the things they need to eat, they acquire a person else's food. a person is usually ingesting a rotten baloney sandwich also it will most likely be stolen. everybody else's foods continually seems better. Or they are just meanies.

By now, you are reminiscing about your university days, and also you feel you do not have any of those routines anymore. I beg to differ. You might (I explained may) feel you're a great deal more civilized than you have been at 12. following time you are inside a team ingesting situation, examine out individuals all over you. I ensure you will see that entire body dimension might change, but ingesting designs are possibly the same.